No-See-Ums?
This problem has been troubling me since the weather got warmer. Whenever I’m in my house (Garden and Parlor floors with large yard) I feel like I’m getting bitten by something. It isn’t painful, just a little itch, but i never see anything on my skin or flying or jumping around. I have a dog,…
This problem has been troubling me since the weather got warmer. Whenever I’m in my house (Garden and Parlor floors with large yard) I feel like I’m getting bitten by something. It isn’t painful, just a little itch, but i never see anything on my skin or flying or jumping around. I have a dog, but it definitely isn’t fleas (I know what they look like). At first I thought I was imagining it, then I thought it was dry skin, but it only happens at home. I keep my house pretty clean and shower a lot, so I don’t think it is a cleanliness problem. I have experienced no-see-ums in the Caribbean and that is kind of what this reminds me of. Could it be bedbugs? I’ve heard they’ve made a resurgence in NY. Are they visible to the naked eye? Is there some other 100-yr-old house problem that I don’t know about? It is getting very annoying. Help!
here’s another web site with info about mites. It looks promising and contains a lot of info on things to do.
http://www.safe2use.com/scabiesboard/2005_01/7277.html
It would be best if you can identify for sure what these things are, so maybe trying to capture a couple with scotch tape or something similar, and then having an entomologyst identify them. It would be easier to formulate a strategy to rid yourself of them if you know excactly what they are.
I just found this after reading that about mites. Could try it, what do we have to lose ?
http://www.birdmites.org/strategies.html
I’ve been suffering the dibilitating bites of these invisible critters for 5 months now. I think they were in a couch that had been water damaged, and after sleeping on it for a few days, they appeared and I finally really noticed them after about 1-2 weeks. Anyway, I have tried a whole range of chemicals and holistic things ( like cedar oil spray….which didn’t work ). At first I thought they were fleas, but they are not, they are biting midges, AKA noseeums.
I’ve tried flea carpet powder, flea cat spray, 3 different bombs ( containing various chemicals ), cedar oil spray, water and alcohol, water and pine sol, pyrethrum based sprays ( low % ), permethrin based spray ( low % ) and went to a pest control service that sold the chemical retail. This guy actually called me unstable and said I needed to see a dermetologist. Anyway, what has worked for me is buying those lint rollers, and rolling it over where I get bit right as I’m getting bit. This usually picks up the insect pretty well, as long as I keep tearing off the sheet when it has lost it’s stick ability. I’ve probably gone through 50 of these things so far. I’ve spent incredible amounts of money trying to control these things, all to no avail.
Of course I can’t carry a lint roller around with me. I’ll try that borax stuff next, and I’ve also heard about ( and used in the past, with great results ), diatamaceous earth, and am going to try that as well.
I’ll keep you posted. Glad this forum is hear, and able to read all this wonderful stuff
WOW. I never thought this could be an infestation. I live in SE Coastal Florida. Looked around the ‘net today, bc my fiance and I both were practically eaten alive last night while we TRIED to sleep. Every year, this time, we open up the house and turn off the A/C. This was our 2nd night of “Hooray!” for the start of our lower, seasonal electric bill. But, it was more of a nightmare. I woke to my fiance’s scratching. Within minutes, they started to attack me too, but not until I awoke. I’ve never had this problem and I’ve lived in the same home for 9 years. While indoors, not a problem. I don’t want close the house back up bc the A/C doubles the electric bill and doesn’t allow the fresh air in – which I look forward to this time of year after the second of two seasons in FL – hot and hotter. I work at a facility where mosquito spraying is not permitted past a point about 500 yards from my office due to aquaculture ponds. I can’t be outside comfortably for more than a few mins. I feel terrible for those who cannot seem to rid their spaces! The tiny insects are definitely getting worse. It used to be worse at dusk, along with our notorious mosquitos. For the past 2 yrs, it’s any time of the day. It’s impossible to enjoy the outdoors at night for more than 2-3 minutes. The lengths that everyone here has gone to – to rid their homes with little relief?
They definitely affect people differently. I get extremely itchy welts that usually go away within 15-20 minutes. My fiance had welts well into the morning, long after they seemed to have gone. Point: it’s hard to determine whether it’s noseeums or mosquitos. We live near a wildlife refuge, so we’ve grown accustomed to all kinds of wildlife in our yards…gators, armadillos, rabbits, sandhill cranes, hog, herons, egrets, abundant frogs and toads. I have hardwood floors, acrylic baseboards and certainly no corn fields! The underlying siding of my home is cedar – naturally pest repellant wood! We do have lots and lots of standing water due to all the Tropical storms this year. I had noseeum screening (smaller holes) installed when I had the breezeway re-screened. I’ve watched them crawl right through. They are tiny, about the size of a grain of ground black pepper. And I hate them. I’ve heard of Borax. Would love to hear of a less costly non-chemical solution – I have tropical fish in an open aquarium – there’s no such thing as a fogger at my place!
Hi Pam,
I have been told we also have a mite infestation which could consist of many species including dust mites. However, we have Pelicans constantly cleaning themselves on pilings in front of our boat all winter long all day long. The wind blows all their fleece etc. back into the boat so these little pests could be just that. That is very interesting…never thought about that. We have it under control ever since we removed the carpet. It is the first relief in years and I can’t tell you how much of a better life this has become over the past week. The boric acid did help on the bare floors and I’m continuing to monitor that. I also think we need to replace some old mattresses as well. Good luck to you and let me know how you make out.
Hi, Kathie. I found a new (to me) website a couple of days ago. It’s called birdmites.org. And after visiting there, I am convinced that what I have is a bird mite infestation. You may have one as well. It describes our experience exactly. It’s also very depressing . . . apparently they are extremely difficult to get rid of (no kidding,huh). We are going nuts with the biting and crawling, and I tried several of their home rememdy suggestions, but nothing has helped all that much. Three years ago we had 3 professional treatments done, but nothing changed. We have moved twice since then, and so I thought perhaps I could find out some new treatments options. Cooks Pest Control said “Sorry, can’t help you.” But another local company sent a guy out, who confirmed that they were bird mites, and said that he could actually do something. It will be intensive and cost a lot (Around $1,000 altogether), but he has rid other people of this plague, and thinks he can help us. So we’re going to let him do it. I’ll certainly let you know how it goes!
Pam,
After spreading the boric acid on the carpet on Sept. 30th, they are starting to pop up again. I am extremely disappointed as I thought this would work. They’re not as bad yet, but they are still coming back. I have spread more boric acid on the carpet and it has stopped it for now. This is Oct. 4th (only 3 days since we applied the boric acid). There have been very few popping up on my legs on the bare floors which is a good thing. I bought a mattress protector with allergen barrier fabric (from Bed, Bath & Beyond)which is advertised to be an effective barrier to dust mites. I’m trying everything in this continuous battle. I washed all mattress pads and added clorox. Also washed the remainder of bedding. So far so good. Since we removed the carpeting in the bedroom on 9/30 there have only been a few popping up. I have not spread boric acid on the bare floors in the bedroom yet. I am so tired of all this!! Will keep you advised.
We’ve just moved to a place that is all hardwoods, but they’re still popping out, though not as bad as before. We’re washing all our bed linens constantly, including pillows. We’ll try the boric acid, too. Maybe you could spread it on your mattresses underneath the covers. I’ll look forward to hearing how it goes for you, Kathie.
Yesterday we spread boric acid all over the living room carpet and used a brush to push it in. It is in powder form and is under the name of “Roach Prufe” at Ace Hardware. It is 98% ortho boric acid. So far this morning nothing is on my legs which is wonderful, but it may be too early to tell. Still have the problem at night in bed..waking up in the middle of the night…with them on me especially on the torso. Wash everything constantly to no avail however. Last year in Baltimore it got very cold in November and they stopped completely. Going south it was cold and we were free of these critters. However, after arriving in the south and the weather much warmer they came back with a vengence. Will keep advising on the situation.