Showing posts with label Nicorophorus vespilloides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nicorophorus vespilloides. Show all posts

Saturday, 2 August 2008

Phoretic Mites

I took this shot of the Sexton beetle Nicorophorus vespilloides when it flew into me as I was photographing moths at light:


Eagle-eyed readers will have already spotted the Phoretic mites on the elytra (and one at the back of the head):
The mites are not parasitic on the beetle, but are carnivorous, eating fly larvae that could be a threat to the beetle larvae. They use the beetle as transport, so we have a good symbiotic relationship, here.

I also coincidentally photographed this Harvestman with phoretic mites on the same day: