A Guide to No-See-Ums in Texas
Each state and area has its own bug problems to deal with. When you live along the coast and by all of that water, you get a nice mix of biting bugs along with those views. Also known as sand flies and biting midges, no-see-ums are tiny gnats prevalent along the Texas Gulf Coast. They're also common in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the San Francisco Bay area. In addition to disrupting fun outdoor activities, these insects can cause itchy bites in humans and spread fatal illnesses to animals and mammals. Read on to learn all about these pesky pests and how to avoid them.
What Are No-See-Ums?
There are over 4,000 species of biting midges in Texas and other coastal areas of the U.S. As the name "no-see-um" implies, these insects are extremely small (adults are less than 3 mm long) and are capable of getting through mesh screens on windows and doors. Often, you won't even notice these minuscule gnats when they sneak into your home or land on your skin.
No-see-ums lay their eggs in wet sand or soil. Common breeding grounds for midges in Texas include swamps, marshes, streams and ponds, tree holes, and even plants that retain pockets of water.
What Do Their Bites Look Like?
Bites from no-see-ums appear as small, red dots that turn into raised welts that are itchy and so painful. In most cases, they are more painful and irritating than mosquito bites and tend to last much longer. While a mosquito bite may bother you for a day or a few days, no-see-ums bites-especially if they turn into welts-can last for weeks. No-see-ums are attracted to all areas of exposed human skin but most frequently bite hands, legs, and the backs of people's necks.
Do No-See-Ums Carry Disease?
Like mosquitoes, biting midges can carry pathogens that cause disease in humans and animals. Fortunately, they rarely infect humans in the U.S. However, they do commonly transmit disease to sheep and cattle, which can have serious consequences. In fact, one of these diseases, known as the bluetongue virus, is responsible for losses in the U.S. livestock industry of $144 million each year.
Other animals that can become sick from infected no-see-um bites include sheep, goats and deer. Horses can also experience an allergic reaction to bites that causes inflammation in the mane, tail, withers and ears.
How Can I Prevent & Treat Bites?
Prevent Bites
- Stay inside at sunset and sunrise
- Wear long pants and long sleeves when out on walks near water
- Dump and drain any standing water outside your home or business
- Adults should wear bug repellant with 30% DEET
No-see-ums are most active at dusk and dawn, so try to stay inside during these times if you can. If you are outside then, make sure you are covered up with long sleeves and long pants. Follow the directions on the bug spray and make sure it has DEET in it to keep biting midges and all other insects away from you and your family. Don't forget about your pet, either. There are plenty of pet-friendly bug sprays out there.
Treat Bites
If you're experiencing discomfort from no-see-ums bites, try your best not to scratch them as it can lead to infection. Holding ice, a bag of frozen veggies, or a clean cloth soaked in cold water against the bite for 10 minutes at a time can help minimize pain and itching.
There are plenty of home remedies that will take the fiery burning of a no-see-um bite away in under a minute. The first way is to wash the area with soap and water to reduce swelling and irritation. From toothpaste to a baking soda paste to rubbing alcohol, there are plenty of things around your home you could grab to treat your no-see-um bites.
How do you keep no-see-ums off of you?
In addition to wearing long clothing to hide and protect your skin, there are scents no-see-ums do not like and will help keep them away from you. From candles to sprays to creams, look for eucalyptus, lemon, camphor and mint are all despised by no-see-ums. If you can gather essential oils in these scents, that would be great to have in your home for not only these bugs, but to keep away other insects that do not like those scents.
When to Call for Help Avoiding no-see-ums is difficult because they are so small. If you have a hard time keeping biting midges away from your yard or business, it might be time to ask for help. We can do everything right and still not be able to rid our yard of pests.
The best way to protect yourself from bites is to be proactive about pest control and have a professional evaluate your property. Contact MosquitoNix® today to learn about our effective and affordable pest control solutions.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
