Scabies Mite

Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis

Order & Family: Order: Sarcoptiformes, Family: Sarcoptidae

Size: Microscopic; females are 0.30–0.45 mm long, males are significantly smaller

Scabies Mite

Natural Habitat

The epidermis (outer layer) of human skin, particularly in folds like finger webs, wrists, elbows, and armpits

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on human skin cells and tissue fluid while burrowing through the epidermis

Behavior Patterns

These mites are obligate parasites that burrow into the upper layer of skin to lay eggs. This burrowing creates intense itching, especially at night. The life cycle from egg to adult takes about 10-17 days.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Highly contagious and causes intense itching (pruritus) and rashes. Scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections like impetigo. Benefits: None to humans or local ecosystems; they are strictly parasitic.

Identified on: 2/22/2026