Biting midges are exceptionally tiny flies that are a nuisance to humans, pets, and other types of animals because of the fact that they have the ability to severely bite those that they come in contact. In addition to biting, the pest has the capability to suck blood. This raises an immediate concern about their ability to transmit disease.
Fortunately, in most instances, a biting midge will not transmit diseases to humans; however, they do have the capability of transmitting diseases to animals. In the United States, the most common disease transmitted by biting insects is called “Blue Tongue Virus”, which detrimentally impacts livestock.
The Bite
The bite of biting midges nearly always immediately inflicts a burning-type sensation. In humans, the bite could incur a variety of reactions. Many may only experience a welt that is small and red in color; however, there are many people that could experience an allergic reaction to the bite.
In the instance of an allergic reaction to a midge bite, itching, complications in breathing, and a rash could occur.
It is rare for a single bite to occur from biting midges. In fact, most of these insects travel and bite in clusters, which could increase the likelihood of an adverse allergic reaction among humans.
Biting midges are often referred to as “no-see-ums”, “punkies”, “five-os”, “pinyon gnats”, and “moose flies”.
The Types
Generally speaking, biting midges are flies, from the order Diptera. They are part of the family, Ceratopogonidae.
This family includes well over 4,000 different species in a total of over 78 genera, throughout the world. In North America, there are well over 600 different species crossing a total of 36 genera.
These insects typically feed on insects and other animals, but, not on humans. However, there are 4 species that have the reputation of biting humans and feeding on the blood of animals that are considered to be mammals. Most of these detrimentally impact human health and the health of livestock animals.
In the United States, those that are considered to be the most detrimental to the health of humans and livestock include “Culicoides”, “Leptoconops”, and the “Forcipomyia”.
Take a gander at how they feed. If you’re squeamish about bugs, you may want to skip this video about the biting midges’ feeding process.
Control Measures
Controlling biting midges is considered to be a challenging endeavor. It has been established that the biting midges that are part of the larval stage of C may be successfully controlled.
By disrupting the development of the insects in the larval stage, humans have the ability to control the infestation of the insects. The most successful types of disruptions include modifying structures of the banks of ponds that hold wastewater, altering the levels of water, and reducing any type of leakage associated with water troughs.
Insecticides have been found to provide only limited amounts of relief from an infestation.
If you have an issue with biting midges in and/or around your home, consider seeking assistance from a professional pest control agency. Not only will the company know the exact control application to use, but, they will do so in such a way that only the biting midges are detrimentally impacted – not any humans, pets, or livestock. Call us today for more information.
