# Tiny Red Bugs



## Corpus Callosum

I live in New York and I've been seeing these things my whole life wondering what they are.. whether these are the adults or just the larvae of something else.

I always see them on a piece of rock or concrete, on sunny days. They're 1mm and look like a type of mite or something. They're bright red and move pretty fast for their size.

I know, I know, pictures please. I just got a new camera and it doesn't arrive until tomorrow, so I'll try to post a picture then, but if anyone in my area has seen these then what I've written maybe could turn up some results..


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## Corpus Callosum

Until I get my camera going, was doing some searching and I think they may be Clover Mites. Here's a shot I found online:










I guess my question would be how easy would it be to culture and harvest these for thumbnail feeding..


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## Ed

they are velvet mites.. 

see http://bugguide.net/node/view/2419/bgimage 

and http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/ ... /mite.html

They would be hard to culture as the earlier stages feed on invertebrate lymph and the adults on smaller soil arthropods and thier eggs. 

Ed


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## Dendrobait

I suppose then you could get a springtail or perhaps even a fungus gnat "culture" going and then add velvet mites to prey on them?


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## Guest

Would these even be worth it? Why do you want them?? For the color? By the way, there are some right outside my office. I see them all the time and have an urge to paint the concrete red with them :twisted:


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## oneshot

So, it seems that I have these in a few of my tanks, although I would say they're more orange than red, but I am wondering if they're bad for the frogs?


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## R1ch13

oneshot said:


> So, it seems that I have these in a few of my tanks, although I would say they're more orange than red, but I am wondering if they're bad for the frogs?


More so the plants...

Its sounds like you are describing Spider Mites.

Spider mite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Regards,
Richie


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## frogparty

Lol...every mites not a spider mite! Spider mites like it HOT!!!! and DRY!!!! In a relatively cool and moist vivarium spider mites are highly unlikely to thrive.


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## mordoria

Yea, they arent spider mites. They are clover mites. As a kid these would freak me out. To this day if I see them, I move. They like to be on warm masonry. I think that they would be too small to be an effective feeder. I get small clearish mites that are about the same size, when I feed orange slices. I wouldent say its a culture of them but everytime I place the orange slice, an hour later its coverd with white/clear mites. Big suckers, pinhead size. The frogs seem to love em.
After the orange melts, they spread out everywhere.
Uggn I hate those little red ones.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in776


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## xm41907

Without a positive identification they could be a number of different mite species. Most likely, they're clover mites, as Mordoria suggests. Clover mites are a common pest species and fairly ubiquitous. They can infest nearly anywhere and feed on plants. I've personally treated them entering a seventh floor office space from the exterior window. They were harboring on the exterior wall, feeding on moss growing on the brick. Unless they become high numbers, I wouldn't be too concerned by them. You can always do a dry ice fumigation of the tank to knock back the population, as long as there are no frogs or other animals in the tank. 

But again, that is my first guess. Collection of specimens for a positive identification is best. I can do that for you if you can send me specimens.


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