More on Bites

Do you remember those mystery bites I wrote about last week?  I may have stumbled onto an answer.  It was buried in an email on turf management from Megan Kennelly at K-State.  According to this newsletter, Oak Leaf Itch Mites (OLIM) become active at this time of year.  They are not a problem every year--only when the pests they parasitize have infested the oak trees.  OLIM females eat the larvae of a pest that causes galls either on the margin of oak leaves, or perhaps on pockets along the veins of oak leaves.

OLIM bites have a small blister in the center, and when they're scratched, the bites become painful.  Secondary bacterial infections may occur.  They are different from chigger or mosquito bites.  Unlike chigger bites, these are not typically found in areas where clothing hugs the body.

The bites are most often found on the arms and upper part of the body, since the mites drop from the leaf canopy of oak trees.  They are microscopic in size and not visible to the naked eye.  They are small enough to pass right through window screens and into home interiors.

A four-hour time lapse may occur between the time the mites land on a person's skin and the time they begin biting or burrowing (not sure which).  This means that if a person is outside in the vicinity of an infested oak tree, taking a bath or shower promptly afterward may prevent the mites from causing painful bites.

Here are some links to more information:

http://entomology.k-state.edu/doc/Newsletters/2014/KSInsectNewsletter24.pdf


http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/MF2806.pdf


http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcitchmites.htm

K-State people do not know that OLIM bites have become widespread this year, but they are aware of some who apparently have had bites, so they're putting out an alert.

I'd be happy to hear from anyone here who has information or an experience to share with the rest of us.