Red velvet mites

[Protectyaaaneck]

Found about 10 of these today.

These guys were really tiny though, only measuring about 1/8" in total body length including legs. Really hating myself for not getting a macro lense yet. lol

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Travis K]

Jason, did you keep them?

 

[Anastasia]

how the heck you spot those??
Man..., Am so blind I would never be able to find anything unless it will bite me
yes... did you keep them?

 

[The Spider Faery]

These guys were really tiny though, only measuring about 1/8" in total body length including legs. Really hating myself for not getting a macro lense yet. lol

I hear yah. I really need a camera with a macro lens also. The further I go into this hobby, the more it seems an essential tool. As for the macro of the red velvet mite, there's a pic of one on this page, if you want to check it out:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=158890&page=10

 

[Travis K]

Jason,

As promised.

Cheers mates,

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

That's awesome, Travis. I was wondering when you were going to get your scope. Thanks for posting those, I was really hoping to see what they looked like up close.

 

[Travis K]

I was really hoping to see what they looked like up close.

Yeah, so was I. LOL, but these guys are not easy to get clear pics of as they will not stay still for a second. I didn't even attempt the AGB commensal mites yet as those are even more mobile than the velvets. I think I may need to put them down somehow without damaging them. Any ideas?

Jason, thanks for sending those little guys! I am really enjoying them. Does anyone know what they might eat?

 

[Deroplatys]

Doubt anyone's got any bigger than mine

 

[Moltar]

Dang Travis, now that is what I call macro photography.

Deroplatys, them thangs are huge.

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

Doubt anyone's got any bigger than mine

Those are the kind I want. :drool:

 

[xhexdx]

Any ideas?

Put them in a ziploc bag with as little air as possible, and use the bag to flatten them in a manner that doesn't squish or kill them, but prevents them from moving.

 

[Travis K]

Put them in a ziploc bag with as little air as possible, and use the bag to flatten them in a manner that doesn't squish or kill them, but prevents them from moving.

I can try that, but not sure how well it will work as they are so stinking small, but I will try. I really want to get a good close up of their eyes, the eyes only 'pop' out into view when they are scurrying.

---------- Post added at 12:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 PM ----------

Doubt anyone's got any bigger than mine

What local are those from? and what do you feed them?

 

[Introvertebrate]

What local are those from?

There was a Red Velvet Mite segment in 'Bugging Out'. They found them somewhere in Arizona:

http://science.discovery.com/videos/buggin-out-red-velvet.html

 

[Travis K]

Put them in a ziploc bag with as little air as possible, and use the bag to flatten them in a manner that doesn't squish or kill them, but prevents them from moving.

Joe,

Thanks for the (K.I.S.S.) idea with the zip lock. It did slow down my A. gigas commensal mites, but the down side was that it distorted the image so much it wasn't even worth taking any pics. I am going to have to kill them delicately.

 

[zonbonzovi]

I second Introvertebrate...Deroplatys' mites look like AZ biguns that come out with the monsoons(the only time they're visible?). Dinothrombium?

Travis- is that photo looking through your new scope? How 'bout freezing one for the cause?

 

[Deroplatys]

Mine are Indian imports as Trombidium sp.

 

[Travis K]

I second Introvertebrate...Deroplatys' mites look like AZ biguns that come out with the monsoons(the only time they're visible?). Dinothrombium?

Travis- is that photo looking through your new scope? How 'bout freezing one for the cause?

Yeah I can try freezing them, I might give that a shot tonight, I don't know if I want to do it with the velvets yet. Definitely will freeze the AGB commensals though. I will report back tonight or tomorrow on how that works out.

---------- Post added at 10:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:02 AM ----------

Mine are Indian imports as Trombidium sp.

What do you feed them?

 

[xhexdx]

Joe,

Thanks for the (K.I.S.S.) idea with the zip lock. It did slow down my A. gigas commensal mites, but the down side was that it distorted the image so much it wasn't even worth taking any pics. I am going to have to kill them delicately.

I had never tried it with anything that small - the smallest I've worked with was a Cithaeron praedonius mature male...the images were a tad blurry but I think it may also have been from the makeshift setup we were using.