This is a colorized light micrograph of a Scabies Mite, Sarcoptes scabiei. The tiny scabies mite uses its boring mouthparts to burrow through living skin tissue to lay its eggs, causing violent itching, scabs and blisters as a result. The adult feeds on the liquid that oozes into its tunnels from the surrounding damaged tissue. A single female lays about 25 eggs every two or three days. These hatch after several days and the larvae begin making their own tunnels immediately. The infection is spread by direct skin contact and treated with insecticide lotions. Magnification unknown.