Mites and other critters on sphagnum moss

[Chen]

Was observing my mini ecosystem I inherited from @StickyIcky. Seems the moss is teeming with life with at least 2 different species of Collembola (springtails), a species of Oribatida (mite), and maybe another genus of predatory mites. Here is some moss I isolated with some of the slower moving, grazing types. I have also spotted a translucent and more mobile mite which I assume are the predatory types.

 

[StickyIcky]

Well that's just cool as hell. Guess you got more than just U. sandersonii! Lol

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

Can I send you some of the centipedes running around that I'm too squeamish to get rid of?

 

[pitcherperfect]

Oribatid mites arent predatory. They compost stuff like earthworms do.

 

[Chen]

Oribatid mites arent predatory. They compost stuff like earthworms do.

You are correct. I made an incorrect identification. I had assumed the entire family consisted of Oribatida of different species that fed differently. The other mite I saw was not an Oribatida spp. as it had longer legs and moved more quickly. It likely belongs to the family of Phytoseiidae.

 

[pitcherperfect]

is it beige coloured with a lighter abdomen and a kind of backward facing triangle shape on its back?

 

[Chen]

is it beige coloured with a lighter abdomen and a kind of backward facing triangle shape on its back?

I can't recall. I tried to take a photo of it but it ended up being blurry due to it moving quickly. I found another beige coloured one but it's not as active as the one I saw.

 

[Chen]

 

[Chen]

I managed to isolate a mite from the moss I received from Lloyd.

 

[WillyCKH]

The close up video is so cool!

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

Oh no! I was looking for her all over.

 

[pitcherperfect]

I can't recall. I tried to take a photo of it but it ended up being blurry due to it moving quickly. I found another beige coloured one but it's not as active as the one I saw.
View attachment 11908

As a general rule of thumb, the faster moving mites tend to be predator species and the slower moving mites are grazers/composters or pests

 

[Will20013]

I found some cool mites on my sphagnum also! I assumed it was predatory because it was moving pretty fast. The file was too big to post here, but I have it on instagram hopefully the link works: http://instagr.am/p/B8kIg1qlOrt/

 

[Chen]

Saw this one crawling on top of the peat I was using to germinate Dionaea muscipula seeds. Managed to isolate it and place it inside of a recessed rice pudding container.

 

[Chen]

Is this the dreaded "spider mite" or is this an actual spider?

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

Looks mighty mite-y.

 

[pitcherperfect]

i concur. looks like a mite but not any species that I recognize

 

[Chen]

Is this a fungus gnat larva? I always thought they had dark heads and "legs".

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

Looks like it.
Excellent microphotography.

 

[Chen]

Was seeing weird growth (i.e., multiple growth points activating) on my N. tobaica and I suspected pests. Think these are Thrips. I sprayed most of them off with water but I need to cut off some leaves.

Edit: The Nepenthes tobaica confirmed dead (Jan 28, 2021)