Cheese Mite Farmer: Cultivating Flavor BugsSome of the world's rarest cheeses rely on arachnids.

From the show

Oddly Vital Careers

Meet the artisans who manage microscopic ecosystems on cheese. Their job is to tend to thousands of tiny arachnids, whose digestive process is the secret ingredient behind some unique and sought-after flavors. It's a delicate balance of life and decay. The affineur must ensure the mite population thrives just enough to ripen the cheese, but not so much that they consume it entirely. The result is a product shaped by a nearly invisible workforce.