What are those little red creatures?

[brooklyn77]

Every summer without fail wether it be in my parents garden or now my own or anyone elses for that matter there always appears little red creatures, let me describe them;

1) They are red

2) They are about the size of a pin head if not a little smaller

3) They have fat bodies and little heads, I cant make out how many legs they have

4) They usually appear in tens or twenties in any one place

5) They are always seen on patios or walls. Wether this is because they like wall and patio materials or we just cant see them against any other background I dont know.

6) The closest thing I can describe them as is looking like tiny spiders but I dont know any red spiders.

7) My parents used to call them Red spiders or red ants I think. I know they are not ants (As far as I know ants anyway) but they may well be spiders (Again though, I did not know red spiders existed)

Has anyone got any idea what these creatures are actually called and where I might find a picture to confirm your thoughts.

Thanks

[gen2]

What you describe are called Velvet Mites (Trombidium holosericeum).  Mites are relatives of the spiders and have 8 legs.
N.B. These are not the same thing as red spider mites which are nowhere near as red, very much smaller and live on the underside of leaves.
You can see a picture of a velvet mite here.

You will find more if you Google for "velvet mite"

[~Wingnut~]

Hey, 2 birds with one stone gen2!!!!

I took a picture of one of those last week in my garden, but assumed it to be a red spider mite. I couldn't believe how big & red it was tho and when I had moved away from it I could still see where he was from quite a distance.

This was the best picture I could take of it:

http://img107.echo.cx/img107/5449/p60301416cy.jpg
(hope that works!!)

I was starting to get worried that red spider mites were getting bigger!!!!!!

Mind at rest

~Wingnut~