Where do red velvet mites live?
Red velvet mites primarily inhabit arid regions, found in soil, leaf litter, and under rocks, in forests, grasslands, and even urban gardens. They are most active after monsoon showers, earning them the name “rain bugs.” They are also called birbaboti in local languages.
Where are they found in India?
They are endemic to Northern and Central India, especially the Deccan Plateau.
What do velvet mites eat?
Adults are generalists, feeding on other mites and small arthropods like insects and spiders. Larvae parasitise insects of the Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, locusts).
How do they court and mate?
Males perform an encircling dance and leave tiny silk trails with sperm, decorated with bark, leaves, and twigs, to attract females. If impressed, the female sits on the sperm packet and external fertilisation occurs. Rival males may destroy and replace sperm trails. Females lay eggs in damp soil.
Why are velvet mites important?
They are an integral part of the soil and leaf litter ecosystem and help control pest populations.
About the Authors
Femi Ezhuthupallickal Benny
Femi is a PhD student at University College London (UCL), working on the ecology and behavior of Asian giant hornets. Passionate about insects, especially wasps, she loves fieldwork in underexplored places, studying how insects interact with their environment and discovering new species while at it!
