Template:POTD/2007-02-16

A micrograph of a peacock mite (Tuckerella sp.) on a tea stem, taken by a low-temperature scanning electron microscope at 260X magnification. The peacock mites, an important pest on citrus in the tropics, are so named because of the elaborate ornamentations adorning the dorsal surface of their bodies. They possess five to seven pairs of whip-like setae which are used to defend themselves against predators. They may also help in wind-borne dispersal.

Image credit: Erbe and Pooley, Agricultural Research Service
Archive – More featured pictures...