snout mites

Bdellidae is a family of mites called snout mites. It occurs worldwide on all continents except Antarctica. There are at least 278 recognized species in 14 genera in 5 subfamilies worldwide, at least 42 species in North America excluding Florida, and at least 1 species in Minnesota. They are found in a wide variety of habitats, including on plants, in leaf litter, on intertidal rocks, in caves, and in nests of rodents and birds.

Snout mites prey on other small arthropods, including mites, springtails, small insects, and roundworms. They produce silk from modified salivary glands which they use to immobilize prey and to create a molting chamber by folding over and securing one side of a leaf at the base. They also use the silk as a drag line.

Snout mites are medium-sized to large sized, soft-bodied predators. Some are relatively large and easily seen without magnification.

Like other mites, snout mites have no head. On most species there are two pairs of eyes on the prodorsal region, and there is often another single, unpaired, median eye. The mouthparts are greatly elongated and snout-like. This is the feature that gives the family its common name. The finger-like sensory mouthparts (palps) are very long and are and elbowed. They have two long tactile hairs (setae) at the tip.

Sources

24, 29, 30.

Location: Woodbury, MN