On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 16:58:42 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:


nmc wrote in message
...
What are the minute red spiders (that's what we always called them) that
inhabit the surface of sunny concrete and brick in the summer? We seem to
have literally millions of them this year, pick up a stone and you think
your hands are bleeding. Is there a way of destroying them?

Regards

Neil


Hello Neil,
They sound like Thrombidium mites. Why destroy them? They are harmless
enough. If you wish to discourage them - you do seem to have a large
population - then simply use water, as they prefer hot, dry conditions.
Spider

And they're definitely not the dreaded RSM than is the scourge of many
conservatory and indoor plants, and which were the topic of a recent
thread. You need exceedingly good eyesight to see the latter without a
strong (eg x10) lens, and they're an orangy-brown, not the bright red
of these little chaps. The worst thing about them is the effect they
have when you're painting exterior walls or woodwork white. Gives a
decidedly raspberry ripple effect!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net