There are over 40,000 named species of mite, and if estimates for unnamed species are included, then up to 1 million may grace the planet. By comparison, there are approximately 40,000 species of vertebrates, half of them fish, alive today. Mites are predators, parasites, herbivores and detritivores. They live in the dark depths of the ocean, in the lungs of birds, on the leaves of rainforest plants, and in human clothes and bedding. They are vectors of disease, vital players in soil formation, and important agents of biological control. Despite the grand diversity of mites, these small...

More than 40,000 species of mites have been described, and up to 1 million may exist on earth. These tiny arachnids play many ecological roles including acting as vectors of disease, vital players in soil formation, and important agents of biological control. But despite the grand diversity of mites, even trained biologists are often unaware of their significance. Mites: Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour (2nd edition) aims to fill the gaps in our understanding of these intriguing creatures. It surveys life cycles, feeding behaviour, reproductive biology and host-associations of mites without...

This book surveys life cycles, feeding behaviour, reproductive biology, and host-associations of mites. Coverage includes mites in soil and water, mites on plants and animals, mites and human disease, and mites as testing models.