What's biting me?

10 years ago

Somethings biting me, every time I mow, but I don't know what it is. I tried to get a good look at one the other day, but the pain made the encounter brief and I had a hard time taking time to get a close look. What I saw looked about the size of a small fly but flatter. It's wings were black and white. From what I recall, it looked almost like a very small four-leafed clover, with alternating black and white leaves, had landed on my hand. The bits hurt pretty bad, something like a bee sting, when the insect is biting, and they itch badly for days. What is can this be (and how do I stop them)?

Comments (13)

cb-garden
10 years ago
I don't know what they are called but i agree the hurt. I love being outside mowing the lawn it looks so pretty when in done. What part of Tennessee are you in?
rebeccah_2009
10 years ago
Something's biting me too and I've been itching for days.
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jackietn
10 years ago
Maybe deer flies - they are extremely painful and on me they get very inflamed and are itchy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer Fly info
brandon7 TN_zone7
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the idea, but, no, it didn't look like a deer fly. It's body was more nat-like looking and it's wings seemed to spread to a more round shape (not drawn back at an angle like a fly). I've had more bites since the first post. I sure hope these things go away next year.
maternut
10 years ago
They love you Brandon. Quit being so nice to them.
brandon7 TN_zone7
Original Author
10 years ago
I don't like killing animals, but I'd gladly kill every last one of these little bad boys if I knew how!
LogyMcKae
10 years ago
I got bit by something today! it was very little with rounded wings and a clear abdomen (which filled with red liquid(my blood i assume) It was so weird!) Doesn't Itch yet...
myrtleoak
10 years ago
We used to call them "sweat bees", though I know not the proper name.
brandon7 TN_zone7
Original Author
10 years ago
What I've seen called sweat bees are smaller members of the Halictidae family or related small bee species. The things that are stinging/biting me don't look anything like bees to me.

One of these days, maybe I'll be able to capture one of these and take a picture, but the pain is so great, that my normal reaction is to panic and flee.
teisa
10 years ago
We saw what looked like a large ant with wings. Had a really skinny body. One bit my mil and it hurt badly too.

Does anyone know about the large (Fly boards) that are purple? It seems they are placed all throughout TN? I would love to get one to kill Mosquitos.
They hang in trees - appear to be like 20x16" and are 3 sided.

-Teisa
lucky_p
10 years ago
Mr. B.
Look into blackflies/buffalo gnats - Simulium species.
Fram58
10 years ago
I'm going to chime in here a little late but could it be what we have always called noseeums. They are little tiny bugs that you can't see but bite hard. Have them every year here in Middle Tennessee and they will drive you bananas.
brandon7 TN_zone7
Original Author
10 years ago
I sure had no problem seeing what was biting me! I didn't have time to examine it closely, but, as I wrote earlier, it was a bug with wings that resembled the leaf of a four-leaf clover. I believe the body was pretty small, but the winger were as large as a small four-leaf clover.