Looking for some understaqnding on Nats and Mites.

Alright, I have a nat, gnat and mite situation in the Ball Python Forum but I figured I could ask about these little buggies here since this is the bug Forum. About Mites, I don't get it. I know they can somehow form out of a T's Cricket left overs but can they form out of pooh?

I believe my Balls log had nats but they were so small and just around the pooh but I thought nats could fly and these ones weren't flying. What I would like to know about nats though is how do they form or come about out of nothing?? From my simple minded knowledge you have to start with two of the opposite sex and then theres babies. These nats come from now where. How do they do that? Thanks guys!

Spontaneous generation doesn't happen.

Proven false thanks to the dilligent efforts of eighteenth century naturalists and sealed jars of rotten meat.

Explained in the public school system when you're ten. Generally a week or two after you learn other fun facts like how mammals have hair and insects have six legs and segmented bodies.

Oh well I went to many schools for my own good then about 2 a year probably because in my highschool years we moved every 6 months so I must have missed that part, sorry. I missed it somewhere. Since I'm trying to learn here though lets cover the other fun facts. How DO mammals have hair and how do Insects come to have 6 to 8 legs and segmented bodies?

Originally Posted by Leighanne

Insects come to have 6 to 8 legs and segmented bodies?

Not eight.


... wow.

LOL Seamus your to serious, take a break on yourself.

Uhm, were you trying to trick me?? Some Insects have 6, some 8. T's have 8 I just had to go and recount to make sure I'm right. Well....pppphllllbbbllyyhhhggg to you! Theres my tongue splattering all for you trickster.

Originally Posted by Seamus Haley

Explained in the public school system when you're ten. Generally a week or two after you learn other fun facts like how mammals have hair.......

Dolphins have hair?

Man Seamus ...your on a level
The nats are phorid flies that come from basement drains sewers and such. If you have a nat or two put a nat barrier [it's a cloth type] on those and clean your cages everytime the snake poops. Diatomaceous earth works well in getting rid of just about any insect, including mites on snakes. It is harmless to your tarantulas as long as the tarantulas do not come in contact with the stuff. I have boas and corns and I use the stuff , they are in the same room as my inverts I might ad.
Mites come from all kinds of places to include you [when ya handle a friends snake if it has them] Mice [had a problem here in Michigan with that such problem] and pet stores that may have a might or two crawling on a cage.
One other thing Dolphins do have hair just look between the legs

All insects have 6 legs and all arachnids have eight with the exception of millipedes and centipedes.
the pinchers on scorpions are pedipalps, the eight legs are on the thorax.

Dolphins have hair! I actually did a very long report on this in grade school. lol Whales and Dolphins are Mammals and have hair, all over. We have itsy bitsy little hairs everywhere including our face and so do they. Its actually one of the things that helps keep them warm in cold waters and helps for them to glide like they do. I believe? Its been awhile since my days of studying on this. Whales can actually have Lice to!! I don't think it harms them and I forget what the Lice do to the Whale. Sharks have little fish called Romona fish I believe that hitch rides with the Shark and feed off of the parasites on the Shark which relieves the Shark, so its a beneficial relationship. The Ecosystems of the underwater are amazing! Orcas a.k.a Killer Whales are actually the largest member of the Dolphin family to.

I started my obsession there. lol I have Orca EVERYTHING around my house, and its hard to find. OH, the childhood memories! I started on a farm and always used my allowance on Scholastic animal books and posters and from there I found my beloved Herps and Inverts. I love them all!

My gnat situation with Lickity though is ok for now. Sorry if I sounded stupid. I rushed to the computer to make a post as soon as I found it and then I disconnected and called my Fiancee at work. We are the only other Herpers we know of around here and two heads are better then one. He specializes with the Arachnids(his main interest), and I the Snakes. Both of us for the Geckos and Rats. We learn stuff and then inform the other. I was just running a process of elimination through my head with him. I'm a worry wart. I know the saying worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you no where. I can't help myself though. I tend to stay frantically worried until I've found a conclusion. Its my flaw.

Lickity didn't get these from my Rescue Leos though. I haven't seen anything on them since I've had them. These were gnats and my best guess is my having the door open last night. I have no screen door but will be asking my Landlord to put one in before this Summer because I love fresh air but not so much Mosquito's and June bugs and GNATS! Gnats are so small though I imagine its almost impossible to keep them out. Lickity's ventilation holes aren't big huge holes?

Seamus I don't want to fight, I'd rather get along. Is there any way for us to get along? I'm not the person who embeds collars around puppies necks and stuff. I'm a good person and theres no need for all this insulting IMO.

Thanks again John for all of your help. I really appreciate people like you, you are a value to Fauna for sure! At least with this situation I'll hopefully be more prepared for Summer. Any one of them having something freaks me out. I am Mommy to all these Critters and have to take care of two Humans to, what a job!