(Photo Provided by Joe Boggs)

So-called “concrete mites” are making their annual appearance in Ohio. These tiny, fast-moving bright red mites scurry around on sunny surfaces such as picnic tables, patios, sidewalks, concrete retaining walls, outside walls of homes and buildings, park benches, etc.

These nuisance mites can produce small red stains on clothing when they’re sat upon. So, look before you sit. Particularly if you’re wearing white clothing.

The mites belong to the genus Balaustium (family Erythraeidae). They are commonly called concrete mites owing to the locations where they tend to congregate.

However, their extremely small size may allow them to go unnoticed until their past presence is revealed on laundry day.

Concrete mites are predaceous and eat other mites as well as small insects. They are also capable of supplementing their meat diet with pollen. Research has revealed that the mites often start the season as pollen-feeders and switch to a meat diet later in the season as more prey becomes available.

(Photo Provided by Joe Boggs)

There have been reports in various medical journals that bites from these predaceous mites can produce dermatitis. However, the reports focused entirely on mites invading homes and other structures which seems rare in Ohio.

It is unclear why concrete mites appear in large numbers in sunny locations in the spring.

The mass gatherings appear to be highly seasonal and short-lived. However, if the mites threaten to spoil outdoor events involving an abundance of white clothing, such as a spring wedding, they can be suppressed with a surface application of a pyrethroid insecticide such as products containing bifenthrin (e.g. Talstar).

Do not confuse Red Grasshopper Mites (Trombidium holosericeum, family Trombidiidae) for concrete mites.

This predaceous solitary mite is one of the largest-sized mites found in the U.S. They are sometimes called “red velvet mites” because of the fine, soft hairs covering their bright red body, making them look like they’re covered in velvet.

(Photo Provided by Joe Boggs)

Red grasshopper mites are commonly found in Ohio woodlands crawling on tree bark in search of prey, including insects.

Immature red velvet mites feed like tiny ticks as ectoparasites on other arthropods such as grasshoppers and harvestmen (= daddy longlegs).

Joe Boggs is an assistant professor in extension and has a courtesy appointment with the OSU Department of Entomology. In Extension, he is an educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources and his specializations include tree and shrub diagnostics, applied entomology, non-native invasive pests and urban forestry. He has authored many posts for OSU’s popular Buckeye Yard and Garden Line.