Got Bites? They might be from Mites!

Friday, August 23, 2024

Along with the hordes of periodical cicadas this year, there also appears to be an explosion of tiny Oak Leaf Itch Mites.

At only 0.2 mm long, these teeny tiny mites are invisible to the naked eye. But if you, or your family and friends, are winding up with red bumps that really itch, this is most likely the culprit.

Normally these reddish mites, Pyemotes herfsi, which have four pairs of legs, dine on many different types of insects, include midges, or tiny flies, found in oak tree galls. Galls are growths found on plants that house insects. This year these mites were probably finding and eating lots of cicada eggs instead. But when the cicada eggs ran out (by hatching into nymphs and dropping from trees), the mites started biting people in search of food.

According to the Penn State Extension office, late summer into fall is when the mite populations build up, with thousands potentially falling from oak trees each day. Being so tiny, they can also be carried by the wind, onto you and into your house through window screens (but they can’t survive indoors). Raking oak leaves this fall may also produce a bout of itching and scratching. After being outdoors, especially near oak trees, it’s recommended to remove and wash your clothes, plus taking a shower may reduce the number of mite bites as well.

But rest assured, these mites aren’t dangerous – they don’t carry any diseases. Although the itching may be intense for a week or two, you can try using anti-itch creams to keep from scratching. As soon as we get a hard frost this fall, the mites will die out. But until then, maybe choose a different type of tree, not an oak tree, to picnic under.

For more information about Oak Leaf Gall Mites, or Itch Mites, visit here.