Scabies Mite

Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis

Order & Family: Order: Sarcoptiformes, Family: Sarcoptidae

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

Scabies Mite

Natural Habitat

The mite lives entirely on or within the skin of human hosts. It burrows into the upper layer of the skin (stratum corneum) to live and lay eggs.

Diet & Feeding

They feed on dissolved human tissue and skin cells, but do not suck blood like ticks or mosquitoes.

Behavior Patterns

Adult females burrow into the skin, creating serpentine tunnels where they lay 2–3 eggs per day. The larvae hatch in 3–4 days and travel to the skin surface to molt. Intense itching, especially at night, is a primary symptom of infestation.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Causes scabies, a highly contagious skin infestation characterized by intense itching and a pimple-like rash. Scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections like impetigo or cellulitis. Benefits: None.

Identified on: 2/24/2026