Compared with most mites, this is a large species, roughly the size of your little finger nail (6-8 mm long). The adults are bright red with a velvety coating of fine hairs. They typically emerge from the ground after spring rains, in this case after a February rain in the Anza-Borrego Desert of southern California. They remain in the soil most of the year and only spend a few hours above ground, probably to feast on other prey which also emerge in great numbers after spring rains. The larvae are known to be parasitic on grasshoppers, while the adults feed on subterranean termites.

Pacific coast tick (Dermacentor occidentalis), March 2005. The head and mouthparts of this tick are embedded in Mr. Wolffia's abdomen. Coating the tick's body with oil did not encourage it to let go! It had to be carefully pulled out with forceps placed close to the head. See the following two close-up images. The Pacific coast tick (Dermacentor occidentalis). Male deer tick of the genus Ixodes removed from Mr. Wolffia in Monterey County (May 2006). Two views are shown: Dorsal (left) and ventral or underside (right). This tick is smaller than the Pacific coast tick shown in the previous image. Deer ticks are known to cary the spirochaete that causes Lyme disease. Another view of a male deer tick (Ixodes) removed from Mr. Wolffia. There are more than 200 species in the genus Ixodes, but this may be the common deer tick (X. scapularis).   More Images Of Pacific Coast Tick   References: Evans, A.V. 2007. Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, New York. Hogue, C.L. 1993. Insects of the Los Angeles Basin. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

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