Red Velvet Mite

Tiny scarlet gems slowly walking on the forest floor like drops of velvet. In Panama they are known as "coloradillas" and are beneficial for the soil.

Red velvet mites of the genus Trombidium are terrestrial arachnids of intense red color that look like tiny velvet cushions walking. They measure 2-5 mm and their body is covered in fine red hairs making them unmistakable. They are harmless to humans and beneficial for the ecosystem: larvae are parasitic on insects, while adults are active predators feeding on insect eggs and small arthropods. In the Panamanian rainy season they emerge in large numbers on wet forest soil. They are indicators of healthy, uncontaminated soils.

Habitat

Wet soils of forests and gardens throughout Panama