Look what caught my eye today…

Its a velvet mite. Not quite an insect, but an arthropod all the same. They get their red velvet look (and name) from long, fine hairs that cover their body. They can be found in leaf litter and debris in the woods.

They are a beneficial mite (as are most mites) and feed on other mites, insect eggs, and smaller insects like aphids.

Apparently the males lay their sperm on twigs and debris on the forest floor and then lay down a silk trail that leads to the sperm (reference). Then, a female finds the trail and if the male is to her liking she sits on the sperm.

Cool, huh?

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