No-see-ums are tiny biting midges, so small they're hard to spot, but their bite packs a surprising, itchy punch. They breed in moist soil and around water edges.
If you've been getting bitten by something you can barely see, no-see-ums are a likely suspect. The name is what it is for a reason. These are biting midges only a millimeter or two long, easy to miss until the welts show up.
No-see-ums are smaller than mosquitoes. That means they can slip right through typical window screens. To block them, you’ll need to upgrade to a finer mesh with a tighter weave.
That doesn’t mean the bite isn’t memorable. The females feed on blood and leave itchy, sometimes painful welts that seem out of proportion to the insect. They're most active around dawn and dusk and tend to concentrate near water and damp, humid areas.
You can partly reduce the presence of no-see-ums by improving drainage. They don't need open standing water the way mosquitoes do. They’ll instead breed in moist soil, mud, marshy edges, and damp organic matter. You can improve the problem partly by improving drainage so no areas in your yard are left continually damp or mucky. Clear any soggy organic debris you see too.
If the no-see-ums seem to have it out for you, in particular, you can use personal repellents. The ones with DEET or picaridin work best. If you’re seated, you can put up a box fan because they’re not good at flying. But even then, if you’re serious about dealing with no-see-ums, yard treatment can help a lot.
If you're tired of getting bitten by bugs you can't even see, Mosquito Squad of Omaha Metro can help. Mosquito Squad offers treatment options that help reduce no-see-ums and midges alongside mosquitoes and ticks. This will help you protect your yard where you can expect an up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
