Q: My Dad and I saw some tiny red crawling things on a wall near our house. Will they hurt our plants?

A: I can think of three red crawling insects that you might see: red spider mites, clover mites and box elder bug nymphs.

Box elder bug nymphs are red – but they are not tiny. They are 1/4 inch long and have black legs. Spider mites are red – but I do not think you would see them on a wall since they prefer to hide on the backside of plant leaves.

I believe you have clover mites. They are tiny and red AND they gather on sunny walls in the spring. Fortunately, clover mites do not hurt plants too much – even the clover on which they feed. Congratulations on your sharp eyes!