Scabies Mite (or Sarcoptes Scabiei)

Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis

Order & Family: Order Sarcoptiformes, Family Sarcoptidae

Size: Microscopic; females are 0.3–0.45 mm long, males are smaller at 0.2–0.35 mm.

Scabies Mite (or Sarcoptes Scabiei)

Natural Habitat

Burrows beneath the skin of humans and other mammals; they thrive in the epidermis.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on human skin cells and fluids within the burrows they excavate.

Behavior Patterns

Females tunnel into the upper layer of the skin (stratum corneum) to lay eggs. This burrowing causes intense itching, especially at night. They complete their life cycle (egg, larva, nymph, adult) entirely on the host.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Causes scabies, a highly contagious skin infestation characterized by severe itching and a pimple-like rash. Scratching can lead to secondary bacterial skin infections (like Staph or Strep). Benefits: None to humans or ecosystems, they are strictly parasitic.

Identified on: 2/18/2026