Q: What do mites look like?
Answer:Β There are different kinds of mites. They are all related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions and they are members of the Arachnid class of Arthropods. The most common ones we see on plants are spider mites and resemble tiny spiders under magnification. Another type of mite that may be found on plants is called the eriophyid mite. These look more like maggots and are generally much smaller so you would probably need a microscope to see them. They sometimes cause plant galls to form where they feed. While some mites are plant feeders, some feed on mold, and dust mites feed on dead skin. Other mites are predators and parasites that feed on insects such as honey bees, animals such as birds and bats, or in the case of chiggers, animals like us. As the song goes, βWell little bugs have littler bugs upon their backs to bite βem. And the littler bugs have still littler bugs and so ad infinitum.β
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Email: plwarren@cals. arizona.edu
