Story: Spiders and other arachnids

Soil mites

Soil mites

The term ‘mites’ is applied to several orders of tiny arachnids. They are the most numerous arthropods living in the soil, and in favourable places there may be hundreds of thousands in a square metre. These mites are feeding on a dead leaf.

Using this item

Soil Bugs – An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Soil Invertebrates
Photograph by Alastair Robertson and Maria Minor

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How to cite this page:

Simon Pollard, 'Spiders and other arachnids - Other arachnids – spider relatives', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/12725/soil-mites (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Simon Pollard, published 24 Sep 2007, reviewed & revised 14 Mar 2024