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Cafetalk Tutor's Column

Tutor Zach McLaughlin 's Column

No-see-ums attack!

Aug 19, 2024

Have you ever heard of a “no-see-um”? Until just a couple of days ago, I hadn’t! They’re tiny insects that are also called “biting midges” and they are just 1-3 millimeters in length. This makes them very hard to see, which is why they’re called “no-see-ums”!

Even though they’re tiny, they have a painful bite that leaves big red itchy marks. They are harder to kill than flies and mosquitoes, and even chemical sprays are generally ineffective. They live and reproduce near wet areas where they can lay their eggs, and because it has been so rainy and damp here lately, no-see-ums have invaded my grandmother’s home! She’s 93, so she can’t see them at all, so it’s like fighting against an invisible enemy. The solution? Turn up the air conditioning and freeze them! Yes, really. They don’t like the cold, so now my grandmother’s house is like a refrigerator as she tries to get rid of these annoying pests.

So, if you take a trip to an area with water nearby, like wet sand or small puddles in a forest, at this time of year, watch out for no-see-ums that can really ruin your day!

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