red mites on meadow brown

[Rambling Rob]

Many of the Meadow Browns on Brading Down this afternoon were carrying what I think is the Red Mite Trombidium breei, not having noticed this before.



Once I'd seen one like this they all appeared to be carriers.

I gather that the mites are not harmful to the butterfly although when attached near the eye I'd expect that they would impair vision.

Is anyone else seeing them at the moment?

Thanks, Rob

[Dillybythesea]

Hi Rambling Rob. I'm trying to work out the scale of those mites in relationship to what I photographed on a Sphecodes mining bee last week (I'll paste in a close-up), although I think it's unheard of for mining bees to carry mites as a rule. I guess your mites look quite a lot larger?

[Rambling Rob]

Originally Posted by Dillybythesea

Hi Rambling Rob. I'm trying to work out the scale of those mites in relationship to what I photographed on a Sphecodes mining bee last week (I'll paste in a close-up), although I think it's unheard of for mining bees to carry mites as a rule. I guess your mites look quite a lot larger?

Yes these red mites are a lot larger than what you've seen on the Sphecodes which is itself quite a small bee I think. (The first Meadow Brown I noticed it on I thought it actually had one red eye - it seemed about butterfly eye-sized and larger). Rob

[Dillybythesea]

OK, thanks Rambling Rob. It was just the relative proximity that made me wonder, but I did think the sizing was probably way off. Certainly I've not noticed them on our Meadow Browns over here (which is a bit of a relief as red-eyed and/or three-eyed butterflies don't sound great )

[WilliamvN]

On Meadow Browns, Burnett moths and skippers over the West Sussex Downs, also on a dead red-tailed bumblebee (I think a Queen, by the size) a couple of days ago near Chichester. One side of the bee's thorax was almost covered.

Never seen it before, either.

[Rambling Rob]

Originally Posted by WilliamvN

On Meadow Browns, Burnett moths and skippers over the West Sussex Downs, also on a dead red-tailed bumblebee (I think a Queen, by the size) a couple of days ago near Chichester. One side of the bee's thorax was almost covered.

Never seen it before, either.

This looks like quite an outbreak, perhaps something to do with the weather pattern this year. I didn't notice it on the Burnet moths here yesterday.

[IOW_Birder]

Hi Rob,
I took this photo of a meadow brown near Ventnor radar station on wednesday, it seems to have the same parasite as your specimen!



Dave
IOW Birder Isle of Wight bird and nature sightings

[Rambling Rob]

Originally Posted by IOW_Birder

Hi Rob,
I took this photo of a meadow brown near Ventnor radar station on wednesday, it seems to have the same parasite as your specimen!



Dave
IOW Birder Isle of Wight bird and nature sightings

You're seeing the red mites too Dave - looks like a population explosion. I reckon it will have been breezy up at the radar station this week.

Welcome to WAB by the way. This place is a mine of information.

All the best, Rob

[IOW_Birder]

Hi Rob,
Yes it was very breezy and unseasonal weather, no birds around at the moment, and butterflies in hiding, roll on summer!!
This is a great site, will be using this quite a lot methinks

[doke]

Similar red mites seen on several Meadow Browns at Denbies in Surrey today. Is there a particular infestation of these this year - and are Meadow Browns more susceptible than other species?