I think they are spider mites. Aphids are larger and not red.

Jim

Not an answer to your situation,but there are reddish aphids. Rosy Apple Aphid is reddish.

If I see any more, I'll get pics. In the meantime, neem oil won't hurt as a preventative, will it?

I found some of those on some seedlings i started indoors! i was wondering what they were too!

I have had these bugs on just one of my tomato plants and have found that a spritz of insecticidal soap seems to keep them at bay.

Thanks for the correction, paveggie. I wasn't aware of Rosy Apple Aphids. I don't have much experience with aphids, fortunately!

Jim

Spider Mites are too small to see with the naked eye, especially on the plant. The only way I've ever spotted them was to shake a suspect leaf or cluster of leaves over a sheet of white paper. If you see the microscopic specks that fall on the sheet move around, you've got mites. And then God help you because they are ver-r-r-ry difficult to control.

These were on the plank of my raised bed, and so small that I wouldn't have seen them at all if they weren't moving. But still, not "too small to see with the naked eye" I'd guess 10-15 of them could fit sideways through the eye of a sewing needle. (How's that for vague?)

Raining today, so I haven't checked the plants for more.

Queuetue, I have the EXACT same bugs all along the border of my raised square foot garden bed. I have no idea what these are and I'm researching all over to find out because I really want to know if they're going to damage my vegetables. Have you found out anything new about these pests?

Sorry, but I haven't seen them since I squashed that few, and didn't get enough info to make an identification.

that sounds to me like what in the south we call a chigger not sure they do anything to the plants but they do get under your skin and cause a terrible itch lol

Going from the description I see these at work all the time on cement. Very tiny and wouldn't be seen at all if they didn't move. Never saw them in my gardens, but only on cement at work.

Don't know what they are, how to control them or even if they need to be controlled.

My general rule of thumb is 'do nothing unless a plant looks like it needs help'. Bugs on plants are normal and if the plant is not suffering there is no need to kill the bugs, whatever they may be.

I agree with justaguy.

We have them to, where there is a lot of concrete and rocks. Not too many on the soil/plants, but they are there.

We used to call them "bloosuckers" as kids because when you touched them, they turned into a red smear on your finger and cement.

What are they actually called? Who knows, but they aren't hurting anything. Nature will balance it out if it is a problem.