Mites are common pests belonging to the spider family. The tiny pests attack the leaf of a cannabis plant resulting in yellowing, stippling, and weakening of the plants. Mites inhabit the underside of the leaf and suck out the life-giving sap of the plants. The leaves of these plants will be characterized with suck-hole marks and yellow patches from failure to produce chlorophyll. A mite infestation can result in disastrous results hence an early detection is key.
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods) of two large orders, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as each other's closest relative within Arachnida, rendering the group invalid as a clade. Most mites are tiny, less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in length, and have a simple, unsegmented body plan. The small size of most species makes them easily overlooked; some species live in water, many live in soil as decomposers, others live on plants, sometimes creating galls, while others are predators or parasites. This last type includes the commercially destructive Varroa parasite of honey bees, as well as scabies mites of humans. Most species are harmless to humans, but a few are associated with allergies or may transmit diseases.
| Mites Temporal range: Early Devonian – Present,
| |
|---|---|
.jpg)
| |
| Trombidium holosericeum mite (Acariformes) | |
.jpg)
| |
| Varroa destructor (Parasitiformes) | |
Scientific classification
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Mites are found in two superorders | |
The scientific discipline devoted to the study of mites is called acarology.
English
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -aɪts
Noun
mites
- plural of mite
Anagrams
- EMT-Is, Metis, stime, Times, times, metis, setim, MSTie, items, Métis, et sim., e-stim, emits, i-stem, métis, smite, STEMI, METIs
Catalan
Noun
mites
- plural of mite