Neotrombicula autumnalis

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Neotrombicula autumnalis, known as the harvest mite or autumn chigger, is a species of mite of the family Trombiculidae. Their larvae live parasitically; they infect all domestic mammals, humans, and some ground-nesting birds.[2]

Neotrombicula autumnalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Trombidiformes
Family: Trombiculidae
Genus: Neotrombicula
Species:
N. autumnalis
Binomial name
Neotrombicula autumnalis
(Shaw, 1790)
Synonyms[1]
  • Acarus autumnalis G.K.Shaw, 1790
  • Trombicula autumnalis (Shaw)

Description

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Life cycle

The larvae are normally orange or red with six legs, but develop eight legs by nymph stage. The larvae are up to 0.2 mm (0.01 in) in size, with adult mites about 1 mm (0.04 in) long.

Life cycle

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The eggs are laid in damp soil. After hatching, the larvae climb blades of grass and wait for a potential host.[2] With their "blade-like chelicerae",[2] they attach themselves to the hosts and feed on their tissues. After sucking, which lasts several days,[2] they fall off and develop over three stages of nymph to adult mites.

References

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  1. ^ "Neotrombicula autumnalis". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Richard Wall & David Shearer (2001). "Trombiculidae". Veterinary Ectoparasites: Biology, Pathology, and Control (2nd ed.). John Wiley and Sons. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-0-632-05618-7.

3. Gilbert White The Natural History of Selbourne (JM Dent & Sons Ltd, 1906) described in letter dated 30 March 1771