Velvet Mite Larva on Daddy-long-legs

That has to be miniscule! How do you even find them?

I guess when you're used to looking for insects your eyes automatically find stuff like this. I saw these red things on daddy-long-legs more than once but it took a long time for me to discover what they actually were.

What a picture!!! big Wow. There is no symbiosis here? It is outright parasitism? the mite is an arachnid too, isn't it? Is this red mite the same one we see in the soil? I'm not the type to kill an insect just because it offends me...but I make an exception for mites and sawfly larvae! lol.

Hi Lori, No, this is not symbiosis, he is a definate parasite. I'm not sure though, if he'll actually kill the host or just "use" him. And yes, this mite is an arachnid. He does live on plants, in leaf litter and on the soil, so I'm not sure if this is the guy you're talking about, but he's beneficial in that he eats other insect's eggs and in a small way, helps to keep them in check. So I wouldn't kill this one. He's a good guy.

Uck!!

Sorry, Di, but I'm with Jackie46 on this one! I'm absolutely fine about bugs, worms, slugs, and any number of creepy crawlies, but spiders give me the creeping horrors!!!

Actually Sid, a Daddy-long-legs is not a spider ! In fact, these guys eat spiders ! They also eat other daddy-long-legs, flies, aphids, leafhoppers, snails and earthworms. Some are scavengers, and some will eat gills of fungi. They don't bite, so you really shouldn't be afraid of them. But I can understand. Actually most real spiders are good guys. They're highly beneficial because they eat so many insects. I will not kill a spider.......if I find one in the house I'll put him back outside.

Yeah, I know...it's completely irrational, but I find it hard even to look at a spider - strange, isn't it? I mean, I'll handle creatures that other people are scared of - frogs, slugs, bats, anything, I ride horses, I paraglide, I've abseiled and done plenty of other strange and silly things, and yet a little spider can set my pulse racing - I'm sure it must be some ancient self-preservation response designed to save us from venomous creatures. They really really scare me! :-S

Well Sid, you are braver than me if you paraglide ! And I must ask, what is abseiled?

I was surprised that a Daddy Long Legs is not a spider? He's not an arachnid? So where does he fit in?

Answered my own question, Di. Search Engines are wonderful things too.
I didn't know how beneficial the DLL is, He's one of the cleanup crew!!
Very interesting arachnid. Engineering students should take a look at those legs, lol, they are so thin but carry the spiders weight and propel him about at amazing speeds.
Thanks for enlightening me, once again!

Di - abseiling (I might be spelling this all wrong!) is when you lower yourself off the top of something - usually a cliff or a building - backwards and walk or hop downwards, supported by a rope, which you let run thro your hands to lower yourself. It is how rock climbers get back down something they have climbed up! I've only done it once - down a tower that I think was about 40 ft. It was great fun and was all over too soon! - Scary, but not too scary compared with spiders - te he.....

Thanks Sid. I always thought that was something I'd like to do one day but my back won't allow it now. I just didn't know the correct term for it !

einai aidia

I've heard it called Repelling, too.