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Red spot on Marbled White

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 6:20 am
by Willem
Dear,

I went to Nothern France last week and came back with a number of photographs of Marbled Whites :D of http://www.pyrgus.com/species.php?speci ... anguage=UK. On one of them I noted a red spot...

Image

Are these small insects ... mites ? Harmful ?

Thanks

Re: Red spot on Marbled White

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 6:42 am
by Pete Eeles
Hi Wim - from the Marbled White species page:

"The Marbled White is often found with parasitic red mites, Trombidium breei in particular, attached to its thorax, although such parasitism does not appear to affect the butterfly in any way."

Cheers,

- Pete