[Arid_gardener] Small black flying bugs biting me.....

[Linda Drew]

Biting black flies are common in the Northeast and
high elevations of the West,  but I find no references
for them in the low desert.

"No-see-ums" are found at higher elevations in Arizona:
http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/noseeums.html

Best prevention is DEET (or other mosquito repellent),
wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and checking
that screens are tight around your home. No-see-ums prefer moist
soils, so they may be hanging out around well-watered
plants.

To really find out what this critter is, though, you need
to catch some of them and bring them into you local
Cooperative Extension Office for a postivie ID.
http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/direct.html

Linda Drew
Master Gardener


>From: "Marc Levine" <LevineMarc at cox.net>
>To: <arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu>
>Subject: [Arid_gardener] Small black flying bugs biting me.....
>Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:51:45 -0700
>
>I've been bitten many, many times by little black flying bugs, which have
>been present in my yard for the last month or so.  They are not the
>mosquitos that I'm familiar with, but the itchness and swelling reminds me
>of a mosquito bite.
>
>
>
>I have numerous roses and hibiscus in my north Scottsdale yard.  Do you
>think it might be related to any of those plants?
>
>
>
>Hopefully some can help me identify the bugs, and see what plant might be
>attracting them, so I can GET RID OF THEM (the bugs - not the plants)!
>
>
>
>Is this happening to anyone else?
>
>
>
>Thanks!
>
>
>


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