What is this little bug

[luvcactus]

It was super small and I found a few of them in one of my plant pots. It's a shiny looking tan coloured very, very tiny insect I could barely even see it but I don't know the species. I don't want to start dumping chemicals or whatever in the pot/plant until I know so I haven't done anything yet.

edit: it also ran around really fast, it was hard to get this pic

[anttisepp]

Don't panic, it's soil mite, normal harmless inhabitant.
Maybe there's too much organic components and also probably very wet?

[luvcactus]

I did just water 3 days ago. They were in one of my seedling pots.

[hegar]

With eight legs (or so it seems), a tiny body, and quick moving for its size, this points to a predatory mite. Those will hunt down other mites and small insects.


Harald

[luvcactus]

I thought it looks like it has 6 legs (and 2 big antennas). But it sure does move quickly. I was surprised how fast a bug that tiny could run!

[hegar]

Hello luvcactus,
you are the one who did see this critter up close. So, if it was holding the two long front appendages up in the air, of course it would be an insect then. The image you posted is just a bit too blurry or unfocused, be it because your camera (I-phone) could not get close enough or because the animal you tried to photograph was moving too quickly.
If your camera was not the problem, you can take a small camel hair brush, dip it in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and touch the insect, mite, etc. with the bristles. The alcohol will slow it down and the bristles will keep it stuck to the brush. Then you dip the brush bristles into a small container filled with some more alcohol. Whatever this tiny animal is, it will be killed pretty quickly when submerged in alcohol. Once the suspect pest is dead, you can examine it closely with a hand lens, and if needed take some photographs.

Harald