Insect ID

[Jerry Bruette]

Anyone know of a free phone app that's good at identifying insects? Found some red colored insects by the apple trees at my cabin and I'd like to know if they're friend or foe. I tried Google image lookup and it told me the picture was of soil, no kidding, how 'bout the red bug in the middle?

[Jim Koepke]

Jerry, is there any way you could post an image of this insect?

Maybe include something to indicate size.

jtk

[Jerry Bruette]

Here you go Jim. It's about 1 1/2 to 2 times the size of a pin head.
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[Jim Koepke]

That looks like a type of mite.

There are many varieties of red mites, this is one > https://www.landmarkhw.com/resources/pest-control/learn-more-about-clover-mites-and-infestations/9/167

For an identification via application you might need to get a much closer shot or take a picture through a magnifier. You might be able to enlarge and crop the image you have.

jtk

[Jerry Bruette]

That looks like a type of mite.

There are many varieties of red mites, this is one > https://www.landmarkhw.com/resources/pest-control/learn-more-about-clover-mites-and-infestations/9/167

For an identification via application you might need to get a much closer shot or take a picture through a magnifier. You might be able to enlarge and crop the image you have.

jtk

Thanks Jim. Clover mite would make sense, those apple trees are on the edge of a food plot that has about four types of clover planted in it. I don't think they could eat a half are of clover though.

[Lee Schierer]

Your third photo appears to show that it has 8 legs, which makes it a Arthropod not an insect. I believe it is one of several genera (Amblyseius, Balaustrium, Phytoseiulus, etc.), many of them are red in color (but green, orange, and yellow are also possible), and they are all beneficial, since they feed on pest mites
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Link (https://laidbackgardener.blog/2016/01/31/dont-kill-those-red-mites/)

[Jim Becker]

O agree with Lee...juvenile spider, likely related to the orb weaver.

[Kev Williams]

Looks like a tick to me, and since it's red, might be a deer tick (instead of a wood tick), and ticks do have 8 legs-

>edit< -or, could be you have a red velvet mite--
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[Lee Schierer]

Looks like a tick to me, and since it's red, might be a deer tick (instead of a wood tick), and ticks do have 8 legs-

>edit< -or, could be you have a red velvet mite--
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It is definitely not a deer tick..Ticks have small heads so they can burrow into the animal to get blood.
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