Rick and I spotted this fellow while walking along the Little Miami Trail near the river. For such a tiny little thing, he was conspicuously visible. His bright red color seemed to glow in the dark shadows of the hillside as he scurried around on a leaf at the base of a sycamore tree. I switched over to the macro lens Rick gave me for my birthday to see if I could photograph him. What a busy little mite he was. He went in and out of focus so quickly. These photos aren't the best, but they do show off his red velvet appearance.
...not to worry, this little guy does not like the taste of humans. He neither bites nor stings...and he most definitely will not try to suck your blood!
Red-velvet Mites live in the leaf litter and other damp areas of the woods. They are important to the environment and help speed up the decomposition process. Click here for a link to an article in Chicago Wilderness for more info.
...just like with brightly colored butterflies such as the Monarch or Pipevine Swallowtail, the Red-velvet Mite's red color is a warning to predators to stay away. Apparently they just don't taste good. I read a few references of scientists actually tasting a few of the mites, but I couldn't find any first-hand accounts (and although I am now curious to what kind of aftertaste these fellows would leave, rest assured mom...I won't be picking up any to taste-test myself!).
...love the segmented leg in this photo. I'm finding out macro photography is really cool. This Red-velvet Mite was no more than a millimeter, so those little segments are really tiny!
...don't you love those little lobster-like claws? They are actually mouthparts, and are therefore recognized as Chelicerates (a branch within the Arthropod Phylum). Click here for more info on Chelicerates. According to my "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders," adult Red Velvet Mites eat insect eggs. The larvae are parasites and suck the blood from insects, spiders, daddy-long-legs and scorpions.
For a cool video of Red-velvet Mites scurrying around, drop by Wildcast.
If you're interested in the macro lens I was using, it's a Nikon Nikkor Lens, AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED. I have a lot to learn about macro photography...
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