5 replies to this topic

[BitT]

So this morning I noticed a sudden swarm of little dots all over my ant shelves and mealy warm farm. At first I thought they were escaped baby springtails from a small culture I bought and was trying to get going. I am new to springtails... But now I am afraid I have a massive mite infestation and maybe they aren't springtails at all. I am not sure if these pictures will be good enough, I was having focusing issues, but I'll try and get better pictures later. I'm really scared here they are everywhere within a day and they have swarmed my mealy worm farm.

 

Edited by BitT, February 15 2022 - 9:58 AM.

[ColAnt735]

Personally these look a lot like mites to me although I could be wrong.

 

Edit: these look a lot like grain mites

Edited by ColAnt735, February 15 2022 - 11:39 AM.

[BitT]

Yah, I think you are right. I think they may be getting on my Aphaenogaster Floridana and one of my girls seems to be scratching herself. I am a little panicked. What should I do about a mite infestation? They are also in my mealy bug farm. Should I start over with that?

 

Edit:

Ok I think I panicked a bit too quick. I now believe they might be Grain Mites and is why they are all up in my mealy bugs. I've been looking on youtube and reading some places. Possibly brought in with the oatmeal for my mealy worms and thriving as my mealy worms might be over populated and their poop may be adding more humidity which my state already is humid naturally which adds the good reproducing environment for those mites. At least I hope this is what they are as I think I can control them with a little time and lowering my mealy warm count and giving them fresh oatmeal (after microwaving maybe to reduce the chance of new mites?). And hopefully not actually harmful to my ants.

Edited by BitT, February 15 2022 - 11:16 AM.

[antsriondel]

Yah, I think you are right. I think they may be getting on my Aphaenogaster Floridana and one of my girls seems to be scratching herself. I am a little panicked. What should I do about a mite infestation? They are also in my mealy bug farm. Should I start over with that?

 

Edit:

Ok I think I panicked a bit too quick. I now believe they might be Grain Mites and is why they are all up in my mealy bugs. I've been looking on youtube and reading some places. Possibly brought in with the oatmeal for my mealy worms and thriving as my mealy worms might be over populated and their poop may be adding more humidity which my state already is humid naturally which adds the good reproducing environment for those mites. At least I hope this is what they are as I think I can control them with a little time and lowering my mealy warm count and giving them fresh oatmeal (after microwaving maybe to reduce the chance of new mites?). And hopefully not actually harmful to my ants.

yeah I think they are grain mites but, I could be wrong???

[ANTdrew]

Grain mites, 100%

[OiledOlives]

These are almost certainly grain mites. I have had them for over a year now. What I did to get rid of them was lower the humidity and move the ants to a new setup, which pretty much got rid of them. Hope you have better luck than me!