I could tell you what I'm pretty sure they're called (because it comes up in fanfic I've read by Brits more than you would think) but I wouldn't be 100% sure if there weren't regional differences.
thank you all I said red spider mites and the neighbours knew what I meant and I did not get The Reputation that I think I would have gotten if I called them what we call them where I’m from with my accent
I was mystified as these aren't really a thing in the PNW, but then I remembered visiting a boyfriend in NC and hearing him say the name with his full accent. Yeah, I get that it could be problematic.
Didn't have my glasses on, so thought "...rawl plugs...?" (even though that's some weird-ass places to have such things). Started reading the comments and oh shit, I need varifocals 😂
We used to call them bloodsuckers when we were kids but I have no idea whether anyone else actually calls them that. Obviously they don't actually suck blood... Or do they...
If I've got the scale correct, they look like the bugs I'd call red spiders. But that's definitely not a scientific term, just the name I learned for them as a child.
They look like Red Spider Mites to me. I know of them as an occasional museum pest- we got them in the library at Aston Hall and the source was believed to be a bird nest that fell down the chimney.
Comments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombiculidae
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetranychus_urticae
If so, I understand and agree with your reticence.