Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#1094251
Trombidiformes? - Balaustium

Trombidiformes? - Balaustium
Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California, USA
June 30, 2015
For size I could only say, I believe it is a smallish Lygus bug being eaten. So, big. Probably 2mm at least. What got my attention was a size large enough to see, a position that was pretty stationary (because it is about to eat), and I was curious about the victim being on its back, and having hair coiled around it. This is probably just a coincidence but I saw a dead ladybug larva not long ago with what looked like a couple of coils of hair around it. It made me wonder if some bug predator uses some sort of "rope" to trip them with. Probably not, but it just made me wonder. Mites like this typically run down their prey...but they can't fly!

Images of this individual: tag all
Trombidiformes? - Balaustium Trombidiformes? - Balaustium Trombidiformes? - Balaustium Trombidiformes? - Balaustium

Moved
Moved from Erythraeidae.

Moved
Moved from Acariformes.

Erythraeidae
Hi Arthur:

Yes, it does belong to the Trombidiformes, and within that the Parasitengona, and then Erythraeidae. They don't capture prey with loops of hair, so that is coincidental!

Cheers,
Heather

 
Thanks Heather!
I thought it was a bit of a long shot but would be a cool trick.

These are still interesting in that they are bigger and not as constantly on the move as their smaller red brethren. Also, it makes it possible to get a halfway decent photo without going to heroic measures!

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.