Scabies Mite

Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis

Order & Family: Order: Sarcoptiformes, Family: Sarcoptidae

Size: Microscopic; females are typically 0.30–0.45 mm long and 0.25–0.35 mm wide; males are slightly smaller.

Scabies Mite

Natural Habitat

The epidermis (upper layer) of human skin, particularly in folds and webs of fingers, wrists, elbows, and genitals.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on dissolved human tissue and lymph fluid within the burrows it creates in the skin.

Behavior Patterns

The female mite burrows into the upper layer of the skin (stratum corneum) to lay eggs. This burrowing activity usually occurs at night. The eggs hatch into larvae in 3-4 days, which then migrate to the skin surface to mature.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: causes Scabies, a highly contagious skin infestation characterized by intense itching (especially at night) and a pimple-like rash. Scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections like impetigo or staph. Benefits: none to humans.

Identified on: 3/8/2026