7 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

Shortly after moving one of my Camponotus fragilis colonies to a formicarium, I noticed all this microscopic debris looking almost like powder around one of the meal worm pieces laying in the out world. Upon closer inspection I saw they were mites, tens of thousands of them probably. I wasn't too worried about them, as they didn't seem to be parasitic or even phoretic, but they exploded in population within hours.

 

Under the microscope, I could see there were still more eggs EVERYWHERE. These mites were really funny looking too, having what looks like a long snout and hairs sticking out.

 

I have compost mites in almost all of my colonies, so seeing mites wondering around is nothing I'm not used to; I just have never seen these particular mites before. I eventually just moved the ants into another formicarium and washed the infested one out. I haven't seen anymore since.

 

Here's some pictures

 

 

[drtrmiller]

Those look like the same mites I see in fruit fly cultures, and people are so worried they'll harm the ants, but they don't parasitize any living thing.

[ctantkeeper]

I'm having the same EXACT problem with the EXACT same species of mite, if you could even consider it to be a problem. If anything, they are keeping the foraging area clean and possibly serving as food for my ants. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that they keep on escaping by the hundreds if not thousands. 

[rdurham02]

I'm having the same EXACT problem with the EXACT same species of mite, if you could even consider it to be a problem. If anything, they are keeping the foraging area clean and possibly serving as food for my ants. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that they keep on escaping by the hundreds if not thousands. 

Ditto here as well. I have a persistent colony of these mites inhabiting my mealworm bin..no matter how clean I keep it. 

[VoidElecent]

I think these mites are either in the genus Tyrophagus or Saproglyphus, if that helps. 

[WeatherAnt]

Yeah, I'd say that there are a few mites there. 

[Connectimyrmex]

Oof, i had those mites in my old Pseudomyrmex colony. They are not parasitic, they are commensal. Try introducing predatory mites or just put your ants on a diet for a few days.

[Works4TheGood]

My only encounter with mites was when they invaded my mealworm farm. They formed a powder on top of all of the oatmeal. I got rid of them by denying them water for a week, and then controlling the humidity levels more closely. Again, you could have a totally different kind of mite that thrives on dryness, but this was my one experience.