"Aristotle called mites akari and they are now described as being of the order Acarina. They are impressively tiny, the follicle mite with all its complex anatomy is smaller than the single cell of the human ovum."
"Our skins are a habitat which supports a whole flora and fauna of creatures which have evolved with us through millennia."
"Few people can calmly accept the idea that worm-like creatures which have been described as eight-legged crocodiles squirm out their microcosmic lives in warm oily lairs in our hair follicles."
The Acarina is the most important order of the Arachnids, because in this group are found a number of pests of both plants and animals. The Acarina may be separated from other Arachnida by the sac-like body with the abdomen not distinctly segmented and broadly joined to the cephalothorax. Mouthparts are for piercing and sucking blood.
Mites are generally quite small, many of them being microscopic. The number of species is indicted to be quite large and many of these individual species are very abundant. Both plants and animals are attacked. Some are predators or parasites and others are scavengers. They may be found in the soil, rubbish, plant galls, under stones and bark, and in both fresh and salt water.
Most species deposit eggs; however, a few are ovoviviparous; such as, the straw itch mite (Pyemotes ventricosus). A six-legged larva is hatched from the egg. After a period of feeding, the larva molts into a nymph with eight legs. The nymph feeds and molts one or more times before the adult stage is reached. The adult may be differentiated from the nymph by the presence of a genital pore.
They are often ectoparasitic, causing itch, mange, and other skin diseases.