Mites?

[jocepede]

There are super tiny mites in my millipede enclosure... I think i remember reading that they host harmless symbiotic mites but I just want to make sure. These ones are everywhere and on leaves and the soil. Could they be soil or moss mites? If so are they harmless?


One of the mites is in that red circle there. They are very tiny as you can see in comparison to the millipede. There are a lot of them just crawling very slowly you can hardly tell they are there. This was a screenshot of a video that I sped up to see the mites moving and I could see them much better after speeding up the video. Are they harmless? Should I replace any soil or anything?

 

[jocepede]

Could they be grain mites? Should I just leave them? There are a lot on the cucumber so I think they are probably just there to eat. Where do they come from though?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I cannot tell what that is from the 3 white pixels in the circle. If they're small white roundish things, they're probably grain mites. Generally harmless but their numbers can sometimes explode in a moist environment, and that can stress out your animals. If they're shaped more like a grain of rice, they're probably springtails, which are beneficial. In all likelihood you have some of both.

 

[jocepede]

I cannot tell what that is from the 3 white pixels in the circle. If they're small white roundish things, they're probably grain mites. Generally harmless but their numbers can sometimes explode in a moist environment, and that can stress out your animals. If they're shaped more like a grain of rice, they're probably springtails, which are beneficial. In all likelihood you have some of both.

They weren't jumping like springtails but if were sort of longish? There aren't any on the millipedes so I'll just leave it for now. I only saw ten or so so I'll just remove any rotting food and replace the substrate and stuff if I see more. Thanks!

 

[jocepede]

I cannot tell what that is from the 3 white pixels in the circle. If they're small white roundish things, they're probably grain mites. Generally harmless but their numbers can sometimes explode in a moist environment, and that can stress out your animals. If they're shaped more like a grain of rice, they're probably springtails, which are beneficial. In all likelihood you have some of both.

The three white pixels lmao

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

They weren't jumping like springtails but if were sort of longish? There aren't any on the millipedes so I'll just leave it for now. I only saw ten or so so I'll just remove any rotting food and replace the substrate and stuff if I see more. Thanks!

Yeah you really don't need to worry either way unless you see a population explosion, and if that happens, you'll definitely notice.

 

[jocepede]

Yeah you really don't need to worry either way unless you see a population explosion, and if that happens, you'll definitely notice.

Thank you! What would an explosion look like? I think it's actually more than I thought. I watched the video again and every white speck on the top left was one. Would mites be detrimental to millipedes or just an annoyance?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Thank you! What would an explosion look like? Would it be detrimental to millipedes or just an annoyance?

If a mite population explodes they will be EVERYWHERE. They'll be up on the sides of the enclosure, on the millipede, etc. You'll just see a ton of them. They aren't directly harmful per se, but because they can stress out the animal, they can contribute to overall health problems.

 

[jocepede]

If a mite population explodes they will be EVERYWHERE. They'll be up on the sides of the enclosure, on the millipede, etc. You'll just see a ton of them. They aren't directly harmful per se, but because they can stress out the animal, they can contribute to overall health problems.

Okay, thanks so much! I'll keep an eye on it and replace the substrate if that happens.

 

[RDRobbs]

There are super tiny mites in my millipede enclosure... I think i remember reading that they host harmless symbiotic mites but I just want to make sure. These ones are everywhere and on leaves and the soil. Could they be soil or moss mites? If so are they harmless?
View attachment 361479

One of the mites is in that red circle there. They are very tiny as you can see in comparison to the millipede. There are a lot of them just crawling very slowly you can hardly tell they are there. This was a screenshot of a video that I sped up to see the mites moving and I could see them much better after speeding up the video. Are they harmless? Should I replace any soil or anything?

I found these mites in mine this week, sound a lot like yours! I haven't been able to identify them yet, everyone says springtails, but they don't jump! Also wondering how they got in as I bake everything!

 

[jocepede]

I found these mites in mine this week, sound a lot like yours! I haven't been able to identify them yet, everyone says springtails, but they don't jump! Also wondering how they got in as I bake everything!

Yeah I usually bake/freeze everything I put in the enclosure (unless it came dried in packages) except for the food I put in like kale or cucumbers. Maybe it's something from the kale? I really don't know how they got there. Are you'res pretty fast moving? They kind of move slowly and then they would scurry around sometimes for me. There was one time where one bumped into another one and it kind of jumped backwards so maybe they're like springtail larvae or something?

 

[Ponerinecat]

I found these mites in mine this week, sound a lot like yours! I haven't been able to identify them yet, everyone says springtails, but they don't jump! Also wondering how they got in as I bake everything!

Ha ha, those are indeed springtails. You'd be surprised at how many springtails jump reluctantly or even have reduced/absent furcas (jumping organs) and are completely incapable of their namesake. The ones you have are either cyphoderidae or a very pale Lepidocyrtus.

 

[Ponerinecat]

Yeah I usually bake/freeze everything I put in the enclosure (unless it came dried in packages) except for the food I put in like kale or cucumbers. Maybe it's something from the kale? I really don't know how they got there. Are you'res pretty fast moving? They kind of move slowly and then they would scurry around sometimes for me. There was one time where one bumped into another one and it kind of jumped backwards so maybe they're like springtail larvae or something?

I'd need better pictures to tell, but so far they sound like springtails. Perhaps onychiuridae or maybe a tullbergiidae? Springtails perform incomplete metamorphosis, as they are not true insects and just a fellow entognath. So it is possible they are smaller springtails, which are more akin to nymphs than true larvae. Basically smaller replicas of adults.

 

[RDRobbs]

Ha ha, those are indeed springtails. You'd be surprised at how many springtails jump reluctantly or even have reduced/absent furcas (jumping organs) and are completely incapable of their namesake. The ones you have are either cyphoderidae or a very pale Lepidocyrtus.

Thank you for answering! It was driving me crazy wondering! So that's a good thing right? Because I was fixing to change my substrate! Also, how did they get in? That I'm confused about

 

[Ponerinecat]

Thank you for answering! It was driving me crazy wondering! So that's a good thing right? Because I was fixing to change my substrate! Also, how did they get in? That I'm confused about

I'm honestly not too sure, but most likely eggs or maybe even cysts buried in the substrate or wood/moss. I've had Lepidocyrtus pop up on any wood I bring in and cyphoderidae are just everywhere in soil.

 

[RDRobbs]

I'm honestly not too sure, but most likely eggs or maybe even cysts buried in the substrate or wood/moss. I've had Lepidocyrtus pop up on any wood I bring in and cyphoderidae are just everywhere in soil.

Yeah I have moss in there as well! I guess they survive the baking! Thanks for your help!

 

[Arthroverts]

I agree with @Ponerinecat, it sounds like both of you have springtails (not all of which jump). Grain mites will be a tan color, move slowly generally, and will be seen clustered around supplemental foods and dead specimens; the common springtails are generally found throughout the soil, and are only rarely clustered around patches of mold.

Neither can survive baking, but invariably they will end up in your enclosure "somehow"; oftentimes the specimens themselves will have one or both clinging to their bodies when moved from one enclosure to another.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[RDRobbs]

I agree with @Ponerinecat, it sounds like both of you have springtails (not all of which jump). Grain mites will be a tan color, move slowly generally, and will be seen clustered around supplemental foods and dead specimens; the common springtails are generally found throughout the soil, and are only rarely clustered around patches of mold.

Neither can survive baking, but invariably they will end up in your enclosure "somehow"; oftentimes the specimens themselves will have one or both clinging to their bodies when moved from one enclosure to another.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Glad you stepped in old friend! Haha! They are indeed usually in the soil, or on the underside of the bark. They don't move too quickly, I was able to catch one and get a pic! Thanks for your input. My pedes are still acting crazy! My old man seems to stay up 24/7, and always walking! Maybe he has dementia!

 

[jocepede]

I agree with @Ponerinecat, it sounds like both of you have springtails (not all of which jump). Grain mites will be a tan color, move slowly generally, and will be seen clustered around supplemental foods and dead specimens; the common springtails are generally found throughout the soil, and are only rarely clustered around patches of mold.

Neither can survive baking, but invariably they will end up in your enclosure "somehow"; oftentimes the specimens themselves will have one or both clinging to their bodies when moved from one enclosure to another.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Thank you!