Parasites

scitch · Post by **scitch** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:37 pm

My daughter is doing a science fair project comparing the genomes of insects collected in a nature reserve (with permission) with insects collected at a site with lots of human impact. Part of the project is getting an ID (down to Order) for the insects. When IDing some of the specimens under a dissecting scope, she noticed these creatures on the end of a Midge. Are those parasites? Are they normal or is it something to be concerned about?

Sorry the quality isn't great. It was just a cell phone through the eyepiece handheld and some digital zoom.

Thanks!
Mike

abpho · Post by **abpho** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:45 pm

Whatever they are, they are cute.

Deanimator · Post by **Deanimator** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:48 pm

They look like eggs.

Pau · Post by **Pau** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:24 pm

You'd need more resolution to be sure but to me they look like parasite mites, do you see the eyes?

BugEZ · Post by **BugEZ** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 10:42 am

A web search on "midge with parasites " turned up this image

https://www.google.com/search?sclient=t ... -9wQ32pxM:

A water mite appears similar to the critters on the tail of the images posted here....

K

MarkSturtevant · Post by **MarkSturtevant** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 4:29 pm

I agree that these look like mites. The insects look like midges (flies that are related to mosquitoes, but midges do not bite).
Some mites are parasites, sucking blood like ticks (and they are related to ticks in any case). Others just feed on bodily secretions without doing harm. And others just use the insect to carry them around. No idea what the story is here, though.