By Kait Chapman, Extension Educator in Lancaster County
WHAT WAS BITING ME?
It happens every year — in the late summer and into fall, some are tormented by tiny black bugs with a nasty bite. The culprits? Minute pirate bugs, a common issue that many encounter around harvest time.
Unfortunately, with minute pirate bugs and their bites, not a lot can be done to prevent nor manage them. Pirate bugs prey on other small insects, like aphids. When their food source disappears, however, they begin to wander and will bite people incidentally. The good news is, however, they don’t actually feed on blood nor can they transmit disease like we see with mosquitoes and ticks. The bugs are, simply put, more of a nuisance than anything else.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THEM TO PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR?
Repellent sprays like DEET do not deter minute pirate bugs, and insecticides used to control them are not practical. The best course of action is to wear long, dark-colored clothing when spending time outdoors where minute pirate bugs are abundant. Luckily, the problem is seasonal, and the bugs eventually go away on their own with the change in weather.