Blue death feigning beetle mite problem? Help

[BeetlePerson]

So I saw these extremely tiny black mites in my blue death feigning beetles’ enclosure on their carrots and all around their enclosure. My beetles were twitching every few seconds and I got worried, so I took my beetles out, cleaned everything in the enclosure with water in my shower and dried it wih a hair dryer. I also cleaned the enclosure itself. I placed my beetles in the enclosure with a piece of paper instead of substrate because I don’t have access to it right now and a piece of grape in it so they have something to eat. They seem to be doing fine now, but I’m wondering if those mites (or whatever they were) are around my house now, and if they’re still alive in my beetle’s enclosure hiding or something, if they’ll come back, and if they hurt my beetles.. I’ll put some new sand in their enclosure once I have it, but what else can I do to make sure they don’t come back? Is it the carrots, because I only saw mites in the carrots and not in the grapes or the lettuce in their enclosure. Can I still leave food in their enclosure overnight? I’m very worried about this..

 

[WyrmSwarm]

The only mites that go after beetles I personally know of aren’t black...was your enclosure moldy or really damp before you cleaned it? Were any of the mites on your beetles? Certain mites can be attracted to mold, a wet enclosure or rotting wood, while others can simply go after the beetles themselves. I would keep the enclosure dry and not to keep any food in there longer than a day or two. I personally think you should be fine since you cleaned the enclosure and replaced the food. I would keep a close eye on your beetles just in case, and if you see them again I would reccomend attaching a picture, we might be able to identify them better! here’s hoping they don’t come back!

 

[BeetlePerson]

The only mites that go after beetles I personally know of aren’t black...was your enclosure moldy or really damp before you cleaned it? Were any of the mites on your beetles? Certain mites can be attracted to mold, a wet enclosure or rotting wood, while others can simply go after the beetles themselves. I would keep the enclosure dry and not to keep any food in there longer than a day or two. I personally think you should be fine since you cleaned the enclosure and replaced the food. I would keep a close eye on your beetles just in case, and if you see them again I would reccomend attaching a picture, we might be able to identify them better! here’s hoping they don’t come back!

I always keep the enclosure dry, and they didn’t appear to be on the beetles. Whenever I picked up the carrots, though, they started running away onto my hands. I won’t put any more carrots in there just in case, and I won’t leave the food in there for longer than two days. Thanks for the help!!

 

[WyrmSwarm]

I always keep the enclosure dry, and they didn’t appear to be on the beetles. Whenever I picked up the carrots, though, they started running away onto my hands. I won’t put any more carrots in there just in case, and I won’t leave the food in there for longer than two days. Thanks for the help!!

I’m really curious as to what they are so I did some googling xD my best guess is they might be carrot weevils? I’m not sure how small weevils can be but certain types like feeding on carrots and other vegetables. If that’s what they were, they definitely aren’t a problem, just a veggie “pest”. They actually will help in eating the left over veggies in the enclosure!

 

[BeetlePerson]

I’m really curious as to what they are so I did some googling xD my best guess is they might be carrot weevils? I’m not sure how small weevils can be but certain types like feeding on carrots and other vegetables. If that’s what they were, they definitely aren’t a problem, just a veggie “pest”. They actually will help in eating the left over veggies in the enclosure!

They were very very small; you almost couldn’t see them unless they were on a white surface or if you lit up the area with a flashlight. They were definitely bothering my beetles though, because they kept twitching because the mites were everywhere. Still gotta play it safe, though, haha.

 

[WyrmSwarm]

They were very very small; you almost couldn’t see them unless they were on a white surface or if you lit up the area with a flashlight. They were definitely bothering my beetles though, because they kept twitching because the mites were everywhere. Still gotta play it safe, though, haha.

Oh I see :/ well in any case, I hope they don’t come back! Good luck!

 

[BeetlePerson]

Oh I see :/ well in any case, I hope they don’t come back! Good luck!

Thank you!

 

[BeetlePerson]

Oh I see :/ well in any case, I hope they don’t come back! Good luck!

They came back! I attached a picture, any idea what they might be? There are only a few of them now, though.. Not sure what to do. They don’t look like mites or ants, and they’re light brown, so I’m not sure what they could be.

 

[Vanisher]

That doesnt look like a mite! It looks like an insect of some sort!

 

[BeetlePerson]

That doesnt look like a mite! It looks like an insect of some sort!

Yeah, I found out when I took the picture. I still don’t know what it could be, though, or how to get rid of them..

 

[Vanisher]

I cannot say if they are harmful or not? I guess nit but i really dont know! Good luck with it sir! Hooe you get some answers!

 

[WyrmSwarm]

View attachment 301071
They came back! I attached a picture, any idea what they might be? There are only a few of them now, though.. Not sure what to do. They don’t look like mites or ants, and they’re light brown, so I’m not sure what they could be.

They definitely don’t seem like mites. Maybe it’s a type of grain beetle? From the pic the shape seems similar...I’ve attached pictures of grain beetles to compare

 

[BeetlePerson]

They definitely don’t seem like mites. Maybe it’s a type of grain beetle? From the pic the shape seems similar...I’ve attached pictures of grain beetles to compare View attachment 301081 View attachment 301082

Doesn’t seem like it since they don’t have the same body structure. Mines have a bigger head, a shorter body, and are smaller than those beetles. The picture I attached was one of them on a paper towel, if that gives you an idea of their size.

 

[WyrmSwarm]

Doesn’t seem like it since they don’t have the same body structure. Mines have a bigger head, a shorter body, and are smaller than those beetles. The picture I attached was one of them on a paper towel, if that gives you an idea of their size.

I think I found some pics that resemble them. Maybe they’re booklice?

 

[BeetlePerson]

I think I found some pics that resemble them. Maybe they’re booklice?

View attachment 301087 View attachment 301088

They might be booklice! Looks like they feed on mold in moist environments, so maybe mold grew on the carrots they were in? They’re harmless, too, so I hope that’s actually what they are. I’ll see how I can remove them, thank you so much for your help!!

 

[WyrmSwarm]

They might be booklice! Looks like they feed on mold in moist environments, so maybe mold grew on the carrots they were in? They’re harmless, too, so I hope that’s actually what they are. I’ll see how I can remove them, thank you so much for your help!!

No problem, I hope that’s what they are! Hopefully you can get rid of them!