What is a #mite of the #Histiostomatidae doing in nests of an #antnest? About behavior, dispersal, #phoresy, life strategy. A 2008 study about the life strategy of mite #Histiostoma #bakeri (Histiostomatidae) in nests of the leafcutting ant #Atta #texana.
According to this, the desired location of the mites for mating and reproduction is the detritus chambers of the ant nest.
© #StefanFWirth Berlin 2023

Paper Wirth & Moser (2008), short summary and PDF for download: https://wp.me/p2l6XU-1Mt

From 26 Jun: The tiniest hitchhikers: Nematodes leap onto bumblebees via electric fields - A nematode (C. elegans) jumps onto a bumblebee along an electrical field to hitch a r... https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/study-nematodes-use-electric-fields-to-hitch-rides-on-bumblebees/ #animals #biology #c.-elegans #ecosystems #nematodes #phoresy #physics #science

The tiniest hitchhikers: Nematodes leap onto bumblebees via electric fields - A nematode (C. elegans) jumps onto a bumblebee along an electrical f... - https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948727 #ecosystems #c.elegans #nematodes #science #animals #biology #phoresy #physics

#MiteMonday: I was taking a photo of this red velvet mite (family Trombidiidae) when I noticed something on its butt. To my great surprise, it was another mite—a mesostigmatid, which are often hitchhikers on other arthropods. I haven't seen anything similar on trombidiids before, to my knowledge. Anyone know what's going on here?

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #Acari #Trombidiidae #Mesostigmata #phoresy