Identify red arachnids

[Niki]

I have many of these tiny red things running around everywhere outside, even on the roof.
I find it hard matching them to anything. I guess arachnids, maybe mites... but every time I end up with a different kind.
Any idea who they are, and more importantly, what are they after?
Thanks in advance!

 

[redback]

How big are they?

 

[Owdboggy]

Count the legs. Spiders have 8, mites have 10.
Think they are what we always call 'blood' spiders. Harmless, but annoying. Swarm is because they have just hatched.

 

[Niki]

How big are they?

Small. The length of the body is no larger then 1mm, and some are even smaller. Hard to measure with them running around, could be 0.5-0.8mm.

 

[Niki]

Count the legs. Spiders have 8, mites have 10.
Think they are what we always call 'blood' spiders. Harmless, but annoying. Swarm is because they have just hatched.

I guess, as Wikipedia says "The mites are not a defined taxon".
Blood spiders give me mostly game related stuff. Could you mean clover mite? somewhat close but shorter legs and their front looks to be larger than the rear.

 

[Owdboggy]

Counted the legs and there are 10 so they are Clover mites. As I said we always called them blood spiders even though they are mites and have nothing to do with blood except for their colour.

 

[Niki]

i count 8, plus shadows of the legs, or am I counting wrong?

 

[redback]

Small. The length of the body is no larger then 1mm, and some are even smaller. Hard to measure with them running around, could be 0.5-0.8mm.

8 legs and Red legged earth mites.

 

[redback]

They are after anything they can eat. At this time of year they particularly like sucking the sap out of cucurbits.

 

[Owdboggy]

Sorry, but red legged earth mites have a black body and red legs and are found in South Africa and Australia. No mention of them having reached Cyprus.

 

[Niki]

True, but searching for them did lead me to 2 other photos that looked similar. Unfortunately, with no name. I'll look further tomorrow.

 

[MiTmite9]

I have many of these tiny red things running around everywhere outside, even on the roof.
I find it hard matching them to anything. I guess arachnids, maybe mites... but every time I end up with a different kind.
Any idea who they are, and more importantly, what are they after?
Thanks in advance!

View attachment 102565

Any chance you have a Museum of Natural History in your neck of the woods? I've had great good luck asking the entomologist/bug guy at our Museum to i.d. critters I don't recognize. OR --- you could take your pics to a nursery nearby; show them and get an i.d. The only red mites I've ever seen are much more rounded in body shape than your tiny visitors.

I have many of these tiny red things running around everywhere outside, even on the roof.
I find it hard matching them to anything. I guess arachnids, maybe mites... but every time I end up with a different kind.
Any idea who they are, and more importantly, what are they after?
Thanks in advance!

View attachment 102565

You don't happen to be in Australia, do you? These look like Rainbow imperator (Rainbowia imperator). Mites. If they are R. imperator, then they are beneficial. They eat aphids.

 

[Niki]

No such museum. ...I could try a nursery if I can catch there someone that isn't just the worker/seller.

Nowhere near Australia and no idea why they would look for aphids on the stairs and roof, although I would not be surprised if they're an invasive species.