Mites on head?

[Ninja_The_Mantis]

Hi Everyone

Me and my mum have been taking some very closeup pictures of my mantis Ninja. We have noticed some small mites or ticks on her head. I don't know what these are, or what they are doing there.



On the side of her head, there is a small mite.



We have wondered if they have come from her food. Can that happen?

She has eaten, some fruit flies, crickets, locusts and one mosquito (It was in my room, and I didn't want to kill it, so I let Ninja do the job.) .

She has also molted on Thursday, and we haven't checked if the mites are still there.

If anyone has experienced any of this, please contact me!

Thanks

Ninja_The_Mantis

 

[Shadow]

Maybe the fruit flies they could've had a mite infection

 

[Ninja_The_Mantis]

I have checked the box, and there is no mites. I used the flies to feed my other mantis, Emerald, and she has no sign of the mites. Hopefully they have gone now, because she has molted. I will check because we are going to do a photo shoot tomorrow!

 

[Sticky]

You might try getting them off with a very small fine paintbrush. I saw one on a baby tarantula. It ran around very fast but I flicked it off of her.

I use a watercolor brush I always have handy.

 

[hibiscusmile]

awful, just awful!

 

[Sticky]

How is the situation now?

 

[hibiscusmile]

:taz:itchy!

 

[Rick]

How do you know they are mites and not a part of the mantis?

 

[Shadow]

The big orange part looks like 1 of the 3 smaller eyes

 

[Sticky]

The orange thing is too low on her face to be an eye. Does it move around?

 

[Ninja_The_Mantis]

I have found a picture of the mites before she molted.



There is two on her head, one on the lower-right bit of her 'jaw' and the other on the middle of her head. Here is a zoomed in version:

 

[sally]

Those are huge... I have to look up mites cause I never saw them like that before.

 

[Ninja_The_Mantis]

They are not that big... I can only see them using a very high powered macro lens! And the mantids head is only about 4mm across!

 

[Gill]

Those are good mite pictures, there is an article about mites on mantids on Page 16 http://www.ukmantisforums.co.uk/newsletters/NLIssue%2011.pdf

 

[Sticky]

Yes, excellant pics. Any luck getting rid of them? If not, maybe she can dodge them after molting.

 

[Rick]

Ok yeah those are good pics. It is natural for insects to have parasites so it is up to you if you want to try and remove them. I doubt they will do any harm.

 

[sally]

Those are good mite pictures, there is an article about mites on mantids on Page 16 http://www.ukmantisforums.co.uk/newsletters/NLIssue%2011.pdf

This was very helpful!

 

[hibiscusmile]

Good Lord, I can see them! take them off of her!!! :gun_bandana: hold on gotta scratch me head.....

 

[Ninja_The_Mantis]

Those are good mite pictures, there is an article about mites on mantids on Page 16 http://www.ukmantisforums.co.uk/newsletters/NLIssue%2011.pdf

Thanks!! This has helped. Hopefully, she wont get any more because they are now eating crickets. Hopefully they have gone now, and i cant see them on her, so i guess she is ok. Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions

I will continue to keep a lookout for them, and hopefully they wont come back!!

On the photo-shoot we didn't do Ninja, but we did take some pictures of my new Miomantis.



She is very calm, and sweet. Anyone have any good ideas for names? I cant think of any!