"So, naturalists observe, a flea has smaller fleas that on him prey; and these have smaller still to bite ’em; and so proceed ad infinitum."
- Jonathan Swift

October 23, 2010

October 23 - Trombidium holosericeum

The animal in the photo is not a parasite - but its offspring are. Like Eutrombicula alfreduggesi, Trombidium holosericeum is a mite that has parasitic larvae and nymphs. The larvae, commonly known as chiggers, can cause real distress to their hosts - including humans - as they feed. They do not crawl under the skin, nor do they feed on blood - what they do is attach themselves to the skin, pierce it. and inject enzymes that can break down the tissue. A hollow tube known as a stylosome forms - the chiggers will continue to "spit" in these enzymes and then suck up the nutrients. After about 3 to 5 days, they will drop off the host and transform into nymphs. They find a new host, feed in a similar way, and then drop off to molt into adults. The adults are not parasitic, but rather feed on plant juices or are predatory to other small arthropods.

5 comments:

  1. wow. thats one cruel way to survive.
    thats the last thing i would like to get inside me. good thing they dont feed on humans.

    by the way susan,my suggestion for halloween parasite won?

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  2. WHat do you mean they don't feed on humans? Chiggers love human flesh! Every gone for a hike or golfing and had a bunch of tiny itchy bumps on your ankles -those are mite larvae slurping away on your dissolved skin!

    I think we've got a couple...and one photo is horribly disgusting.

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  3. really?! ew that must be really itching!
    susan i would like to see this photos please!!
    how can i view them?

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  4. I can definitely verify they love human flesh! they at least love mine and my flesh doesn't love them quite so much. I react like crazy to those buggers. In Panama I lived with a "chigger bike bikini" so to speak.good times.

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  5. Just do a google image search for "chigger bites"!

    ReplyDelete