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Small swarming black, flying bugs that bite hard ... what are they?

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Stepped out of my car and apparently I was inside a swarm of tiny (head of a pin) size black flying bugs.

I'm guessing they were fleas? But I'm not sure. Has anyone been bit by a flea?

Whatever these things were that bit me they bit hard. And it HURT. Felt like a bee sting. And I got bit about 20 times. My wife thought I was going crazy. Then she saw a couple little red welts where I had just slapped and killed these buggers.

If these are fleas then I now understand how a dog with fleas feels. Damn.

If they are not fleas then what the heck is so tiny but bites well above its fighting weight?
 

OhioTC18

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
I doubt if they were fleas. Fleas have no wings and can't fly. But damn they can jump.
 

deand1

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
In my area we call them "Cedar Mites." Only come out for a few weeks in June. They attack the hair line mostly.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
In my area we call them "Cedar Mites." Only come out for a few weeks in June. They attack the hair line mostly.

I was pretty much bit head to toe. Back of neck, arms, legs, hands ... everywhere there was exposed skin.
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
In my area we call them "Cedar Mites." Only come out for a few weeks in June. They attack the hair line mostly.

They weren't fleas and if you could see them, they weren't "noseeums".

A few years back, I was mowing the yard. As I ran underneath a tree I was attacked by a swarm of little black gnats. They bit the hell out of me before I could escape. It was a cedar tree so I'm going with "cedar mites". :w00t2:
 

ravcosales

Member
Noseeums are a misnomer, you can see them. They're a little smaller than a fruit fly, but still visible. There's a large surge in mites this year though. From cedar mites to invisible oak tree mites it seem like there's a lot more this year than previous.
 
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