CREATURE

They may just be baby spiders 'just hatched' they are usually red and when really young, hang in there hundreds in a web and when disturded they are move in opposite directions! Bit creepy especially if you hapen to stand under a a colony.
Close up would be nice but probably impossible!
I see them in our garden and they never damage any plants

I know what you mean as I've seen them but I don't know what they are called either, sorry!
I don't think they are what we usually call "Red Spiders" as these are at the limit of most people's eyesight & live on plants, sucking the sap & weakening the plants. You won't find them running around like ants. it would be interesting if someone could answer your question, though!

they are a red mite. i have them on the wall of the pond. not aware of them doing any harm to the plants. they are the most fantastic red arent they.

My family always called them bloodsuckers!

i found this on the net, hope it helps...

This Red Velvet Mite is of the genera Trombidium one of the many species in the Trombidiidae or Velvet Mite family. The body is covered in fine hairs giving it its 'velvety' appearance. It is usually found in the soil or mulch and feeds on vegetable matter. The larval stage which has six legs, is about one tenth of the size of the adult and lives on blood from animals and sometimes humans. As it feeds it releases an anticoagulant which can cause an allergic reaction resulting in a rash.
The adult mites have eight legs, they are not spiders nor insects, but a different Order of invertebrates, the Acari, with about 30,000 species of Mites and Ticks. These include the House Dust Mites whoes faeces cause asthma and the Ticks which transmit Lyme Disease.

My family always called them bloodsuckers too Fluff!... and Steve did say they live on the blood of animals....:>)

I don't think you have anything to worry about with these. They are indeed the first stage form of Velvet mites and they only feed on the bodily fluids of insects (not harming them either) before dropping off to change into the adult which each tiny insects and other species of mite.

http://www.uksafari.com/velvetmites.htm

Red spider mite are very difficult to see just with your eye. They do harm plants esp in dry hot conditions. they wont be spider mite if they are the size of a pin head