Tyrophagus casei, the cheese mite, is a species of mite which is inoculated into and Altenburger Ziegenkäse cheese during their production. It is long, and feeds on cheese, corn, flour, old honeycombs, bird collections, and smoked meats.
The surface of cheese which has been colonised by mites may be covered with a fine, grey powder or bloom, due to the mites themselves and their moulted skin and faeces. These impart a distinctive "piquant" taste to various cheeses.
See also Cheese mite Cheese fly or cheese skipper, Piophila casei
References
External links Includes The Cheese Mites (1903), the first science documentary meant for the public. A Parable by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, at Wikisource The Dying Whip by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, at Wikisource From a College Window by Arthur Christopher Benson, at Project Gutenberg