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Varban: Mites, whats the deal? (4. Aug 2007 16:59)

Right I noticed something very very small, like less than half a mm in size crawling inside the test tube. I think it might be a mite :( so what are the dangers of it being there?

JimmyVe: (4. Aug 2007 17:11)

As long if they don't harm the ants there is no danger. ;)

Varban: (4. Aug 2007 17:14)

As long if they don't harm the ants there is no danger. ;)

Thanks jimmy, i noticed the little fella go near the workers and larvae and they didn't seem to mind him. Figure if they are harmful to the ends the ants will at the very least try to kill him.

JimmyVe: (4. Aug 2007 17:16)

I have one sand nest and this to have little mites, they even are afraid of my ants. ;)

MrILoveTheAnts: (5. Aug 2007 02:45)

Ants usually ignore mites, even when they're being eaten alive by hundreds of them. Mites are not well studied at all. One source I read said there are about 45,000 known species and this likely makes up only 5% of the total.
Some are carnivorous and will eat your ants alive, others tend to enjoy plant life or consume dead wood and so on.

They are an awful problem but very very very few colonies are destroyed by them.
If you think you have mites eating either your ants or the brood you can try putting the colony into hibernation. This is the only time I'd ever recommend hibernation for a colony so I don't do it ever. Seek help from others to see how this is done.
Mites have to lay eggs to survive the winter. I believe most incorporate special winter eggs that don't hatch until spring. Regular eggs though can take as little as 3 to 4 days to hatch. So you'll be hibernating the colony for at least a week.
Another method you could try is moving the colony. When colonies move it usually disrupts the queen's egg laying cycle. Some mites will only be going after eggs or larva of a certain age. If the queen stops laying for a week, the mites won't be able to find the correct brood to feed on, and mostly die out. Some ants do this normally as a result of mite infestation.

Lowth01: (5. Aug 2007 09:37)

I have one sand nest and this to have little mites, they even are afraid of my ants. ;)

Ah thats the same with the mites in my tank. Strange that they're scared.

Varban: (5. Aug 2007 12:02)

Thanks for the info MrILoveTheAnts, i think all i have is just your regular household mites, havent seen them get on the eggs or ants so all is good. They seem to avoid the ants too.