Bites and birding (1 Viewer)

Helsinki Birder

Stealth Birder

• Sep 30, 2013

• #1

Slightly birding related question.

There is some vicious mini beast abroad on the moors, or in the places where there normally would be moors.

For the past month anytime I have entered fields in coastal cork I have been savaged around the ankles and knees. Itchy bites that linger days.

They're not ticks, but I do suspect that they are present in sheep farming areas.

Any ideas on what the culprit might be and any prevention measures?

Owen

 

Barred Wobbler

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #2

They might be harvest mites Owen.

For many years I've suffered itchy bites to the legs and ankles whenever I've ventured onto grassland in July and August, going right back several decades to my days as a young land surveyor. This year after another assault by the invisible things I did some googling and discovered harvest mites.

These tiny sods are apparently related to chiggers and the immature insects loiter on grass waiting for victims. They don't suck blood, but they take a bite out of the flesh and your body's allergic reaction to their saliva produces the histamine that causes the itch and swelling.

You never see the little blighters because they are only a fifth of a millimetre long and they don't fly. They crawl under clothing and take a chunk out of you where the clothing constricts your flesh, hence the appearance of bites around such places as sock tops and underwear edges. Inside shirts is another popular dining area. It often promotes the query 'How the hell did I get a bite there?'

They never bite exposed skin, only covered areas. I'm thinking of experimenting with shorts and sandals if weather permits next July to see if that deters the attacks.

Tucking trouser legs into socks could also help.

 

Pluvius

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #3

Clegs/ Horsefly would do the same to me and you rarely feel them land on you

 

Helsinki Birder

Stealth Birder

• Sep 30, 2013

• #4

I think we have a winner with harvest mite.

Horsefly bites are generally instantly painful and on exposed skin.

Any prevention measures?

Will deet or something work?

Owen

 

Barred Wobbler

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #5

I think deet might do it Owen.

I'd been using deet around my ankles this year, but the day of the attack this time was when a spotted sandpiper turned up 3 miles from home and I dashed out without the deet. Standing on a road verge for a hour or so did the damage.

I saw a news report recently where a school that had gone green and installed a living grass roof suddenly had a host of pupils coming down with bites. They tracked the source down to harvest mites from the field that they'd planted on the roof.

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/grass-roof-has-to-go-at-walney-school-mp-says-1.1087418

An expensive mistake.

 

Last edited: Sep 30, 2013

S

Steve Lister

Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.

• Sep 30, 2013

• #6

Just spray your socks with some cheap insect repellent. Don't know if they all have Deet in them but most do. It works for leeches so it should work for Harvest Mites.

Steve

 

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Sep 30, 2013

• #7

Pariah said:

Any prevention measures?

Will deet or something work?

Click to expand...

If you don't wear something like wellies already, might be worth a try. Permethrin is more effective than DEET for chiggers/ticks, and remains effective on clothes even after washing. Not sure about harvest mites though.

 

Jeff Hopkins

Just another...observer

• Sep 30, 2013

• #8

I've found DEET works just fine for chiggers, although the repellents in the US tend to have much higher DEET concentrations than those in the UK. Therefore, your mileage may vary.

 

P

paul moore

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #9

Owen
I've been bitten by these *?#$*rs too this year. I'm told that loads of people have been presenting at doctors surgeries this summer with bites and Mosquitos are being blamed, mainly it's said due to the hot summer. I don't know how correct this is but I know that I and a number of others were bitten late one evening while sitting in a well mown garden near the coast, and despite being in quite a few inland fields throughout the year this was the only time I was bitten.
Paul

 

A

AlfArbuthnot

Well-known member

• Oct 1, 2013

• #10

Pariah said:

I think we have a winner with harvest mite.

Horsefly bites are generally instantly painful and on exposed skin.

Any prevention measures?

Will deet or something work?

Owen

Click to expand...

It's definitely harvest mite. If you take a daily hayfever pill over the necessary period then you wont get the itching and swelling (it also dull mosquito and midge bites by a huge amount). Wont stop them biting, but will mostly stop you caring about it.

 

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Oct 1, 2013

• #11

Jeff hopkins said:

I've found DEET works just fine for chiggers, although the repellents in the US tend to have much higher DEET concentrations than those in the UK. Therefore, your mileage may vary.

Click to expand...

Consumer reports did a test with mosquitoes and found concentrations above 30% DEET were no more effective than 30% DEET solutions--they just lasted a little longer.

As for DEET working fine for chiggers, see here for a discussion of DEET vs. Permithrin as a tick repellent:

http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/deet-versus-permethrin-as-a-tick-repellent

But really think the best course, at least when not traveling, is go easy on the chemicals and try wellies or something similar.

 

Mark Lew1s

My real name is Mark Lewis

• Oct 1, 2013

• #12

Deet will work but be careful with it - I used it once, and repeated application did some harm to the rubber coating on my binoculars...imagine what it might be doing to your skin!

 

Helsinki Birder

Stealth Birder

• Oct 2, 2013

• #13

Thanks for the responses guys.

All very helpful.

Owen