Is there an acarologist in the house?

[urbpan]

These egg-shaped doobies were swimming all around in the centimeter of water in the bird bath. I'd seen similar swimmers in water that I'd treated for mosquitoes. I suspect--without any real facts--that these are mites that come along and multiply to eat up the detritus left from the dearth (and death?) of the mosquitoes.

Comments

[frith]

I don't know what your magnification is, but I suspect that what you have there are ostracods ("clam shrimp").

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

"The drought-resistant eggs can remain viable after passing through the intestines of birds, which allows them to colonize new sites."

Well thanks for that!

[frith]

Ostracods are neat. ^_^

edit: oops, not "clam shrimp", ostracods are "seed shrimp".

[wirrrn.livejournal.com]

Ostracods for sure

[drhoz.livejournal.com]

Yup, definitely seed shrimp

[frith]

Oops. You're right. Different orders but they sure look similar. Calling ostracods "clam shrimp" was wishful thinking on my part since they look like swimming clams. -_-