Editing Mite

{{Short description|Small eight-legged arthropod}}
{{other uses}}
{{good article
}}
{{Paraphyletic group
|fossil_range = [[Early Devonian]]&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;Present, {{fossil range|410|0}}
| name = Mites
| image = Trombidium holosericeum (aka).jpg
| image_alt = Trombidium holosericeum mite
| image_caption = ''[[Trombidium holosericeum]]'' mite (Acariformes)
| auto = yes
| parent = Arachnida
| includes_text = Mites are found in two superorders
| includes =
*[[Acariformes]]
*[[Parasitiformes]]
| image2 = Varroa destructor, 1 2019-09-06-19.12.07 ZS PMax UDR (48697155713).jpg
| image2_caption = ''[[Varroa destructor]]'' (Parasitiformes)
}}

'''Mites''' are small [[arachnid]]s (eight-legged [[arthropod]]s) of two large orders, the [[Acariformes]] and the [[Parasitiformes]], which were historically grouped together in the subclass '''Acari'''. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as each other's closest relative within Arachnida, rendering the group invalid as a [[clade]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Sharma |first=Prashant P. |last2=Gavish-Regev |first2=Efrat |date=2025-01-28 |title=The Evolutionary Biology of Chelicerata |url=https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-ento-022024-011250 |journal=Annual Review of Entomology |language=en |volume=70 |issue=1 |pages=143–163 |doi=10.1146/annurev-ento-022024-011250 |issn=0066-4170|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Most mites are tiny, less than {{convert|1|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} in length, and have a simple, unsegmented body plan. The small size of most species makes them easily overlooked; some species live in water, many live in soil as [[decomposer]]s, others live on plants, sometimes creating [[gall]]s, while others are [[Predation|predators]] or [[Parasitism|parasites]]. This last type includes the commercially destructive ''[[Varroa]]'' parasite of [[honey bee]]s, as well as [[scabies]] mites of humans. Most species are harmless to humans, but a few are associated with allergies or may transmit diseases.

The scientific discipline devoted to the study of mites is called [[acarology]].

==Evolution and taxonomy==
[[File:Yellow mite (Tydeidae) Lorryia formosa 2 edit.jpg|thumb|upright|The microscopic mite ''[[Lorryia formosa]]'' ([[Tydeidae]])]]

The mites are not a defined taxon, but is used for two distinct groups of arachnids, the [[Acariformes]] and the [[Parasitiformes]]. The [[phylogeny]] of the Acari has been relatively little studied, but molecular information from [[ribosomal DNA]] is being extensively used to understand relationships between groups. The 18 S rRNA gene provides information on relationships among [[Phylum|phyla]] and superphyla, while the [[Internal transcribed spacer|ITS2]], and the [[18S ribosomal RNA]] and [[28S ribosomal RNA]] genes, provide clues at deeper levels.<ref name=Dhooria>{{cite book| vauthors = Dhooria MS | chapter = Molecular Biology and Acarology |title=Fundamentals of Applied Acarology | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ktS4DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA176 |year=2016 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-981-10-1594-6 |pages=176}}</ref>

===Taxonomy===
* Superorder '''[[Parasitiformes]]''' – ticks and a variety of mites<ref name=Beaulieu2011>{{Cite journal | title = Superorder Parasitiformes: In: Zhang, Z-Q. (ed.) Animal biodiversity: an outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness | date = 2011 | last1 = Beaulieu | first1 = Frédéric | editor-last1 = Zhang | editor-first1 = Zhi-Qiang | journal = Zootaxa | volume = 3148 | doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.3148.1.23 | isbn = 978-1-86977-849-1 | issn = 1175-5326 | url = https://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/list/2011/3148.html | url-access = subscription }}</ref>
** [[Opilioacarida]] – a small order of large mites that superficially resemble [[harvestmen]] ([[Opiliones]]), hence their name<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ballesteros JA, Santibáñez López CE, Kováč Ľ, Gavish-Regev E, Sharma PP | title = Ordered phylogenomic subsampling enables diagnosis of systematic errors in the placement of the enigmatic arachnid order Palpigradi | journal = Proceedings. Biological Sciences | volume = 286 | issue = 1917 | pages = 20192426 | date = December 2019 | pmid = 31847768 | pmc = 6939912 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.2019.2426 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Vázquez MM, Herrera IM, Just P, Lerma AC, Chatzaki M, Heller T, Král J |date=2021-09-30 |title=A new opilioacarid species (Parasitiformes: Opilioacarida) from Crete (Greece) with notes on its karyotype |url=https://www1.montpellier.inrae.fr/CBGP/acarologia/article.php?id=4449 |journal=Acarologia |volume=61 |issue=3 |pages=548–563 |doi=10.24349/acarologia/20214449 |s2cid=236270478|doi-access=free }}</ref>
** [[Holothyrida]] - small group of predatory mites native to former [[Gondwana]] landmasses
** [[Ixodida]] – ticks
** [[Mesostigmata]] – a large order of predatory and parasitic mites
*** [[Trigynaspida]] - large, diverse order
*** [[Monogynaspida]] - diverse order of parasitic and predatory mites
*** [[Sejida]] - small order of mites containing five families
* Superorder '''[[Acariformes]]''' – the most diverse group of mites
** [[Endeostigmata]] (probably [[paraphyletic]])
** [[Eriophyoidea]] – gall mites and relatives
** [[Trombidiformes]] – plant parasitic mites (spider mites, peacock mites, red-legged earth mites, etc.), snout mites, chiggers, hair follicle mites, velvet mites, water mites, etc.
*** [[Sphaerolichida]] - small order of mites containing two families
*** [[Prostigmata]] - large order of sucking mites
** [[Sarcoptiformes]]
*** [[Oribatida]] – oribatid mites, beetle mites, armored mites (formerly known as Cryptostigmata)
*** [[Astigmatina]] – stored product, fur, feather, dust, and human itch mites, etc.

===Fossil record===
[[File:Milbe cf Glaesacarus rhombeus.jpg|thumb|Mite, cf ''Glaesacarus rhombeus'', fossilised in [[Baltic amber]], [[Upper Eocene]]]]

The mite fossil record is sparse, due to their small size and low preservation potential.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal| vauthors = Sidorchuk EA |date=2018-11-17|title=Mites as fossils: forever small?|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01647954.2018.1497085|journal=International Journal of Acarology|language=en|volume=44|issue=8|pages=349–359|doi=10.1080/01647954.2018.1497085|bibcode=2018IJAca..44..349S |s2cid=92357151|issn=0164-7954|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The oldest fossils of acariform mites are from the [[Rhynie chert|Rhynie Chert]], Scotland, which dates to the early [[Devonian]], around 410 million years ago<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dunlop JA, Garwood RJ | title = Terrestrial invertebrates in the Rhynie chert ecosystem | journal = Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences | volume = 373 | issue = 1739 | pages = 20160493 | date = February 2018 | pmid = 29254958 | pmc = 5745329 | doi = 10.1098/rstb.2016.0493 }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> while the earliest fossils of Parasitiformes are known from [[amber]] specimens dating to the mid-[[Cretaceous]], around 100 million years ago.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0">{{cite journal | vauthors = Arribas P, Andújar C, Moraza ML, Linard B, Emerson BC, Vogler AP | title = Mitochondrial Metagenomics Reveals the Ancient Origin and Phylodiversity of Soil Mites and Provides a Phylogeny of the Acari | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 37 | issue = 3 | pages = 683–694 | date = March 2020 | pmid = 31670799 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msz255 | veditors = Teeling E | doi-access = free | hdl = 10261/209118 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> Most fossil acarids are no older than the [[Tertiary]] (up to 65 [[Year#mya|mya]]).<ref name="de la Fuente2003">{{cite journal | vauthors = de la Fuente J | title = The fossil record and the origin of ticks (Acari: Parasitiformes: Ixodida) | journal = Experimental & Applied Acarology | volume = 29 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 331–344 | year = 2003 | pmid = 14635818 | doi = 10.1023/A:1025824702816 | s2cid = 11271627 }}</ref>

===Phylogeny===

Members of the superorders [[Opilioacariformes]] and [[Acariformes]] (sometimes known as Actinotrichida) are mites, as well as some of the [[Parasitiformes]] (sometimes known as Anactinotrichida).<ref name=ToLweb>{{cite web |url=http://tolweb.org/Acari/2554 |title=Acari: The mites | vauthors = Walter DE, Krantz G, Lindquist E |date=13 December 1996 |publisher=Tree of Life Web Project |access-date=6 October 2017}}</ref> Recent genetic research has suggested that Acari is [[Polyphyly|polyphyletic]] (of multiple origins).<ref name="DabertWitalinski2010">{{cite journal | vauthors = Dabert M, Witalinski W, Kazmierski A, Olszanowski Z, Dabert J | title = Molecular phylogeny of acariform mites (Acari, Arachnida): strong conflict between phylogenetic signal and long-branch attraction artifacts | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 56 | issue = 1 | pages = 222–241 | date = July 2010 | pmid = 20060051 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2009.12.020 }}</ref><ref name=Sanggaard>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sanggaard KW, Bechsgaard JS, Fang X, Duan J, Dyrlund TF, Gupta V, Jiang X, Cheng L, Fan D, Feng Y, Han L, Huang Z, Wu Z, Liao L, Settepani V, Thøgersen IB, Vanthournout B, Wang T, Zhu Y, Funch P, Enghild JJ, Schauser L, Andersen SU, Villesen P, Schierup MH, Bilde T, Wang J | display-authors = 6 | title = Spider genomes provide insight into composition and evolution of venom and silk | journal = Nature Communications | volume = 5 | pages = 3765 | date = May 2014 | pmid = 24801114 | pmc = 4273655 | doi = 10.1038/ncomms4765 | bibcode = 2014NatCo...5.3765S }}</ref><ref name=Ballesteros2022>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ballesteros JA, Santibáñez-López CE, Baker CM, Benavides LR, Cunha TJ, Gainett G, Ontano AZ, Setton EV, Arango CP, Gavish-Regev E, Harvey MS, Wheeler WC, Hormiga G, Giribet G, Sharma PP | display-authors = 6 | title = Comprehensive Species Sampling and Sophisticated Algorithmic Approaches Refute the Monophyly of Arachnida | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 39 | issue = 2 | date = February 2022 | pmid = 35137183 | pmc = 8845124 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msac021 | veditors = Teeling E }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Arribas P, Andújar C, Moraza ML, Linard B, Emerson BC, Vogler AP | title = Mitochondrial Metagenomics Reveals the Ancient Origin and Phylodiversity of Soil Mites and Provides a Phylogeny of the Acari | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 37 | issue = 3 | pages = 683–694 | date = March 2020 | pmid = 31670799 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msz255 | quote = Taxonomically, the Acari can readily be separated into two superorders, the Acariformes and Parasitiformes, .... most acarologists would agree that both lineages are not closely related and thus Acari are not monophyletic | veditors = Teeling E | hdl = 10261/209118 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> 

Current understanding of probable chelicerate relationships, after Sharma and Gavish-Regev (2025):<ref name=":2" />

{{clade
|label1=[[Chelicerata]]
|1={{clade
|1=[[Pycnogonida]] (sea spiders) [[File:Pseudopallene_pachycheira.jpeg|100px]]
|label2=[[Prosomapoda]]
|2={{clade
|1=[[Opiliones]] (harvestmen) [[File:Nemastomella dubia 2.jpg|100px]]
|state2=dashed
|2={{clade
|state1=dashed
|state2=dashed
|1=[[Palpigradi]] (microwhip scorpions) [[File:Live Eukoenenia spelaea in its cave habitat.png|100px]]
|2={{clade
|state1=dashed
|state2=dashed
|1=[[Solifugae]] (camel spiders) [[File:USMC-050510-M-7846V-002.jpg|100px]]
|2=[[Acariformes]] [[File:Galumnidae sp.png|100px]]
}}}}
|3=[[Parasitiformes]] [[File:Promegistus armstrongi 335075066.jpg|100px]]
|4={{clade
|state1=dashed
|state2=dashed
|1=[[Xiphosura]] (horseshoe crabs) [[File:Horseshoe crab (62577).jpg|100px]]
|2=[[Ricinulei]][[File:Ricinulei_from_Fernandez_&_Giribet,_male_Ricinoides_karschii_from_Campo_Reserve,_Cameroon_(2015)_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|label3=Arachnopulmonata
|3={{clade
|label1=Panscorpiones
|1={{clade
|1=[[Pseudoscorpiones]] (pseudoscorpions) [[File:Neobisium_sylvaticum_03.jpg|100px]]
|2=[[Scorpiones]] (scorpions) [[File:Buthus_mariefranceae_(10.3897-zookeys.686.12206)_Figure_1.jpg|100px]]
}}
|label2=[[Tetrapulmonata]]
|2={{clade
|1=[[Araneae]] (spiders) [[File:Theraphosa_blondi_MHNT.jpg|100px]]
|2={{clade
|1=[[Amblypygi]] (whip-spiders) [[File:Damon_johnstoni_–_Lydekker,_1879.png|100px]]
|2={{clade
|1= [[Schizomida]] (shorttailed whipscorpions) [[File:Hubbardia_pentapeltis_female.jpg|100px]]
|2=[[Uropygi]] (whip scorpions/vinegaroons) [[File:Whip_Scorpion_body_(9672115742)_(white_background).png|100px]]
}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
However, a few phylogenomic studies have found strong support for monophyly of Acari and a sister relationship between Acariformes and Parasitiformes,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lozano-Fernandez J, Tanner AR, Giacomelli M, Carton R, Vinther J, Edgecombe GD, Pisani D | title = Increasing species sampling in chelicerate genomic-scale datasets provides support for monophyly of Acari and Arachnida | journal = Nature Communications | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | pages = 2295 | date = May 2019 | pmid = 31127117 | pmc = 6534568 | doi = 10.1038/s41467-019-10244-7 | bibcode = 2019NatCo..10.2295L }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Howard RJ, Puttick MN, Edgecombe GD, Lozano-Fernandez J | title = Arachnid monophyly: Morphological, palaeontological and molecular support for a single terrestrialization within Chelicerata | journal = Arthropod Structure & Development | volume = 59 | pages = 100997 | date = November 2020 | pmid = 33039753 | doi = 10.1016/j.asd.2020.100997 | bibcode = 2020ArtSD..5900997H | s2cid = 222302964 }}</ref> although this finding has been questioned, with other studies suggesting that this likely represents a [[long branch attraction]] artefact as a result of inadequate sampling.<ref name=Ballesteros2022/><ref name=":2" />

==Anatomy==

===External===
Mites are tiny members of the class [[Arachnid]]a; most are in the size range {{convert|250|to|750|µm|in|2|abbr=on}} but some are larger and some are no bigger than {{convert|100|µm|in|3|abbr=on}} as adults. The body plan has two [[tagma (biology)|regions]], a [[cephalothorax]] (with no separate head) or prosoma, and an [[opisthosoma]] or abdomen. Segmentation has almost entirely been lost and the prosoma and opisthosoma are fused, only the positioning of the limbs indicating the location of the segments.<ref name=Ruppert/>

[[File:Acarine anatomy and morphology.png|thumb|right|upright=1.6|1 Chelicerae, 2 Palps, 3 Salivary glands, 4 Gut, 5 Excretory (Malpighian) tubules, 6 Anus, 7 Ovary or testes, 8 Air-breathing tubes (tracheae), 9 Central ganglion, 10 Legs, 11 Hypostome.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Balashov YS | year = 1972 | title = Bloodsucking Ticks - Vectors of Diseases of Man and Animals | journal = Miscellaneous Publications of the Entomological Society of America | volume = 8 | pages = 161–376 }}</ref>]]

At the front of the body is the [[gnathosoma]] or capitulum. This is not a head and does not contain the eyes or the brain, but is a retractable feeding apparatus consisting of the [[chelicerae]], the [[pedipalp]]s and the oral cavity. It is covered above by an extension of the body [[carapace]] and is connected to the body by a flexible section of [[cuticle]]. 
Two-segmented chelicerae is the ancestral condition in Acariformes, but in more derived groups they are single-segmented. And three-segmented chelicerae is the ancestral condition in Parasitiformes, but has been reduced to just two segments in more derived groups.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=o2t2BgAAQBAJ&dq=Ancestrally+chelicera+two-segmented+Acariformes+Parasitiformes+three-segmented&pg=PA266 Parasite Diversity and Diversification]</ref> The pedipalps differ between taxa depending on diet; in some species the appendages resemble legs while in others they are modified into chelicerae-like structures. The oral cavity connects posteriorly to the mouth and [[pharynx]].<ref name=Ruppert/>

Most mites have four pairs of legs (two pairs in [[Eriophyoidea]]<ref>{{Citation | vauthors = Hoy MA |title=Four-Legged Mites (Eriophyoidea or Tetrapodili) |date=2004 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/0-306-48380-7_1689 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Entomology |pages=913–919 |place=Dordrecht |publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers |language=en |doi=10.1007/0-306-48380-7_1689 |isbn=978-0-7923-8670-4 |access-date=2023-02-08|url-access=subscription }}</ref>), each with six segments, which may be modified for swimming or other purposes. The dorsal surface of the body is clad in hardened [[Tergum|tergites]] and the ventral surface by hardened [[sclerite]]s; sometimes these form transverse ridges. The [[gonopore]] (genital opening) is located on the ventral surface between the fourth pair of legs. Some species have one to five median or lateral eyes but many species are blind, and slit and pit sense organs are common. Both body and limbs bear [[seta]]e (bristles) which may be simple, flattened, club-shaped or sensory. Mites are usually some shade of brown, but some species are red, orange, black or green, or some combination of these colours.<ref name=Ruppert/>

Many mites have stigmata (openings used in respiration). In some mites, the stigmata are associated with [[peritreme]]s: paired, tubular, elaborated extensions of the tracheal system. The higher taxa of mites are defined by these structures:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Glossary |url=https://idtools.org/bee_mite/index.cfm?pageID=14 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Bee Mite ID}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=All mites have a small head |url=https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/mites/qmites/html/21_Peritremes.htm |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=keys.lucidcentral.org}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite book | vauthors = Krantz GW |title=A Manual of Acarology |date=2009 |publisher=Texas Tech University Press |isbn=978-0-89672-620-8 |edition=3rd |location=Lubbock, Tex |language=English |chapter=Form and Function | veditors = Krantz GW, Walter DE }}</ref>

* Oribatida, formerly known as Cryptostigmata ([[wiktionary:crypto-|crypto-]] = hidden), and Endeostigmata (endeo- = internal) lack primary stigmata and peritremes but may have secondary respiratory systems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Acariformes |url=https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/mites/qmites/html/Sarcoptiformes.htm |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=keys.lucidcentral.org}}</ref> For example, oribatids in the suborder [[Brachypylina]] have stigmata on the ventral plate of the body that are difficult to see (thus the former name Cryptostigmata).<ref>{{Cite book | vauthors = Norton RA, Behan-Pelletier VM |title=A manual of acarology |date=2009 |publisher=Texas Tech Univ. Press |isbn=978-0-89672-620-8 | veditors = Krantz GW, Walter DE |edition=3rd |location=Lubbock, Tex |chapter=Suborder Oribatida }}</ref>
* Astigmata ([[wiktionary:a-|a-]] = without) lack stigmata and respire through their cuticle.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=Astigmata Sarcoptiformes - Urban Insects |url=https://www.insectomania.org/urban-insects/astigmata-sarcoptiformes.html |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Insectomania |language=en}}</ref>
* Prostigmata ([[wiktionary:pro-|pro-]] = before/in front) have stigmata at the front of the body, usually on the lateral margins or between the chelicerae. These are associated with peritremes that may be on the prodorsum near the cheliceral bases, or be horn-like and emergent, or form a line or network on the dorsum of the gnathosomal capsule.<ref name=":02" />
* Opilioacaridae have four pairs of dorsolateral stigmata that are added sequentially during development.<ref name=":02" />
* The other three orders of Parasitiformes, Holothyrida, Ixodida, and Mesostigmata ([[wiktionary:meso-|meso-]] = middle), have just one pair of stigmata in the region of the fourth pair of legs. They also have peritremes: in Ixodida these consist of paired encircling plates around the stigmata, while the peritremes in Mesostigmata and Holothyrida are grooves extending from the stigmata anteriorly (sometimes also posteriorly).<ref name=":12" />

===Internal===
Mite digestive systems have [[Salivary gland|salivary glands]] that open into the preoral space rather than the foregut. Most species carry two to six pairs of salivary glands that empty at various points into the subcheliceral space.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Shatrov AB |date=January 2005 |title=Ultrastructural investigations of the salivary glands in adults of the microtrombidiid mite Platytrombidium fasciatum (CL Koch, 1836)(Acariformes: Microtrombidiidae). |journal=Arthropod Structure & Development |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=49–61 |doi=10.1016/j.asd.2004.09.001|bibcode=2005ArtSD..34...49S }}</ref> A few mite species lack an anus: they do not defecate during their short lives.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=27 August 2014 |title=You Almost Certainly Have Mites On Your Face |url=http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/27/you-almost-certainly-have-mites-on-your-face/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911205827/http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/27/you-almost-certainly-have-mites-on-your-face/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2014 |magazine=National Geographic |access-date=23 November 2017 |vauthors=Yong E}}</ref> The circulatory system consists of a network of sinuses and most mites lack a heart, with movement of fluid being driven by the contraction of body muscles. Ticks, and some of the larger species of mites, have a dorsal, longitudinal heart.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=61vuCAAAQBAJ&dq=Ticks+certain+mites+dorsal+longitudinal+heart&pg=PA50 Medical Entomology: A Textbook on Public Health and Veterinary Problems Caused by Arthropods]</ref> Gas exchange is carried out across the body surface, but many species additionally have between one and four pairs of [[Trachea|tracheae]]. The excretory system includes a [[nephridium]] and one or two pairs of [[Malpighian tubule|Malpighian tubules]].<ref name="Ruppert2">{{cite book |title=Invertebrate Zoology |vauthors=Ruppert EE, Fox RS, Barnes RD |publisher=Cengage Learning |year=2004 |isbn=978-81-315-0104-7 |edition=7th |pages=590–595}}</ref> Several families of mites, such as Tetranychidae, Eriophyidae, Camerobiidae, Cunaxidae, Trombidiidae, Trombiculidae, Erythraeidae and Bdellidae have [[silk]] glands used to produce silk for various purposes. Additionally, water mites (Hydrachnidia) produce long thin threads that may be silk.<ref>[https://kmkjournals.com/upload/PDF/Acarina/22/Acar22_2_133_148_Shatrov_et_al.pdf Observation on Silk Production and Morphology of Silk in Water Mites (Acariformes: Hydrachnidia)]</ref>

==Reproduction and life cycle==
[[File:Harvest mite cycle.svg|thumb|[[Harvest mite]] (Trombiculidae) life cycle: the larvae and nymphs resemble small adults, though the larvae have only six legs.]]{{Main|Life stages of mites}}
The sexes are separate in mites; males have a pair of [[Testicle|testes]] in the mid-region of the body, each connected to the gonopore by a [[vas deferens]], and in some species there is a chitinous [[penis]]; females have a single [[ovary]] connected to the gonopore by an [[oviduct]], as well as a [[Female sperm storage|seminal receptacle]] for the storage of [[sperm]]. In most mites, sperm is transferred to the female indirectly; the male either deposits a [[spermatophore]] on a surface from which it is picked up by the female, or he uses his chelicerae or third pair of legs to insert it into the female's gonopore. In some of the [[Acariformes]], insemination is direct using the male's penis.<ref name=Ruppert/> The spermatophora in all mites are aflagellate.<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8049248_How_the_sperm_lost_its_tail_The_evolution_of_aflagellate_sperm How the sperm lost its tail: The evolution of aflagellate sperm]</ref>

The eggs are laid in the [[Substrate (biology)|substrate]], or wherever the mite happens to live. They take up to six weeks to hatch, according to species, then may pass through up to six [[Instar|instars]]: prelarva, larva, proto[[Nymph (biology)|nymph]], deutonymph, tritonymph, and adult. These developmental stages may look different or may be omitted depending on the mite group. All mites have an adult stage.<ref name="beemiteid">{{Cite web |author=Klimov, P.B. |author2=B. OConnor |author-link2=Barry OConnor |author3=R. Ochoa |author4=G.R. Bauchan |author5=A.J. Redford |author6=J. Scher |date=2016 |title=Life Stages |url=https://idtools.org/bee_mite/index.cfm?pageID=1720 |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=Bee Mite ID: Bee-Associated Mite Genera of the World |publisher=USDA APHIS Identification Technology Program (ITP) |location=Fort Collins, CO}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Longevity varies between species, but the lifespan of mites is short compared to many other arachnids.<ref name=Ruppert/>

==Ecology==

===Niches===
[[File:Rust Mite, Aceria anthocoptes.jpg|thumb|Russet mite, ''[[Aceria anthocoptes|A. anthocoptes]]'', is found on the invasive weed ''[[Cirsium arvense]]'', the Canada thistle, across the world. It may be usable as a [[biological pest control]] agent for this weed.<ref name="Magud">{{cite journal | vauthors = Magud BD, Stanisavljević LZ, Petanović RU | title = Morphological variation in different populations of Aceria anthocoptes (Acari: Eriophyoidea) associated with the Canada thistle, Cirsium arvense, in Serbia | journal = Experimental & Applied Acarology | volume = 42 | issue = 3 | pages = 173–183 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17611806 | doi = 10.1007/s10493-007-9085-y | s2cid = 25895062 }}</ref>]]

Mites occupy a wide range of [[ecological niches]]. For example, [[Oribatida]] mites are important [[decomposers]] in many habitats. They eat a wide variety of material including living and dead plant and fungal material, lichens and carrion; some are [[predation|predatory]], though no oribatid mites are [[parasitism|parasitic]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Arroyo J, Keith AM, Schmidt O, Bolger T | year=2013 | title=Mite abundance and richness in an Irish survey of soil biodiversith with comments on some newly recorded species | journal= Irish Naturalists' Journal | volume=33 | pages=19–27 }}</ref> Mites are among the most diverse and successful of all [[invertebrate]] groups. They have exploited a wide array of [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]]s, and because of their small size go largely unnoticed. They are found in freshwater (e.g. the water mites or [[Hydrachnidia]]<ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Di Sabatino A, Smit H, Gerecke R, Goldschmidt T, Matsumoto N, Cicolani B |date=2008 |title=Global diversity of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia; Arachnida) in freshwater |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10750-007-9025-1 |journal=Hydrobiologia |language=en |volume=595 |issue=1 |pages=303–315 |doi=10.1007/s10750-007-9025-1 |s2cid=10262035 |issn=0018-8158|url-access=subscription }}</ref>) and saltwater (most [[Halacaridae]]<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Pepato AR, Vidigal TH, Klimov PB | title = Molecular phylogeny of marine mites (Acariformes: Halacaridae), the oldest radiation of extant secondarily marine animals | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 129 | pages = 182–188 | date = December 2018 | pmid = 30172010 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.08.012 | s2cid = 52145427 | doi-access = free }}</ref>), in the soil, in forests, pastures, agricultural crops, ornamental plants, thermal springs and caves. They inhabit organic debris of all kinds and are extremely numerous in leaf litter. They feed on animals, plants and fungi and some are [[Parasitism|parasites]] of plants and animals.<ref name=Jeppson>{{cite book| vauthors = Jeppson LR, Keifer HH, Baker EW |title=Mites Injurious to Economic Plants|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RlE1_jsBtbAC&pg=PA1 |year=1975 |publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-02381-9 |pages=1–3}}</ref> Some 48,200 species of mites have been described,<ref>{{cite book |title=Nature and human society: the quest for a sustainable world: proceedings of the 1997 Forum on Biodiversity | veditors = Raven PH, Williams T |publisher=[[National Academies]] |year=2000 |chapter=Global Diversity of Mites |pages=192–212 | vauthors = Halliday RB, O'Connor BM, Baker AS |isbn=9780309065559 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nDgrAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA192}}</ref> but there may be a million or more species as yet undescribed.<ref name=Ruppert>{{cite book |title=Invertebrate Zoology | edition = 7th | vauthors = Ruppert EE, Fox RS, Barnes RD |year=2004 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=978-81-315-0104-7 |pages=590–595 }}</ref> The tropical species ''[[Archegozetes longisetosus]]'' is one of the strongest animals in the world, relative to its mass (100 μg): It lifts up to 1,182 times its own weight, over five times more than would be expected of such a minute animal.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Heethoff M, Koerner L | title = Small but powerful: the oribatid mite Archegozetes longisetosus Aoki (Acari, Oribatida) produces disproportionately high forces | journal = The Journal of Experimental Biology | volume = 210 | issue = Pt 17 | pages = 3036–3042 | date = September 2007 | pmid = 17704078 | doi = 10.1242/jeb.008276 | name-list-style = amp | doi-access = free }}</ref> A mite also holds a speed record: for its length, ''[[Paratarsotomus macropalpis]]'' is the fastest animal on Earth.<ref name="Rubin_2016">{{cite journal | vauthors = Rubin S, Young MH, Wright JC, Whitaker DL, Ahn AN | title = Exceptional running and turning performance in a mite | journal = The Journal of Experimental Biology | volume = 219 | issue = Pt 5 | pages = 676–685 | date = March 2016 | pmid = 26787481 | doi = 10.1242/jeb.128652 | doi-access = free }}
* {{cite press release |date=April 27, 2014 |title=Mite sets new record as world's fastest land animal |website=ScienceDaily |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140427191124.htm}}</ref>

The mites living in soil consist of a range of taxa. Oribatida and Prostigmata are more numerous in soil than Mesostigmata, and have more soil-dwelling species.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Coleman DC, Crossley DA, Hendrix PF | chapter = Secondary Production: Activities of Heterotrophic Organisms—The Soil Fauna |date=2004  | title = Fundamentals of Soil Ecology |pages=79–185 |publisher=Elsevier |language=en |doi=10.1016/b978-012179726-3/50005-8 |isbn=978-0-12-179726-3 }}</ref> When soil is affected by an ecological disturbance such as agriculture, most mites (Astigmata, Mesostigmata and Prostigmata) recolonise it within a few months, whereas Oribatida take multiple years.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Behan-Pelletier VM | chapter = Oribatid mite biodiversity in agroecosystems: role for bioindication |date=1999 | title = Invertebrate Biodiversity as Bioindicators of Sustainable Landscapes |pages=411–423 |publisher=Elsevier |language=en |doi=10.1016/b978-0-444-50019-9.50023-6 |isbn=978-0-444-50019-9 }}</ref>

===Parasitism===

Many mites are [[parasitism|parasitic]] on plants and animals. One family of mites, [[Pyroglyphidae]], or nest mites, live primarily in the nests of birds and other animals. These mites are largely [[parasitism|parasitic]] and consume [[blood]], [[skin]] and [[keratin]]. [[Dust mites]], which feed mostly on dead skin and hair shed from humans instead of consuming them from the organism directly, evolved from these parasitic ancestors.<ref name="Klimov_2013">{{cite journal | vauthors = Klimov PB, OConnor B | title = Is permanent parasitism reversible?--critical evidence from early evolution of house dust mites | journal = Systematic Biology | volume = 62 | issue = 3 | pages = 411–423 | date = May 2013 | pmid = 23417682 | doi = 10.1093/sysbio/syt008 | doi-access = free }}
* {{cite news |date=March 8, 2013 |title=Genetic study of house dust mites demonstrates reversible evolution |work=Michigan News |url=http://www.ns.umich.edu/new/releases/21279-genetic-study-of-house-dust-mites-demonstrates-reversible-evolution}}</ref> [[Tick|Ticks]] are a prominent group of mites that are parasitic on vertebrates, mostly mammal and birds, feeding on blood with specialised mouthparts.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Beati L, Klompen H | title = Phylogeography of Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) | journal = Annual Review of Entomology | volume = 64 | issue = 1 | pages = 379–397 | date = January 2019 | pmid = 30354695 | doi = 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043027 | quote = "Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are large parasitiform mites characterized by mouthparts specialized for blood feeding" | s2cid = 53023797 }}</ref>

Parasitic mites sometimes infest insects. ''[[Varroa destructor]]'' attaches to the body of [[honey bee]]s, and ''[[Acarapis woodi]]'' (family [[Tarsonemidae]]) lives in their [[invertebrate trachea|trachea]]e. Hundreds of species are associated with other bees, mostly poorly described. They attach to bees in a variety of ways. For example, ''[[Trigona corvina]]'' workers have been found with mites attached to the outer face of their hind tibiae.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Stingless bees (Meliponidae) of the Western Hemisphere: Lestrimelitta and the following subgenera of Trigona: Trigona, Paratrigona, Schwarziana, Parapartamona, Cephalotrigona, Oxytrigona, Scaura, and Mourella. | journal = Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History | volume = 90 |url= https://archive.org/details/bulletin-american-museum-natural-history-90-001-546| vauthors = Schwarz HF, Bacon AL |hdl=2246/1231|year=1948 }}</ref> Some are thought to be parasites, while others are beneficial [[symbiosis|symbionts]]. Mites also parasitize some ant species, such as ''[[Eciton burchellii]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Berghoff SM, Wurst E, Ebermann E, Sendova-Franks AB, Rettenmeyer CW, Franks NR | title = Symbionts of societies that fission: Mites as guests or parasites of army ants | journal = Ecological Entomology | volume = 34 | issue = 6 | pages = 684–695 | year = 2009 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2311.2009.01125.x | bibcode = 2009EcoEn..34..684B | s2cid = 84324830 | url = http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/17362/ | access-date = 2019-08-19 | archive-date = 2017-02-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170206084415/http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/17362/ | url-status = dead | url-access = subscription }}</ref> Most larvae of [[Parasitengona]] are ectoparasites of arthropods, while later life stages in this group tend to shift to being predators.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parasitengona - velvet mites (including chiggers) & water mites |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/729496 |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=bugguide.net}}</ref>

[[File:Eriophyes tiliae tiliae.JPG|thumb|upright|Lime nail galls on ''[[Tilia × europaea]]'', caused by the mite ''[[Eriophyes tiliae]]'']]

Plant pests include the so-called [[spider mite]]s (family [[Tetranychidae]]), [[thread-footed mite]]s (family [[Tarsonemidae]]), and the [[gall mite]]s (family [[Eriophyidae]]).<ref>{{cite book| vauthors = Fenemore PG | chapter = Chapter 7: Mites and other non-insect pests |title=Plant Pests and Their Control|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fKVmDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 |year=2016 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-4831-8286-5 |page=112}}</ref> Among the species that attack animals are members of the [[Mange#Sarcoptic mange|sarcoptic mange]] mites (family [[Sarcoptidae]]), which burrow under the skin. [[Demodex mite]]s (family [[Demodecidae]]) are parasites that live in or near the [[hair follicle]]s of [[mammal]]s, including humans.<ref name=Hall>{{cite book | vauthors = Harrison S, Knott H, Bergfeld WF | chapter = Infections of the Scalp | veditors = Hall JC, Hall BJ |title=Skin Infections: Diagnosis and Treatment |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZGKnr9vAy_QC&pg=PA260 |year=2009|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-89729-7 |page=260}}</ref>

===Dispersal===
Being unable to fly, mites need some other means of dispersal. On a small scale, walking is used to access other suitable locations in the immediate vicinity. Some species mount to a high point and adopt a dispersal posture and get carried away by the wind, while others waft a thread of silk aloft to balloon to a new position.<ref name=Capinera>{{cite book| vauthors = Ho CC | chapter = Mite Pests of Crops in Asia | veditors = Capinera JL |title=Encyclopedia of Entomology| chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i9ITMiiohVQC&pg=PA2425 |year=2008 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1 |page=2425}}</ref>

Parasitic mites use their hosts to disperse, and spread from host to host by direct contact. Another strategy is [[Phoresis (biology)|phoresy]]; the mite, often equipped with suitable claspers or suckers, grips onto an insect or other animal, and gets transported to another place. A phoretic mite is just a hitch-hiker and does not feed during the time it is carried by its temporary host. These travelling mites are mostly species that reproduce rapidly and are quick to colonise new habitats.<ref name=Capinera/>

==Relationship with humans==
[[File:Stefania Lanza and her soft toy Scabies Mite.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Public health]] worker Stefania Lanzia using a [[scabies mite]] to publicise [[scabies]], an often overlooked condition especially among the elderly]]

Mites are tiny, and apart from those that are of economic concern to humans, little studied. The majority are beneficial, living in the soil or aqueous environments and assisting in the decomposition of decaying organic material, as part of the [[carbon cycle]].<ref name=Jeppson/>

Two species live on humans, namely ''[[Demodex folliculorum]]'' and ''[[Demodex brevis]]''; both are frequently referred to as eyelash mites.

===Medical significance===
{{further|Acariasis}}

The majority of mite species are harmless to humans and [[domestic animal]]s, but a few species can colonize mammals directly, acting as [[vector (epidemiology)|vector]]s for disease transmission, and causing or contributing to allergenic diseases. Mites which colonize human skin are the cause of several types of itchy skin rashes, such as [[gamasoidosis]],<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schulze KE, Cohen PR | title = Dove-associated gamasoidosis: a case of avian mite dermatitis | journal = Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology | volume = 30 | issue = 2 Pt 1 | pages = 278–280 | date = February 1994 | pmid = 8288795 | doi = 10.1016/S0190-9622(08)81930-5 }}</ref> [[rodent mite dermatitis]],<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Theis J, Lavoipierre MM, LaPerriere R, Kroese H | title = Tropical rat mite dermatitis. Report of six cases and review of mite infestations | journal = Archives of Dermatology | volume = 117 | issue = 6 | pages = 341–343 | date = June 1981 | pmid = 7247425 | doi = 10.1001/archderm.1981.01650060031018 }}</ref> [[grain itch]],<ref name=Andrews>{{cite book | vauthors = James WD, Berger TG |title=Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology |url=https://archive.org/details/andrewsdiseasess00mdwi_659 |url-access=limited |publisher=Saunders Elsevier |year=2006 | edition = 10th |page=[https://archive.org/details/andrewsdiseasess00mdwi_659/page/n464 454] |isbn=978-0-7216-2921-6 }}</ref> [[grocer's itch]],<ref name=Andrews/> and [[scabies]]; ''[[Sarcoptes scabiei]]'' is a parasitic mite responsible for scabies, which is one of the three most common skin disorders in children.<ref name=Clinic2009>{{cite journal | vauthors = Andrews RM, McCarthy J, Carapetis JR, Currie BJ | title = Skin disorders, including pyoderma, scabies, and tinea infections | journal = Pediatric Clinics of North America | volume = 56 | issue = 6 | pages = 1421–1440 | date = December 2009 | pmid = 19962029 | doi = 10.1016/j.pcl.2009.09.002 }}</ref> ''[[Demodex]]'' mites, which are common cause of [[mange]] in [[dog]]s and other domesticated animals,<ref name=Hall/> have also been implicated in the human skin disease [[rosacea]], although the mechanism by which ''demodex'' contributes to the disease is unclear.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Mumcuoglu KY, Akilov OE | title = The Role of Demodex Mites in the Pathogenesis of Rosacea and Blepharitis and Their Control | journal = Journal of the Rosacea Research & Development Institute | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | date = March 2010 | pages = 47–54 | isbn = 9781450203449 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zRf3FNiN7OoC&pg=PA47 | veditors = Whitehead J, Barrows B }}</ref> Ticks are well known for carrying diseases, such as [[Lyme disease]]<ref name="NEJM2014">{{cite journal | vauthors = Shapiro ED | title = Clinical practice. Lyme disease | journal = The New England Journal of Medicine | volume = 370 | issue = 18 | pages = 1724–1731 | date = May 2014 | pmid = 24785207 | pmc = 4487875 | doi = 10.1056/NEJMcp1314325 | url = http://portal.mah.harvard.edu/templatesnew/departments/MTA/Lyme/uploaded_documents/NEJMcp1314325.pdf | url-status = dead | access-date = 5 July 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160821071927/http://portal.mah.harvard.edu/templatesnew/departments/MTA/Lyme/uploaded_documents/NEJMcp1314325.pdf | archive-date = 21 August 2016 }}</ref> and [[Rocky Mountain spotted fever]].<ref>{{cite web|date=15 November 2018|title=Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)|url=https://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/index.html|access-date=20 January 2019|website=CDC|language=en-us}}</ref>

[[File:Robert Hooke, Micrographia, mites; eggs Wellcome L0000180.jpg|thumb|upright|Mites and their eggs, drawn by [[Robert Hooke]], ''[[Micrographia]]'', 1665]]

[[Chiggers]] are known primarily for their [[chigger bite|itchy bite]], but they can also spread disease in some limited circumstances, such as [[scrub typhus]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Pham XD, Otsuka Y, Suzuki H, Takaoka H | title = Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Rickettsiales: rickettsiaceae) in unengorged chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Oita Prefecture, Japan, by nested polymerase chain reaction | journal = Journal of Medical Entomology | volume = 38 | issue = 2 | pages = 308–311 | date = March 2001 | pmid = 11296840 | doi = 10.1603/0022-2585-38.2.308 | s2cid = 8133110 }}</ref> The [[house-mouse mite]] is the only known vector of the disease [[rickettsialpox]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Diaz JH | title = Endemic mite-transmitted dermatoses and infectious diseases in the South | journal = The Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society | volume = 162 | issue = 3 | pages = 140–145, 147–149 | year = 2010 | pmid = 20666166 }}</ref> [[House dust mite]]s, found in warm and humid places such as beds, cause several forms of allergic diseases, including [[hay fever]], [[asthma]] and [[eczema]], and are known to aggravate [[atopic dermatitis]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/allergyhousedustmite.htm| title=House dust mite allergy| publisher=NetDoctor| vauthors=Klenerman P, Lipworth B| access-date=February 20, 2008| archive-date=February 11, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211110450/http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/allergyhousedustmite.htm| url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Mites of domestic animals|Among domestic animals]], sheep are affected by the mite ''Psoroptes ovis'' which lives on the skin, causing hypersensitivity and inflammation.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = van den Broek AH, Huntley JF, MacHell J, Taylor M, Bates P, Groves B, Miller HR | title = Cutaneous and systemic responses during primary and challenge infestations of sheep with the sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis | journal = Parasite Immunology | volume = 22 | issue = 8 | pages = 407–414 | date = August 2000 | pmid = 10972847 | doi = 10.1046/j.1365-3024.2000.00318.x | s2cid = 41549010 }}</ref> Hay mites are a suspected reservoir for [[scrapie]], a [[prion]] disease of sheep.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Carp RI, Meeker HC, Rubenstein R, Sigurdarson S, Papini M, Kascsak RJ, Kozlowski PB, Wisniewski HM | display-authors = 6 | title = Characteristics of scrapie isolates derived from hay mites | journal = Journal of Neurovirology | volume = 6 | issue = 2 | pages = 137–144 | date = April 2000 | pmid = 10822327 | doi = 10.3109/13550280009013157 | s2cid = 16441609 }}</ref>

===In beekeeping===

The mite ''[[Varroa destructor]]'' is a serious pest of [[honey bee]]s, contributing to [[colony collapse disorder]] in [[beekeeping|commercial hives]]. This organism is an obligate external parasite, able to reproduce only in bee colonies. It directly weakens its host by sucking up the bee's fat, and can spread [[RNA virus]]es including [[deformed wing virus]]. Heavy infestation causes the death of a colony, generally over the winter. Since 2006, more than 10 million beehives have been lost.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Guzmán-Novoa E, Eccles L, Calvete Y, Mcgowan J, Kelly PG, Correa-Benítez A |year=2009 |url=http://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/pdf/2010/04/m09037.pdf |title=''Varroa destructor'' is the main culprit for the death and reduced populations of overwintered honey bee (''Apis mellifera'') colonies in Ontario, Canada |journal=[[Apidologie]] |doi=10.1051/apido/2009076 |volume=41 |issue=4 |pages=443–450|s2cid=10898654 }}</ref><ref name="Benjamin">{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/may/02/food-fear-mystery-beehives-collapse | location=London | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | vauthors = Benjamin A | title=Fears for crops as shock figures from America show scale of bee catastrophe | date=2 May 2010}}</ref>

=== Biological pest control ===
Various mites prey on other invertebrates and can be used to control their populations. [[Phytoseiidae]], especially members of ''[[Amblyseius]]'', ''[[Metaseiulus]]'', and ''[[Phytoseiulus]]'', are used to control pests such as spider mites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=twospotted spider mite - Tetranychus urticae Koch |url=https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/twospotted_mite.htm |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=entnemdept.ufl.edu}}</ref> Among the [[Laelapidae]], ''[[Gaeolaelaps aculeifer]]'' and ''[[Stratiolaelaps scimitus]]'' are used to control [[Sciaridae|fungus gnats]], [[Dermanyssus gallinae|poultry red mites]] and various soil pests.<ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Park J, Mostafiz MM, Hwang HS, Jung DO, Lee KY |date=2021-05-25 |title=Comparing the Life Table and Population Projection of Gaeolaelaps aculeifer and Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Acari: Laelapidae) Based on the Age-Stage, Two-Sex Life Table Theory |journal=Agronomy |language=en |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=1062 |doi=10.3390/agronomy11061062 |issn=2073-4395|doi-access=free }}</ref>

===In culture===
Mites were first observed under the [[microscope]] by the English polymath [[Robert Hooke]]. In his 1665 book ''[[Micrographia]]'', he stated that far from being [[spontaneously generated]] from dirt, they were "very prettily shap'd Insects".<ref name=Marren2010>{{Cite book| vauthors = Marren P, Mabey R |author1-link=Peter Marren|author2-link=Richard Mabey|title=Bugs Britannica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ah62bUZLDOwC |year=2010 |publisher=Chatto & Windus |isbn=978-0-7011-8180-2 |pages=122–125}}</ref> In 1898, [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] wrote a satirical poem, "A Parable", with the [[conceit]] of some cheese mites disputing the origin of the [[Truckle|round]] [[cheddar cheese]] in which they all lived.<ref>{{Cite book | vauthors = Doyle AC |url=http://archive.org/details/penpencilsouveni00lond |title=Pen and pencil: A souvenir of the Press Bazaar |publisher=[[Punch_(magazine)]] |date=June 28, 1898 |location=London |pages=58 |language=EN}}</ref> The world's first science documentary featured [[cheese mite]]s, seen under the microscope; the short film was shown in London's Alhambra [[music hall]] in 1903, causing a boom in the sales of simple microscopes.<ref name=Marren2010/>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Arthropods}}
* [[Chigger bite]]
* [[Copra itch]]
* [[Gamasoidosis]]
* [[Grain itch]]
* [[Grocer's itch]]
* [[List of mites associated with cutaneous reactions]]
{{clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080109125350/http://bitingmites.org/ Bitingmites.org: What's biting you?]
* [https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/fasulo/vector/chapter_05.htm Mites and Ticks] chapter in [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] and [[University of Florida]]/[[Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences]] National Public Health Pesticide Applicator Training Manual
* {{MeshName|Mites}}
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[[Category:Acari]]
[[Category:Paraphyletic groups]]
[[Category:Arthropod common names]]