Red Spider Mite

[Liza]

I have seen quite a few up lottie and squished them, but before I start planting stuff what do they actually do? What veg do they attack etc

[binley100]

Are you sure they're not red ants ?
We get loads of those and they attack us with a nasty bite.

[Jeanied]

I saw quite a few small bright red spiders on the allotment yesterday - they have quite a large body and short-ish legs - they are much larger than the red spider mite and are living outdoors. I hate it when I notice a new kind of wildlife and the only answer I can get from fellow lottie holders is - nuke it with chemicals. I am hoping it is a fairly innocent spider and it is not needing to be zapped!

[Liza]

No dug up a red ants nest at the weekend

These are defo bright red and look like tiny spiders

[bramble]

Must be red ants, I think its too early for red spider mite???????

[Jeanied]

Mine are definitely spiders and not ants, and are too big for the mites - I bet they are the same as Lizas. I'd look them up in my insects book... but can I find the darn thing?

[sewer rat]

Try googling Money Spiders

[Jeanied]

Tried that SR - mine aren't so long legged. The closest I could come up with are a much bigger spider but sort of look like these -

[Liza]

Mine are definitely spiders and not ants, and are too big for the mites - I bet they are the same as Lizas. I'd look them up in my insects book... but can I find the darn thing?

Yes I think I have the same as you they are an orangy red and flattish, Deffo not ants or money spiders !

[Liza]

I think they are these

[Nicos]

Now this is whee I get a bit confused with names!!!!

There is a tiny red spider mite - like in your last piccie which looks like 'rust' on plants.
There is a similar one which feeds off chooks a night
and there is a much bigger one 1/4 - 1/3 cm long which lives in the soil and eats insects.

where did you find your 'red spider mites'- and what is the size of each one??

[Jeanied]

It looks like Liza and I both found them on our respective lotties - so the spiders have been exposed to all the elements this winter. Mine are about 3 to 4 mm long.
There are quite a few scampering around - all the more noticeable for being bright red. I haven't found them clustering around a plant though, only moving around the soil singly.

[Liza]

Same here

[sarraceniac]

I once lost an entire heated greenhouse-full to these sweeties. They don't look like Liza's picture. Those look like red ants. Red spider mites are actually browny-black but look red because they have two (I think it is two) red spots on their backs, which from a distance makes them look red. Often the first sign that you have an infestation is small web threads usually under leaves on plants. They thrive in hot dry conditions so if you have them showing themselves on your lottie or garden at this time of year, it is doubtful that that is what they are. They hibernate until the temperature hits about 20°C and it is dry as well. The usual organic cure is misting the area with water vapour and if possible cooling the temperature. They are the sap-sucking pigs (and not in the nice sense) of the spider an insect world.

Just editing to say they are only about 1mm. long but appear like locusts, in thousands.

[sewer rat]

Velvet Mites ??