Itch mites are back and biting
Posted: Monday, September 12, 2005
LINCOLN -- They're back and biting as ever: itch mites.
Just like last fall, when people complained about mysterious creatures that left itchy, red bites, the mites have appeared with an appetite.
Several Lincoln residents reported bites after an outdoor weekend over Labor Day, said Jim Kalisch, University of Nebraska-Lincoln insect diagnostician.
UNL entomologists use stick traps to check on the itch mite population.
"Itch mites are emerging now in high numbers in some Lincoln and southeast Nebraska neighborhoods, especially those which have extensive plantings of mature pin and red oaks," Kalisch said.
Known scientifically as the Pyemotes mite, they prey on larvae that come from eggs laid by a fly called the gall midge. The mites emerge en masse in what is called a "mite shower."
"These microscopic mites, carried by the wind, are tiny enough to penetrate the mesh of a standard window screen and may be completely overlooked because of their very small size," said Dave Keith, urban integrated pest management specialist in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Last fall, the mites, which Keith called harmless, were reported in several eastern Nebraska communities.
Bite symptoms appear within six hours.
They are red and a quarter to three-quarters of an inch long. They have a hard, raised pimple in the center.
They will heal in about 10 days if properly treated -- and not scratched.
The itching can be treated with calamine lotion, antihistamine creams or hydrocortisone creams.
Keith recommends washing the bites often with soap and using an antiseptic or antibiotic ointment to keep the wounds clean and promote healing.
UNL entomologists also gave these tips for avoiding bites:
-- Take warm, soapy showers following outdoor activities that were under or near pin, red or black oaks, especially during the evening.
-- Adults or older children may use insect repellents.
-- Wash outdoor clothing. Mites are not easy to see and can penetrate most fabrics.
-- Wear gloves if handling grass clippings or oak leaves.
Just like last fall, when people complained about mysterious creatures that left itchy, red bites, the mites have appeared with an appetite.
Several Lincoln residents reported bites after an outdoor weekend over Labor Day, said Jim Kalisch, University of Nebraska-Lincoln insect diagnostician.
UNL entomologists use stick traps to check on the itch mite population.
"Itch mites are emerging now in high numbers in some Lincoln and southeast Nebraska neighborhoods, especially those which have extensive plantings of mature pin and red oaks," Kalisch said.
Known scientifically as the Pyemotes mite, they prey on larvae that come from eggs laid by a fly called the gall midge. The mites emerge en masse in what is called a "mite shower."
"These microscopic mites, carried by the wind, are tiny enough to penetrate the mesh of a standard window screen and may be completely overlooked because of their very small size," said Dave Keith, urban integrated pest management specialist in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Last fall, the mites, which Keith called harmless, were reported in several eastern Nebraska communities.
Bite symptoms appear within six hours.
They are red and a quarter to three-quarters of an inch long. They have a hard, raised pimple in the center.
They will heal in about 10 days if properly treated -- and not scratched.
The itching can be treated with calamine lotion, antihistamine creams or hydrocortisone creams.
Keith recommends washing the bites often with soap and using an antiseptic or antibiotic ointment to keep the wounds clean and promote healing.
UNL entomologists also gave these tips for avoiding bites:
-- Take warm, soapy showers following outdoor activities that were under or near pin, red or black oaks, especially during the evening.
-- Adults or older children may use insect repellents.
-- Wash outdoor clothing. Mites are not easy to see and can penetrate most fabrics.
-- Wear gloves if handling grass clippings or oak leaves.
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