This study focuses on the host-parasite relationships between species of non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) and water
mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) in seven springs in Luxembourg. Emergence traps were operated through the season, and identification
of the catches enabled an overview of species composition, abundance and host-parasite associations in the spring communities.
Our results show that the Luxembourg springs have similar chironomid diversity to other springs in Europe, and that
particular species are more often found in certain spring habitats. Furthermore, we show that prevalence of water mite parasitism
is highly variable among the sampled chironomid hosts, and that there are several species which were not parasitized despite
being numerous in our samples. The reasons for the latter observation are discussed, and most of the cases can be explained
by general unavailability of host or parasite, or life cycle incompatibility.