Soil and dust mites. Tiny animals close to us

Abstract

Mites are one of the most ancient, diverse and numerous arthropod groups that inhabit the Earth. Mites have conquered different environments, some species are associated or dependent of an organism for survival, while others are free-living. For example, soil and dust mites have developed very different morphological structures that allow them to colonize very contrasting environments and access to different food sources. We suggest two academic activities for students to observe mites under the microscope.