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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing mites. The word "arachnid" does not only apply to spiders! Mites are arachnids meaning they're related to spiders and scorpions who are also arachnids. Mite classification has changed in the past decade, though it's generally agreed that the mites are split into two major groups.

Considering the massive species diversity on display in these animals, this episode will be highly generalized. Some mites eat plants like algae, or they eat fungi. Others eat other animals like tardigrades, or they eat parts of animals like skin and hair. There are also parasitic mites such as the tick, perhaps one of the more well known mites, who eats blood which we discussed in a previous episode. 

Mites are typically microscopic. The larger species, like ticks, can reach more than a centimeter in length when fully engorged, but most species are so small they can't be seen with the naked eye. In fact, their small size has led to some changes in their body structure depending on the species. Some mites have fewer than eight legs, a feature that's often a defining trait of arachnids. Others don't have eyes. And some mites don't even have a heart!

While some mites, especially parasitic mites, live on or in the bodies of other animals, many are free-living. They spend their time in leaf litter, soil, under tree bark, on sidewalks, and even in water! There are currently around 45,000 described mite species, but it's estimated that over a million mite species exist all over the world. Mites live from the highest mountain peaks to the depths of the ocean and they are found on every continent including Antarctica!

Mites are also with you. Humans have face mites that live on your face. Face mites are harmless, though an abundance of them can cause skin conditions that need medical intervention. Other mites are not so harmless such as those who cause scabies, or who damage stored grains. On the other hand, some mites help with decomposition or controlling invasive species. With a group this large, it's a give and take of what is beneficial and what isn't to humans.

Mites can have a round, spherical body or a flat body. They may be smooth or have hair-like projections like the peacock mite seen in this video's thumbnail. Some look like spiders and others can engorge themselves with food or eggs. They do not have wings or antennae.

Threats to mites include other mites as well as other arthropods. Larger species may be taken by birds, reptiles, and small mammals like opossums, but on average adult mites only live about a month or two. Mites hatch from eggs. These are usually deposited on food material, but some parasitic mite mothers retain their eggs and give birth to live young. Depending on the species they'll go through a larval and nymph stage each lasting about three weeks before becoming adults.  

For more facts on mites, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today. Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! And thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!