Every summer I get attacked by these bugs when I walk outside... they are shaped like footballs (pointed ends), and are yellow-ish brown. They blend into my summer tan so I feel a bite and have to analyze my arm to find the stupid things. I don't get raised bumps from the bites, they just hurt like the dickens! And I don't think they're chiggers - chiggers are supposedly red.
Do you know what bug this is? And how to get rid of/decrease the numbers?
I guess we all need a better description to help with this. Size, and other physical characteristics would help. Trust me, they are not chiggers....which are almost invisible to the naked eye.
I hope we can help ID your biting insect, but I'll warn you: the general rule about insects that bite us is to protect yourself from them with repellants or clothing, and not try to get rid of them all (which would be impossible)! But let's try to find out what it is and we'll go from there.
Buster that's scary looking! If that thing were on my arm I think I'd pass out.
I finally called a local nursery and tried to describe the bug. They said it's probably a thrip? They are so small I can't see the detail in the picture, but the description sounds about right.
It really sounds like what you have are no-see-ums or see-me-nots. I'm not making those names up. I grew up in Missouri and we called them no-see-ums. Here in Texas, folks call them see-me-nots. They are named that for obvious reasons. The only thing that keeps them off is mosquito spray. We occasionally get a 'swarm' of them and you'll see folks slapping themselves and jumping around for what looks like no reason. They are harmless, but a terrible nuisance.
