[1] Melicharidae are mites characterized by: podonotal and opisthonotal shields usually fused; the third pair of sternal lyrifissures (iv3) situated off sternal shield (rarely absent) and usually on metasternal plates; peritrematic shield free posteriorly from, or narrowly fused with, exopodal shield beside coxa IV (except Orthadenella); fixed cheliceral digit usually with a hyaline lobe instead of a setiform pilus dentilis, and movable cheliceral digit usually with a pointed process (mucro) on mid-ventral face; genital shield usually gently rounded posteriorly; anal shield usually oval or elliptical, bearing only circumanal setae; and female spermathecal apparatus laelapid-type.

[1] Melicharidae are free-living mites found in various habitats including soil, leaf litter, plants (e.g. bromeliads, pineapple flowers and false bird-of-paradise[2]), rotten wood, stored products, seaweeds, animals, and the nests and excrement of animals.

[3][4] A large proportion of the family evolved to live on plants and these feed mostly on nectar and/or pollen.

[5] Other reported food items include nematodes, insect eggs and larvae, other mites and fungi.

For example, species of genera Proctolaelaps, Rhinoseius and Tropicoseius are phoretic on hummingbirds.