Tiny red spiders

[stevede7]

Tiny red spiders seem to be fairly common, but I am trying to find out the proper latin name of the tiny red spider like creatures that appear in summer on stone brick and windowsills

some say it is just red spider same as the one that invades greenhouse plants but I know that is not true as close up that one is not red and is spotted, it is also different to the one that affects birds plumage...but what is it?

[aeshna5]

They are mites- the ones you see running around are not the same as the Red Spider Mite that is a plant pest- these are smaller. The active ones you mention are not pests.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by stevede7

I am trying to find out the proper latin name of the tiny red spider like creatures that appear in summer on stone brick and windowsills, some say it is just red spider same as the one that invades greenhouse plants but I know that is not true as close up that one is not red and is spotted, it is also different to the one that affects birds plumage...but what is it?

Right, I think we're talking Acari here - ticks and mites ... I think that the pest you're referring to is the red spider mite (not a spider). There are, of caourse, tiny pinkish spiderlings and there are lots of pink ticks - but they're unlikely to be walking around on windowsills.

The other alternative is a velvet mite such as FungiJohn's - these are predatory mites and therefore welcome in the garden since they will eat pests.

I'm not an acarologist but have been told that if they are broader at the front then it's a velvet mite (= 'good') whereas if they're broader at the back they are something else (probably = 'bad')

[nmk]

Aargh! Please help. Ever since my neighbour had her house extension, we have become infested with these tiny red-spiders which we suspect were brought into the area with the red bricks supplied to build my neighbours extension.

I too have relentlessly searched to identify what these tiny red spider mites are. They are not the typical red spider mites associated with greenhouses and plants, nor the type which feed off birds.

These little things come out in the summer and are red. They are not green, white, brown, or any other colour: just red. They are about 1-2mm in diameter, with females (I'm guessing) being a slightly darker red and much 'rounder.' I'm 99% sure they have 8 legs, and do not have any spots or dots on them.

When I squeeze them the leave little red blood dots. They seem to be attracted to red bricks, heat, and anything white or bright. And they get everywhere! I've noticed them climbing on our second floor window sills and also the roof eaves (so they don't seem to restricted by heights). They scale the walls, window sills, pathway, and are found in abundance whereever there is 'heat.'

They typically disappear during the winter, but magically re-emerge in the summer as it gots hot / warmer thus suggesting that there is a nest somewhere....

Does anyone else suffer from these mites / spiders? And does anyone know of a natural effective predator to kill them?

Please help(!)

[aeshna5]

I get a small number of these Velvet Mites on my walls- but they do no harm. As they stay outside I'm happy to have them! Why do you feel the need to kill them?

[Swirlything]

Yeah, why kill them? They don't actually -do- anything. Just run about. I find them fun to watch myself
Oddly enough I haven't seen any for ages- maybe you've got mine, hehe.

[nmk]

Hi,

The issue I have is that these spiders breed rapidly- to the extent that our entire house including our porch, windows, sills, all get covered by them. It's something which if not controlled will (if not already) reach a point of mass infestation.

The second more serious point is that these red spiders get inside the house too. Naturally, during the summer we need to have windows open in the house and they crawl inside. From a practical perspective this equates to finding: spider's in your clothes, on your furniture, on the sofa, on the cutlery, in the cupboards, etc.

Our neighbour woke up to red spider mites covering their pillow in the morning.

Thirdly, these spider mites can adjust to live and breed all year long if they find a warm, dry environment. If they ever nest inside the house then it would become near impossible to ever get rid of them.

I'm not a sadistic spider mite killer and get no enjoyment from killing them but this is a serious problem and i have no idea what to do. please help :-(

[Paul mabbott]

I thought they were velvet mites, not spide mites? If they're velver mites then they'll control their own numbers eventually: velvet mites are predatory and will be eating pests, when they've cleared them up, they'll start eating each other or die of starvation.

Kill them off and you'll possibly end up with an infestation of real pests: just let them reach a balance.

[nmk]

Hi,

They're not velvet mites- I've seen photos of velvet mites and the things in my garden:

- Have 8 legs (I understand velvet mites have 6)
- Don't have a 'velvet' or hairy looking body

I will go out this morning and take some photos as it might help you guys work out what it is that has taken over my garden.

Last year I captured a few of them in a jar and took them to a local garden center who sold spider mite predators but the staff working there weren't able to identify what these things were. They told me the red spiders I have aren't the usual type associated with destroying plants.

I'll write back with some photos!

Many Thanks

[nightshade]

I have seen these tiny reds before,they may be anystis or balaustium,they used to live in a colony on a concrete windowsill in the sunshine try the site what bug is this
What's That Bug:Mites