What happened to all the tiny red spiders?

[BarkandCheese]

Okay, having just looked them up they’re not actually spiders and are called clover mites, I thought I’d get that in before someone corrects me.

I’m sitting out on my patio looking at the three foot high retaining wall around my lawn, there are plenty of black ants and other assorted critters busying themselves doing whatever insects do, but not a single tiny red spider. I’ve realised I haven’t consciously noticed one for years, but when I was a child (70s and 80s) they were everywhere, especially on walls in gardens. They were one of those background things of playing out in the garden, like snails and ants and daisies and dandelions, but they seem to have disappeared.

Is the disappearance of the tiny red spiders one of the great mysteries of our time? Or has lockdown cabin fever set in?

I haven't seen them for years either. We used to call them bloodsuckers.

Oh yeah! Is forgotten about those!

Now that you mention it...

I used to love squashing them onto my thumb and then pretending I had cut myself and was bleeding. I feel a little bit bad about that... promise I haven't grown up to be a serial killer!

Not seen them in years.

Yes I remember them from childhood too, not seen them in years but thought it was because I wasn’t looking

I admit I may have squished one or two. Maybe that’s it, maybe we squished them all.

All the black and orange striped caterpillars have disappeared too!

I only remember seeing them when laid on the grass next to the garden path. Not something I've done for a couple of decides!

Red spider mites. It's a bit early in the year for them.

That’s brought back some memories of when I was little! Our front wall used to team with them.

Ooh, you are right !

I saw them a couple of years ago when we had bats in our eaves. I think they live in the droppings of bats and birds and all come out at once, usually around now, you're right. Not seen any this year though (good!)

I just asked DH, he suggested that they’d all been eaten, didn’t say what by though. It’s clearly a mystery to rival what killed the dinosaurs.

Yeah I remember loads of them around when I was a kid in the 90s never see any now though 🤷🏻‍♀️

Wow blast from the past!! Yes where did they go?? I need to know now.

It's still a bit cold for them isn't it? I usually notice them when it's warm and they're wandering around in the sun.

It’s been a toasty 23 degrees where I am today, but no tiny red spiders in sight.

They are all in my garden....the chooks like eating them!

Found two in my dds room last week

I find them all over my patio every year. I think it's a bit early for them to be out and about. I usually see them mainly in the hotter summer months. I hate them but used to like squishing them as a kid.

... and the Dodos, haven't seen one of those for years.

Yes, a bit early for them, they tend to be out and about in late summer.

A confirmed sighting here yesterday! Was digging up soil in the vegetable patch and spotted one

They come out when the weather is hot and dry.

We get them every year, but not normally this early.