Pyemotes herfsi

Pyemotes herfsi
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Trombidiformes
Family: Pyemotidae
Genus: Pyemotes
Species:
P. herfsi
Binomial name
Pyemotes herfsi
(Oudemans, 1936)

Pyemotes herfsi, also known as the oak leaf gall mite or the oak leaf itch mite, is an ectoparasitic mite identified in Europe and subsequently found in India, Asia, and the United States. The mite parasitizes a variety of insect hosts and is able to bite humans, causing red, itchy, and painful wheals (welts). The mites are barely visible, measuring about 0.2–0.8 millimeters; their great reproductive potential, small size, and high capacity for dispersal by wind make them difficult to control or avoid.