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BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
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Photo#33296
mites on carrion beetles - Poecilochirus

mites on carrion beetles - Poecilochirus
Derry, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, USA
April 19, 2004
Size: mites 1 - 1.5 mm
Yes, you might have seen these images posted recently, but I thought I should put a set in the Acari (mites) department.

That mites ride on various species of beetles -- especially carrion and dung beetles -- is well known.

Little know is that mites often ride atop the wing covers (elytra) of Nicro*phorus carrion beetles, which are turned in on each other during flight, forming a protected passenger compartment for the mites. The mites seem to sense when the beetle is contemplating flight. They climb atop the elytra and line up facing forward even before the beetle begins its pre-flight fidgets.

These two beetles where making repeated flight attempts in effort to escape during the photo shoot, so the mites stayed in position.

Images of this individual: tag all
mites on carrion beetles - Poecilochirus mites on carrion beetles - Poecilochirus mites on carrion beetles - Poecilochirus

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Moved from Mites.

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