Update: went back to the trail between Fort York and the tracks; saw a lot of cool stuff but the highlight was discovering that the aphids on the plants there—mostly tansy and goldenrod—are covered with parasitic larval Parasitengona mites!!!

The mites eventually drop off and develop into free-living predators and scavengers. This is how most long-legged velvet mites (family Erythraeidae) and red velvet mites (family Trombidiidae) start life.

The best way to ID them is to rear them to adulthood (and then send them to an expert). With so many at my disposal I might actually be able to do this successfully.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #bugstodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Parasitengona #parasitism