Have you ever heard of the Bryobia praetiosa? Ehh you probably haven’t but you might have heard of its common name, the clover mite. They are found in Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Arachnida, Order Prostigmata, Family Tetranychidae, Genus Bryobia, Species praetiosa. Well here is some more information about it!

 

 The clover mite is often mistaken for an insect or a spider. Although they are classified under the spider mite family, they are NOT spiders. You can tell that they aren’t insects because they have 8 legs and insects have 6. It's often that the clover mite is mistaken for having 6 legs because they have a really long set of legs that are mistaken for antennae’s. They are a reddish brownish color and if you squish them they will leave a red streak. They are smaller than a penny. Their approximate size is 1/30 inches long.

 

The clover mites are mainly found in Oklahoma, Michigan, and Florida. They like to feed on clovers and grasses. They can be located in your lawn if you have fertile soil.  Sometimes they will invade your house, but don’t worry they are not dangerous. They will most likely die in a few days. They can also live in trees or plants. They feed on clovers or leaves.

 

There are about millions of clover mites. These animals aren’t endangered. You can mostly find these outside but they are most likely to break into your house in the spring or fall. Most big-eyed bugs eat these particular clover mites. These big-eyed bugs are called Geocoris Pallens. They like to ‘dance’ on concrete and bricks.

Author: Dana H.
Published: 02/2013