Harvestman with hitchhikers

I found this harvestman today on a Woolly Thistle. The red blobs are actually parasitic Leptus mites. Harvestmen may look like spiders but they are actually a different sort of arachnid of the order Opiliones. The mites are also arachnids ... so these are arachnids feeding off another arachnid! All a bit sinister really... but that's nature!

[Nitrogene]

Amazing detail!

[Bep]

Fantastic close up

[Janiskay]

My what long legs you have. Nicely captured with great info.

[ShirleyB]

Amazing detail. I never knew they were not spiders.

[Peter Day]

Good photograph

[~*~ Jo ~*~]

Super shot

[Carla]

Terrific macro

[bkb in the city]

Great capture

[Joan Morvinson]

This is a fantastic photograph - and just how do you know so much

[Rachel]

Love the vibrant colours

[Yeshanghai]

Amazing capture

[Kat]

Well spotted, great capture!

[Julienne Jones]

@shirleybankfarm - I think most people think they are spiders and they are closely related.

[Julienne Jones]

@janiskay - some people do call them daddy-long-legs!

[Julienne Jones]

@jomo - well I tend to look up things on Google to find out 😀

[Julienne Jones]

@nitrogene @gijsje @peterday @ziggy77 @carla42 @bkbinthecity @mrsrcg @ @katrinastabback @yeshanghai thanks for all the comments and favs

[Sarah Jones]

Great capture. I saw a red blob on a butterfly's head a couple of weeks ago and am wondering if it was one of these mites.