Stored-grain-pests
Guides
Ascidae
Ascidae is a family of predatory mites in the order Mesostigmata. Members occupy diverse habitats including soil, litter, bark, and freshwater margins. Many species are phoretic, dispersing on larger arthropods such as beetles and flies. The family was historically broader, with Blattisociidae and Melicharidae now treated as separate families based on morphological distinctions.
Tarsonemidae
thread-footed mites, white mites
Tarsonemidae is a family of mites in the order Trombidiformes, commonly known as thread-footed mites or white mites. The family exhibits diverse feeding habits: most species feed on fungal mycelia or algal bodies, while a limited number of genera (Steneotarsonemus, Polyphagotarsonemus, Phytonemus, Floridotarsonemus, and Tarsonemus) feed on higher plants. Some tarsonemids are associated with insects, including parasites of bees (Acarapis woodi), associates of leaf-footed bug glands, and attachments to grasshopper wings. Several species are significant agricultural pests, notably the broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) and cyclamen mite (Steneotarsonemus pallidus).