Damselfly with aliens attached

[turkeyneck]

Went out to the pond early this morning and saw these two Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies with attached parasitic growths of some sort attached to segments 7-8 on one and the other to the claspers. Anybody have any ideas what these are?

[healfdan]

Unless someone has a better explanation, it could be mites hitching a lift.
Healfdan

[Jason Claxton]

Originally Posted by healfdan

Unless someone has a better explanation, it could be mites hitching a lift.
Healfdan

That is what it looks like to me.

[Jason Green]

Evening TN,

Yes, Mites hitching a lift - shouldn't be a problem in such low numbers.

Take care,

Jason

[turkeyneck]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Evening TN,

Yes, Mites hitching a lift - shouldn't be a problem in such low numbers.

Take care,

Jason

Hi thanks Jason, what concerns me is the 'low numbers'.

This pond I dug in my neighbours field using a mini-digger three years ago. Every year they allow the local farmer to graze his sheep in this field for a month or so. But every year these sheep (over 120) decimate not only the field but the pond, much to my angst. They not only walk and defacate in the pond (lowering water quality) but they also eat or trample down the bank-side vegetation which obviously is needed for damsel and dragonfly survival. So far this year I've recorded 15 different species of Odonata which isn't bad for a new pond in the middle of nowhere.
BUT...........the big question is, do you reckon these mites are possible from the sheep?

[Jason Green]

I doubt it - this sort of mite grouping is seen on a lot of species including bees almost anywhere. The only issue that can arise in general comes from large numbers that impede weight by too much weight or if they happen to partly obstruct claspers - I imagine that could interfere with mating, maybe - if only as an annoyance!

[Paul mabbott]

The sheep are unlikely to be major vectors of these mites (Acari/Acarina) which use various invertebrates to carry them around; some do travel on birds so it's not impossible that they could travel on mammals such as sheep.

By and large they are not a problem - unlike ticks they do not suck blood etc. - but they can be damaging by (a) blocking the airways (and thus, effectively, suffocating the insects) and (b) by blocking genital orifices thus preventing reproduction.

There is probably no long-term harm done to local populations and very little we can do about it anyway!

[jeremiah]

Do these mites also hitch rides on wingy aphids?

I turned a few sycamore leaves over yesterday, they were covered undeneath with the winged aphids and several of the aphids had tiny red dots on them - some appeared round, others more egg-shaped, in different places on the aphid but mostly on or near the head.

[earthdragon64]

This is a female Northern Damselfly I saw a couple of years ago. It had been flying about quite normally, and it was only when I looked at the photos on the PC that I saw the large number of mites she was carrying.

[turkeyneck]

Thanks Jason and paul, so no need to worry too much then
Interesting photo earthdragon, just makes me wonder if and how much it bothers the damselflies or am I getting to sentimental? I don't know about mites, I'm getting attached to these flies also