Absolutely not spider mites. Are you sure that they are causing problems?

i have holes in some leaves so assumed spider mites. If they’re not hurting anything, that’s good to know. But they do look like a bunch of tiny spiders. I also have a ton of gnats and trying to address that in my entire yard in general and wondered if maybe baby gnats look like this before they get bigger and can fly but they look so much like spiders that I doubt it.

Spider mites don't make holes :-) First, they are far too tiny to make anything that would be noticeable as a hole and they are actually a sucking pest. Their damage shows up on broadleaved plants as dotting or stippling....no actual holes. And they generally are never found in soil...they need and want plant tissue to survive.

But there are many other pests that can and do make holes...flea beetles, leafhoppers, cutworms and other moth or butterfly larvae, slugs and snails, etc. Keep monitoring, especially late in the day/at dusk.

I have even gone out at night with a light and found critters eating leaves.

Thanks, all! Good to know!! There’s no way to post or share a video right? Would love to share so you see it better. Anything I should do in the meantime?

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) @toxcrusadr @rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

okay! I just uploaded the videos to YouTube. See here :) thanks again for your help and guidance! I’m new to this!!

https://youtu.be/CL8LQVjAwAw

https://youtu.be/VtrFvw0WX8E

Do these look familiar to anyone? Did a thorough application to Neem oil last night and went outside to find a ton of these guys out there again.

They might just be part of the soil ecosystem. Are you sure these tiny creatures walking on the ground are causing problems for your plants?