Video: Dynastes granti egg mite

[Peter Clausen]

Here's a video of a parasitic mite living off a Dynastes granti egg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWOcbyapI3Q

 

[cre0broter]

oh my! poor egg!

bad mite! bad!

 

[Dynastes]

If you read my book you'd have known to remove those mites from the female ahead of time.

 

[Lucanus]

Those are the mites that can often be found in wood compost. I once bought an organic potting mix from walmart. I left this soil for three days in the garage and when I opened the bag I found hundreds of mites that looked like the one in the picture.

 

[Dynastes]

Those are the mites that can often be found in wood compost. I once bought an organic potting mix from walmart. I left this soil for three days in the garage and when I opened the bag I found hundreds of mites that looked like the one in the picture.

No, these are Dynastes specific egg mite found on the adult beetle undersides mostly between the thorax and abdomen. I don't think you can appreciate the size from the pic, an engorged mite is bigger than AGB mites.

 

[Lucanus]

No, these are Dynastes specific egg mite found on the adult beetle undersides mostly between the thorax and abdomen. I don't think you can appreciate the size from the pic, an engorged mite is bigger than AGB mites.

There behavior and the appearance look almost identical to the one I find in compost. I've seen them feeding on dog foods, mushrooms, and eggs of Lucanus elaphus. I wish I can post the pictures but my camera isn't good enough to capture the image of this tiny creature.

Is there any way to get rid of these? I lost 42 eggs of Lucanus elaphus last year from mites.