# invisible biters!!?



## noserhodes (Sep 13, 2011)

does anyone know or has had experiences with biting bugs/insects in the home without having pets and no visual evidence of anything to be seen.
we are suffering bites around our ankles and midriff and after thoroughly examining our home top to bottom have not found a single scrap of anything visible to the eye that could be biting us.
we are finding this frustrating it would be easy to deal with if we could actually see what it is that is biting.
i know it could prove to be a taboo subject for some people to talk about but any info/help/experiences would be of interest.
thanks in advance


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Have you asked your local pharmacist then can generally tell you cause

Fleas not necessarily from animals or bed bugs likely cause bed bugs higher temp washing, hoovering stripping covers back so UV can penetrate, steam cleaning


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## kw60 (May 12, 2012)

Well well and here was I thinking I was imagining it !
I have been bitten ( feels like someone has stuck in pin in my skin, it sort of burns ? )
Quite a few times last 2 weeks mostly under my bra at the side as if there is an insect inside !!
I too am baffled as when I start screaming and tearing off my t shirt in the middle of the kitchen there is nothing there except hubby pi** ing himself laughing at me......


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

There's some nasty biting flies in Portugal prefer female blood heat pharmacy have a gel Benaderma that quickly takes out Burn


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## kw60 (May 12, 2012)

Aha makes sense canoeman, the female blood tastes better and is sweeter !!!!!


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## noserhodes (Sep 13, 2011)

i am still baffled as to the cause, two years ago when i took out some lino type flooring in the basement i got these bites have not had any more up until now, and they have not come from the basement.
i am now working up in my loftspace and lo and behold have started to get the exact same type of bite, but i cannot see anything whatsoever visually either crawling about flying airborne etc etc. 
i would be ecstatic if i could find any kind of evidence as to what is biting, i am currently plasterboarding having insulated the loft, just find it so so frustrating to be getting bitten to death with no sightings of any type of bugs!!!!!!!


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Fleas extremely difficult to spot like flakes of pepper, plenty of photos of bites on internet that might help identify


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## In 2 bikes (Apr 18, 2013)

our vet informed us this week that this is the month when fleas are most prevalent here.


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## noserhodes (Sep 13, 2011)

We have done as much research on the internet as possible and have responded with all the advice given but still do not seem to have eradicated the source! Will try asking our pharmacist if he can identify the bites! If only we could find a culprit we might fair better  frustrating and most annoying now


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Sounds like "No See Ums" Because you don't see them (they are miniscule) You can't fight back - prevention is better than cure so apply insect repellants. 

I have recently had bites of a strange character - three bites about ¾ cm apart in an arc and one bite 3 or 4 cm away at what would geometrically have been the centre of the circle. They came up and formed, eventually, a dried head, taking about three to four weeks to finally clear leaving a red mark. We were staying down in the desert of Almería so it might have been something particularly local to that area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandfly


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Probably the best place to start would be possible hosts so if you've got pets or livestock, check them (flea collars for dogs and cats are always a good idea) and if not, do you have any water sources, especially standing water anywhere near the house?


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## noserhodes (Sep 13, 2011)

hi all thanks for everyones input just a quick update we have been to two different pharmacies today but no joy as to a diagnosis so ended up for our first time here at the docs, the female doctor seemed to think they were flea bites ie from outside and said she has had them herself many times over, she also said that this time of year and also around march time they are very prevalent and its just one of those things if you are unlucky enough to have had them jump onto you from outside.
not sure if i am fully convinced but there you go its frustrating as we have no pets or animals ourselves and rarely come into contact with any, she did say however it could be passing goats dogs cats and other wildlife etc.
oh well time to end the subject and suffer now in silence so to speak.
thanks again all for responding to the thread


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

travelling-man said:


> Probably the best place to start would be possible hosts so if you've got pets or livestock, check them (flea collars for dogs and cats are always a good idea) and if not, do you have any water sources, especially standing water anywhere near the house?


My first encounter with no-see-ums was lying down beside a swimming pool in 'hot country' in Colombia. Have you ever noticed how gnats and mosquitoes (relatives of n-s-u) swarm over water or ditches in the summer evenings and in the autumn? TM you could well be right as to the source. As far as humans are concerned they will go for sweaty parts of the body. Most insects need to take on water especially when the weather has been hot - haven't you noticed how flies gather on animals (and third world children - sorry but there is no easy way to put that) especially around the eyes? I sometimes encounter one or two when I'm walking the dogs in town, and they are so persistent, they will not leave me be until I walk near a rubbish bin and the smell from that attracts them away from my perspiration.


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## markjdm (Nov 8, 2014)

No see ums lol a good name for them.
They are really small midge flies almost like flying fleas. 
Very hard to see they show up against white walls best they are very quick.
Just got back from monte gordo where I was bitten quite a few times. I found the trick is to keep your balcony door or windows closed all the time if you go out close it imeadiatley behind you. The light attracts them. They wait around windows n doors for them to open. 
You can hear them make a loud high pitched whining when it's really quiet like when your in bed.
The like it when it rains or near drains they seem to be more prevalent after it's been raining like Mosquitos. 
I was given a tip to buy a plug in device which kills them it has a cartridge in the plug that repels them. A bit like a fabreeze plug in air freshner. 
I also used a local ointment from a pharmacy called systral which was Very good at taking down the itch & burning of the bites.
Also aftershave & perfume seems to attract them as Well as the smell suntan cream I heard you can get a suntan cream with insect repellant in it which works aparently
Keep those doors n windows closed once they are in you will get bitten lots. 
I even found them in the wardrobe


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