Bluebottle with unknown bug on leg 3 by Andrew Gray, on FlickrI captured this image last night thinking i would see the detail on the fly and it's legs... much to my surprise it was giving a ride to a number of mites on it's legs!
Macro of bluebottle with Mites on legs
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Bluebottle with unknown bug on leg 3 by Andrew Gray, on FlickrI captured this image last night thinking i would see the detail on the fly and it's legs... much to my surprise it was giving a ride to a number of mites on it's legs!
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- Danny
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Great photo.
I wonder what those mites are up to? Just blagging a free lift or are they parasitic?
I wonder what those mites are up to? Just blagging a free lift or are they parasitic?
GardenersHelper
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- Nick
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Good detail you captured there. Unusual too, with all those mites. (I wonder why it doesn't just brush them off? Their legs are very flexible.)
Is it a flesh fly perhaps?
Is it a flesh fly perhaps?
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The mites have their mouths firmly latched into the joints between the leg segments.
Wow so are these mites parasitic? Also how far do they go? Does this lead to the death of the host?
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Few parasites kill their hosts as that would harm the parasite (wasps are an obvious exception).