Red Velvet Mite

Description:

"These mites are part of a community of soil arthropods that is critical in terms of rates of decomposition in woodlands and in maintaining the structure of the entire ecosystem. By feeding on insects that eat fungi and bacteria, they stimulate the decomposition process. And when they are removed from the area, many critical processes in the soil go much slower." - Liam Heneghan, an ecosystem ecologist at DePaul University. http://www.chicagowildernessmag.org/issu...

Habitat:

forest floor

Notes:

They do not taste very good.