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whirligig mite (Anystidae: Anystinae)
whirligig mite (Anystidae: Anystinae)
Tributary Subdivision
whirligig mite (Anystidae: Anystinae)
Spotted on Apr 2, 2012
Submitted on Apr 12, 2012
3 Comments
Any time! No need for a better photo. Even with a blurry picture, you can clearly see diagnostic anystine characters: size; an almost triangular, truncated body; large palps; color; and large legs seeming to radiate from a central point. No other common mites in your area have these characters... especially not tetranychids. If you're still in doubt, compare these images of spider mites (http://bugguide.net/node/view/187584/bgi...) and clover mites (http://bugguide.net/node/view/219196/bgi...) to these images of whirligig mites (http://bugguide.net/node/view/94328/bgim...). Keep up the good mite-spotting!
Thanks theridula for your suggestion. I guess I will have to look for more and get a better picture to ID.
This is not a spider mite (Tetranychidae) but a whirligig mite (Anystidae: Anystinae), which are predators... often of spider mites.