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The mosquito’s pesky relatives:

NO-SEE-UMS

by Patrick Linn, MS, MSHAPI Executive Director, Collier Mosquito Control District

o doubt you’re familiar with Southwest
Florida’s mosquitoes and the itchy, red
Nwelts their bites can leave behind, but there
is another pesky biter that can wreak havoc on our
outdoor activities: no-see-ums. Their bites not only
itch, they can be painful and leave an irritating
bump that can take many days to dissipate.
No-see-ums is actually the nickname for minute
Culicoides midges, which are a mere 1/8th inch long. It’s very, very
difficult to see these winged bugs, which are also referred to as biting
available. Also, a variety of store bought insect sprays can be
midges, biting gnats, or punkies. Florida is home to some 47 species,
used on screens; purchase them at home improvement and
and our state provides abundant habitat where they can lay eggs:
hardware stores.
any moist soil in the vicinity of water, especially salt marsh and
mangrove areas. ∙ As with most other bugs, no-see-ums are attracted to lights,
The female no-see-um draws your blood because she needs so try to minimize lighting when you’re enjoying the outdoors
protein for the development of her eggs just like a mosquito; in fact, after sunset.
these insects could be described as distant cousins. In Collier County, ∙ Remove breeding sources around your home, including
we have five mosquito species of concern that we closely monitor draining containers of standing water.
because they can vector diseases such as Zika, dengue fever, West
∙ Defend yourself by wearing insect repellents (the most
Nile virus, and Eastern equine encephalitis. Unlike the mosquito,
effective are those containing DEET).
our area’s no-see-ums do not transmit diseases to humans. Various
Culicoides species have been shown to vector parasites to animals ∙ For those who want to avoid the use of chemicals, the CDC
and humans in some Caribbean islands, and Central and South (Centers for Disease Control) also recommends using oil of
America, but those parasites are not present in the United States. lemon eucalyptus, which is almost as effective as DEET.
Mosquito control districts in Florida are not funded to provide
∙ Avoid being outdoors when no-see-ums (and mosquitoes)
control of no-see-ums, and it’s no surprise that we field complaints
are most active at dawn and dusk when the air is still.
about these insects year-round. The following tactics have proven
∙ When reasonable, dress in long sleeves and long pants.
helpful for residents:
∙ Because of their tiny size, no-see-ums don’t fly well in the
To learn more about the District’s operations, public tours are available
wind, so using strategically placed fans on your lanai helps
which include presentations by our scientific team in the laboratory, our
keep them away.
operations/surveillance team, and a visit to the hangar. Please call our
∙ Typical screening doesn’t have holes small enough to keep
office at (239) 436-1000 to schedule a tour or if we can provide more
them out, but special screening with smaller openings is
information.
36 Life in Naples | January 2020