Mesostigmata mite

Mites in the order Mesostigmata are mostly free-living, predatory species, which range in size from about 0.25-4 mm long. Commonly encountered species are cream to orange or brown in colour, and are usually shiny in appearance due to the armour or shields which cover part or all of the dorsal and ventral sides of the body. Like other predatory mites, the mesostigmatids are typically highly mobile and have prominent mouthparts compared with pest mites. Their life cycle consists of four stages that include an egg stage, a six-legged larval stage, eight-legged nymph stages, and an adult stage. They are one of several groups of predatory mites that exist in agro-ecosystems and are beneficial in contributing to the control of mite pests and lucerne flea.