Trombidium grandissimum "Giant Red Velvet Mite"
Habitat
Trombidium grandissimum is found in soil and semi-desert areas.
They are found more frequently in Northern India and spend
most
of their time hiding in the soil with
earthworms. They share an environment
with a number of different organisms including the
Castor Bean,
Jimson Weed and
Streptomyces platensis.
Trombidium grandissimum emerges after early season rains and can then be
seen scouring the ground in large numbers. This is how the mite, T.
grandissimum, was coined one of its nick-names, the "Rain's
Insect." They are only readily visible a few weeks
out of the year.
Since the Giant Red Velvet Mite spends the majority of its life
in the soil, it lives in close proximity to bacteria, nematodes,
and
fungi-not to mention other insects and spiders. As you
can imagine, living in soil may not b
e ideal, but the Giant Red
Velvet Mite has many adaptations to help it survive its harsh
living conditions. Trombidium grandissimum helps
regulate soil ecosystems by keeping other insect and spider
populations in check by including them in their diet. This
also extends the life of bacteria and fungi, the most important decomposers of
organic waste in soil ecosystems.
To find out more about T. grandissimum's
specialized adaptations, visit the adaptations
page.
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