Harvestman (Leiobunum calcar) with Parasitic Mites (Genus Leptus)

These long-legged spiders are very common in my region of the world, but this is the first time that I had come across one covered in parasitic mites. Though I am unable to narrow down an ID of the mite to the species level, I am fairly confident that they are members of the Leptus Genus, a variety of mites that feed on the blood of harvestmen spiders. The mites are not fatal to their host, but to have a handful of parasites roughly 1/10th the length of your body attached to you and sucking your blood day and night sounds like a nightmarish fate to say the very least.

Harvestmen are completely harmless to humans, so much so that they seem to have earned somewhat of an exception to the general fear that most people have for spiders, being affectionately referred to as "daddy-long-legs" by many people in my region of the world. I felt bad for this little spider at the time, but I was glad that it took the time to stop for me to capture a few photos before escaping into the safety of the tall grass.