If there’s any sand around your home and you live in central Florida, you’ve probably been this insect’s victim. The Tampa No-See-Ums are relentless hunters of blood and flesh. And today, they’re going to be the topic of our article.
Tampa No-See-Ums: Overview
The Tampa No-See-Ums are incredibly small biting insects. This makes them hard to detect. You can’t run from them once they lock onto you, as they tend to swarm. These insects are grey, and their wings are covered with a pattern of small hairs. You can see these patterns and that allows you to determine which species you’re dealing with. But their larvae look entirely different, resembling small white worms or caterpillars. And as the nickname implies, they’re hard to see with the naked eye before the swarm is upon you and biting.
The females are like most other biting flies and bite host humans to feed on blood. This insect needs a blood meal to produce eggs, and they lay these eggs on a moist surface, such as muddy salt marsh areas or piles of manure. But it doesn’t take long for their young to emerge. The eggs hatch within two days after being laid and go through four instars during the larval stage which tends to last around two weeks depending on the environmental conditions and region. The biting midges can lay upwards of four hundred eggs at a time, and go through this egg-laying process six or seven times during their lifespan.
The eggs are cream in color, but take a darker shade as they become ready to hatch. The larvae look similar to mealworms with a reddish head, brown or white color, and a segmented body shape.
What attracts them?
No-see-ums are usually the bane of campers, gardeners, fishermen, and others who spend their time outdoors. This goes double if that outside time is spent near a body of water. The immature stages of this insect are semi-aquatic, and they prefer wetter habitats based on their species. And, like mosquitoes, this insect is attracted to carbon dioxide, a gas that we exhale. They like other chemicals that we both sweat and exhale as well, such as lactic acid, uric and fatty acids.
Genetics also plays a part in who this midge prefers to bite, as the combination and amount of these chemicals we give off is influenced by our genes. Humans secrete compounds through our skin called antigens and saccharides that attract flying parasites. Your blood type is a big factor as well, as type O was found to be most attractive to this insect and A was least attractive.
The long and short of this information is that there really is no way to make yourself less appealing to this insect. Mosquito nets and mosquito-proof clothing are really the best way to go if you don’t have time for proper control.
Why Do No-See-Ums Bite Some People More Than Others?
As mentioned above, there are a number of factors that make mosquitoes and No-See-Ums more attracted to some people. Factors such as blood type, skin secretions, lactic acid levels, and other biological factors make some people much more attractive to no-see-ums.
This is also why some no-see-um repellents will work for some people and not others! You can’t hide from these creatures, either. They’re everywhere. Species have been encountered all the way from Mount Everest to the Florida everglades. And they’re so small, they can rest in between the letters on an American dime. They can get through the screens on windows and doors around your home. And often, you can’t even see what’s biting you when you feel them take a chomp.
Natural Ways To fight the Tampa No-See-Ums
For one, cover your legs and arms. Professor Paul Bartel is an invertebrate biology researcher at Warren Wilson College. Professor Bartel recommends keeping legs covered since this is the most popular location for biting midges to feed. The reason is simple. As you walk, the backside of your leg is shielded from airflow, which allows the biting midges to continue their feeding activity without being swept off the surface of the skin.
If your adventures take you to an area where biting midges are abundant, you want to look into ordering a full-body net. Whether you are planning to spend a great deal of time outdoors or traveling to Central or South America, we highly recommend at least having a full-body mosquito net on hand. Homeya makes an anti-mosquito and anti-biting midge full body net with a fine mesh, which greatly reduces the risk of being bitten by No-See-Ums. In my opinion, it’s definitely not.
Control Breeding Grounds
And when it comes to your own property, control is very similar to mosquito control.
- Emptying all standing water and water-holding containers in their yards
- Keeping hot tubs and pools in working condition and appropriately chlorinated
- Changing the water in pet bowls, flower vases, and birdbaths at least twice a week
- Screening rain barrels, water tanks, and cisterns or requesting fish
- Emptying plastic swimming pools when not in regular use
- Flushing out water-holding plants like bromeliads
- Cleaning clogged roof gutters and draining flat roofs
- Stocking ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating fish
- Drilling holes in garbage cans and recycle bins
- Removing old tires with stagnant water
- Removing water from stored boats
