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Little forest critter


Little forest critter
Photo Information
Copyright: Tanja Almazan (sily) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 238 W: 6 N: 391] (1893)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-03-10
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon PowerShot A710 IS
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-03-22 19:17
Viewed: 584
Points: 9
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Apologize for details but this is 3mm bug, too much for digital without additional lense.

Velvet (red) mite,Eutrombidium sp.

This mite is predatory on any creature smaller than itself including other mites, springtails, false scorpions and even the silken fungus beetle, Atomaria mesomela.

hyperactive creatures to photograph — almost always on the move as they skitter along over tree bark or soil. Velvet Mites aren’t insects, but instead belong to the Order Acarina, which, in turn, belongs to the Class Arachnida, the class that includes spiders, scorpions, mites, water mites, ticks, among others. These arthropods have eight legs instead of the six legs of insects. They also have a variety of body forms not restricted to the usual head-thorax-abdomen of insects. They have chelicerae - fang-bearing appendages in front of the mouth.
Velvet Mites belong to the Family Trombidiidae.
Some tiny species live in soil, others in leaf litter, performing the essential role of breaking down and recycling rotting vegetation.

It seems that the little red “mites” on some larger insects are the ectoparasitic larval stage of the Velvet Mite. At a later stage, the larvae become free-living predators like the adults, but in their earlier life cycle, they attach themselves to insects and arachnids in order to feed. Velvet Mites do not have too many natural enemies - probably due to their distastefulness — their warning colour being just that — a warning to would-be predators, “I taste dreadful so go away!”
fungiman, cedryk, cicindela has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To lovenature: HI Janice!sily 1 03-22 19:40
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Tanja
You did a great job on this tiny (looks like a Clovermite). He's such a pretty colour.

You should try using a Magnifying Glass in front of your lens. I know someone else on TN who uses this technique and it seems to work. It might take a few tries to get it right.
TFS Janice

Hi Tanja,
What an excellent write up I wish they were all so good. I to have chased mites around waiting for them to stay still. So feel you have done well with this one.

Hi Tanja, lovely view of this strange creature with great colors, beautiful composition, very well done, have a nice week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • cedryk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 966 W: 52 N: 1694] (5184)
  • [2007-03-28 18:00]

Hello Tanja,
Big bravo for your attempt. Even if the object is not that sharp I appreciate a lot the fact that you approached it with the camera. And the result is not bad. Waiting for next tries :-)
Best greetings,
Michal

Hello Tanja,
It is not easy to take a good picture of so small creature. Even if they are not very mobile, bacause of their size these are difficult to "catch". You did it with a good reasult but also added an interesting note.
Bravo for showing something interesting :)
Best greetings,
Radomir

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