Itch Mite (Scabies Mite)
Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei
Order & Family: Order: Sarcoptiformes, Family: Sarcoptidae
Size: 0.3 to 0.45 mm (females), 0.2 to 0.25 mm (males)
Natural Habitat
Human skin, where they burrow into the upper layer (stratum corneum)
Diet & Feeding
Human skin cells and extracellular fluid
Behavior Patterns
Female mites burrow into the skin to lay eggs, creating tiny zigzag paths; larvae hatch and move to the skin surface to mature.
Risks & Benefits
Causes intense itching and a pimple-like skin rash (scabies). Highly contagious through direct skin-to-skin contact. No known ecological benefits.
Identified on: 2/4/2026