Perhaps you entered this article, and you will ask yourself, “what are those No-See-Ums?”, As we guide you a bit about the subject. If you have ever seen any of these insects and experienced their bites, you will know how bad and uncomfortable they make you feel.
They are creatures that come in large volumes and attack anyone around them. Do you want to know everything about these animals? How to prevent them and how to get rid of them naturally from your home? Well, keep reading that the information provided later will be very useful.
What Are No-See-Ums?
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These are tiny, winged insects that are found mostly outdoors, mostly in coastal areas, and bite everyone in their environment. They are also called biting mosquitoes, members of the Ceratopogonidae family, including more than 4 thousand species.
They are very similar to common mosquitoes, which are only 1-3 mm long, and, like black flies, the bites of these insects are quite painful for those who suffer from them.
This pest type can be worse than common mosquitoes; the schools that arrive are usually large and can cause a nice day out, a planned meeting, or a vacation scheduled to be ruined. Similarly, this insect tends to bite fishermen, gardeners, adventurous campers, hunters, and others who like to spend time outdoors.
This mosquito is more common to come out during the night or in the morning, and those are the periods in which it bites the walkers the most. They can bite large numbers of people, but, being so small, they are almost impossible to see. They often mistake it for some fluff or unexpected specks of dirt. They may bite you, and you may not have noticed it, due to its small size.
The reason why you can’t see if the mosquito bites you is because of what they called it like this: No-See-Ums because you don’t know when these insects bite you.
What Attracts No-See-Ums?
These small insects are attracted to humid areas most of all. This is because the females lay their eggs in these areas so that the young can take flight when they mature. On the other hand, both females and males No-See-Umstoman nectar and other sweet-tasting juices to feed themselves, but this latter also seeks to suck blood as it favors the production of their eggs.
So it is also common to see them in jungle areas or that there are farms since they feed on the blood of humans, wild animals, cattle, birds, and pets. Once the female has been able to satisfy her need for blood to support her young, she goes to places like wet sand, trees with water retention, muddy water, and all the similar places that, as you can see, are humid areas.
After she has found her ideal place, it takes 28 days to get pregnant until the new No-See-Ums can come out, and the cycle repeats.
Also Read: How to Get Rid of Midge Bugs Naturally
How To Get Rid Of No-See-Ums In Your House Naturally?
The big problem with No-See-Ums is that being so small, and they can easily go through various places without any problem. As the years went by, people looked for ways to eliminate these happy mosquitoes or, at least, keep them away from their homes. However, some procedures used are not as effective as others; it is just a matter of trying each one and see which one works best for you.
DEET repellents
There is a lot of controversy about whether this product effectively fights these vermin. The best thing for you is to buy one that says on the packaging that it is used against No-See-Ums, or that say similar names such as mosquitoes, etc. Also, it would help if you used the repellent, as mentioned in the instructions. Due to the misuse of this material, many people become vulnerable to the bites of these mosquitoes.
Air conditioners
While you are at home, try to keep your air conditioner on to avoid being bitten by No-See-Ums. These insects do not withstand low temperatures at all, so you can sleep peacefully without worrying that this mosquito will bite you.
The CO2 traps for the No-See-Ums
This is one of the best methods you can use to fight against biting mosquitoes. They fly near this machine, and it sucks them out until they are completely dehydrated, and then they die. Both common mosquitoes and No-See-Ums are not very good fliers, so it is almost unlikely to escape into air suction.
Fumigation
After doing some hard research on these insects, it was concluded that insecticides are not a very effective method against these mosquitoes. This is because spraying can help kill adult No-See-Ums at first, but the hatchlings that remain will replace them.
Small window screens
Because these insects are super small, they can easily pass through regular window screens, also known as US standard screens. To avoid this, you can switch to screens that have a smaller and tighter fabric.
How To Prevent Bites From No-See-Ums?
Like the options to get rid of them, there are also different methods to prevent the No-See-Ums from attacking you at any given time, such as:
Avoid Potential No-See-Ums Places
If you consider buying a property where No-See-Ums are likely to be, you should reconsider your purchase or investigate the place’s guides to know if these insects are in these places.
The various clothing options
It is recommended that you wear clothing that can cover the largest areas of your body. You can wear pants, long-sleeved sweaters or shirts, and high socks to avoid possible bites from these insects. Additionally, you can also use a No-See-Ums mesh hat and the application of repellants.
Take your repellent for mosquitoes.
If you go on an excursion, on vacation, or a trip to places where you know that these vermin may be, you should take your repellent with you. As mentioned above, check that the package says that it can fight No-See-Ums or similar mosquitoes. You will see that it will be your best ally when going out to outdoor places.
Avoid leaving open water containers in your house.
This is the most common advice to prevent any mosquito from being attracted, but it is useful. Female No-See-Ums love to be in humid places to produce their young, so they will be on the lookout for any wet spot where they have time to sneak away.
If you have containers with water inside your house, leave them covered with some material where the liquid does not come out. Just as if you have a broken pipe in your home through which water always falls, it is also right that you fix it to avoid any inconvenience.