Clover mites and rock coloration

[maggiemay]

Well at a state park the other day i was observing the quarry rocks only to find them covered with the tine bright red spiders known as clover mites. they repopulate rapidly and live inside the rocks. There are so many and well noticing them i also noticed that the rocks all over were orange, and close up it seemed to me that this color had come from the many dead bodies of the clover mites. Its a known fact that when squished they leave a red residue that difficult to get rid of. is it passable that the many dead bodies of these bugs is actually coloring the rock formation?

[Phi for All]

The rocks themselves may have hematite or iron oxide that gives them that rusty red color. Was the coloring you noticed more uniform or more spotted or stain-like?

[maggiemay]

The rocks themselves may have hematite or iron oxide that gives them that rusty red color. Was the coloring you noticed more uniform or more spotted or stain-like?

 

defiantly more spotted and stain like, ill try and get pictures next time im there

[Phi for All]

defiantly more spotted and stain like, ill try and get pictures next time im there

Sweet, that will help. There are some lichens that have a rusty red coloration as well. Try to get some close-up shots. It's also entirely possible that an active quarry would squish its fair share of clover mites.

[CharonY]

A macro lens would be really useful for that.

[Appolinaria]

In order for there to be a noticeable difference in the rock, an extremely large amount of mites would have to die in the same spot. Their bodies would have to somehow remain on the rocks despite wind and rain. And then the pigment in their bodies would also have to somehow absorb into the rock and stain it.

 

I'd bet it's some kind of orange moss.