This is bird note. Hummingbirds are alluring birds. People are often enamored by their

iridescent feathers and charismatic personalities. But for some species of mites, the attraction is

electric. Mites are tiny critters related to spiders and ticks.

There are thousands, if not millions, of species worldwide that are typically no larger than a grain of salt.

Being so small, many mites rely on larger animals to survive.

In the neotropics, hummingbird flower mites free load off an existing partnership.

This group of mites feeds on nectar and pollen, but only from specific types of flowers.

These picky eaters need reliable transport between blooms that may be yards apart,

basically a squillion miles to an itty-bitty mite.

Without wheels or wings of their own, these mites hitch a ride on a passing hummingbird.

As the hummingbird takes a sip from a favored flower, the mites make a mad dash for its bill.

With help from static electricity, the mites zap a mad dash for its bill. With help from static electricity,

the mites zap onto the bird like lint to fresh laundry. Once safely on board, they tuck

themselves into the hummingbird's nostrils until the hitchhikers can safely disembark at the

bird's next stop. In fact, scientists have discovered that these teeny mites have evolved the ability to detect

the electric fields generated by the whirring birds, a sense called electroreception.

Sharks use this to hunt prey.

These mites are just looking for their next nostril.

For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.