Concrete mite / Sidewalk mite
Scientific Name: Balaustium murorum
Order & Family: Order: Trombidiformes; Family: Erythraeidae
Size: 1 to 2 mm (very small and often seen as a moving red speck)
Natural Habitat
Typically found on sunny masonry surfaces such as concrete walls, sidewalks, and patios.
Diet & Feeding
They are primarily predatory or scavengers, feeding on small soft-bodied insects, insect eggs, and sometimes pollen.
Behavior Patterns
They are highly active during the spring and early summer in bright sunlight. They run quickly across surfaces looking for food.
Risks & Benefits
They provide ecosystem benefits by preying on smaller pests. While harmless to structures, they can cause a temporary red stain if crushed on surfaces or clothing and may occasionally bite humans, though they do not transmit disease.
Identified on: 1/6/2026