Folliculus Sarcoptidae (Pouch Mite)

Calamus Sarcoptidae (Pouch Mite)
Probably the strangest of all mite sub species, Folliculus Sarcoptidae live deep inside pipes and narrow passages in the body of warm blooded animals including humans. Their typical habitats include nostrils, the eustachian pipes, the esophagus (the gullet), and lungs. Using millions of tiny foot hairs to attach - or rather adhere - itself to the host, a calamus sarcoptidae sucks blood from the host. They also have developed an organ similar to gills in both shape and function in order to survive in such environments with dense moisture. The pipe extruding from the tail is the drainage from the gill-like organ. They can cause serious diseases including asthma, various infections and inner-skin diseases.

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fine point felt pen on paper

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yet another parasitic/symbiotic mite. this one's truly gross.

Michina Pyroglyphidae (Nostril Mite)

Michina Pyroglyphidae (Nostril Mite)
This commonly found species lives deep inside the nostrils of warm blooded animals including humans. They usually feed on nose hair and other food sources including nose wax. Sometimes they do suck blood from the host when the food sources in the nostril become scarce.

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fine point felt pen on paper

* yet another parasitic/symbiotic mite

Ear Cleaner (Crotalia Pyroglyphidae)

Illustration Friday: Clean

Crotalia Pyroglyphidae (Earring Mite)
Only found in northern europe, Crotalia Pyroglyphidae, or "Earring Mites", live inside of ears of warm blooded animals, most commonly domestic animals such as dogs and cows, and very often humans. They don't suck blood of their hosts - instead, eat various food sources found inside ears including cerumen(earwax) and dead skin cells, and thus called "ear cleaners" by some researchers. In a few very rare reported cases they grew larger than 1/10 of an inch and caused hearing problems and had to be removed surgically. They are also known to cause serious ear related allergic reactions. But in general Crotalia Pyroglyphidae are harmless symbiotic mites.

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fine point felt pen on paper

metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is a process in biology by which an individual physically develops after birth or hatching, and involves significant change in form as well as growth and differentiation. It usually accompanies a change of habitat or of habits, but may occur without such change. It was once thought that, in those cases where the animal's habitat remains unchanged, metamorphosis followed a series of forms representing evolutionary ancestors of the species in question (see ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny), but this is no longer thought to be true.

color pencils on paper

Drosera

Illustration Friday: Sticky

Drosera (Sundew)
A small carnivorous plant of boggy places, with rosettes of leaves that bear sticky grandualr hairs. These trap insects, which are then digested.

* tried a little different approach this time. after a few drawings (the two posted plus some rough sketches), this character seems to be gaining life of its own. will see where it goes.

** apology about the wrong link on Illustration Friday.

Drosera

Illustration Friday: Sticky

Drosera (Sundew)
A small carnivorous plant of boggy places, with rosettes of leaves that bear sticky grandualr hairs. These trap insects, which are then digested.