7 Ways to Kill No-See-Ums

A Florida tourist received several small bites which formed tiny red welts that itched constantly. When he shared his problem with locals, they told him about a tiny, predatory insect, smaller than a baby mosquito, called a “no-see-um.”

“Well, what do they look like?” he asked. He walked right into that one. “Don’t know!” everyone replied, laughing. “No-SEE-Um!”

How to Treat No-See-Um Bites

Tiny no-see-um bites often become exaggeratedly large. Bite sites are red splotches on the skin and they can grow into welts up to 2″ in diameter. Their bites are very painful and the lesions are unattractive and extremely itchy.

“Don’t scratch” is the rule to follow. Pain management includes topical steroids while oral histamines can reduce the itchiness. Oral antibiotics should be given if no-see-um bites are widespread and become inflamed.

7 Common Methods to Kill No-See-Ums

Like mosquitos, no-see-ums have the power to wreck outdoor get-togethers and sports, morning coffee on the patio, and sundowners. Unlike mosquitos, no-see-ums are nimble, fast fliers. Your flyswatter won’t work here.

Here are 7 common methods to get rid of no-see-ums, and MosquitoMagnet® shares their effectiveness:

Avoiding no-see-um-producing areas – Barely effective
Body-covering clothing – Effective
CO2 mosquito traps – Highly Effective
DEET repellents – Barely effective, but explore DEETs labeled for use against no-see-ums and be sure to follow application directions
Indoor air conditioning – Effective
Mesh window screens (extra small) – Effective (Some people sew bridal veil mesh on top of “regular” screens to get the same results.)
Yard or large-scale insect sprays, mists, and fogs – Not effective; eliminates adults that are soon replaced by newly pupated no-see-ums

How the CO2 Mosquito Traps Work (And They Do Work)

CO2 mosquito traps are great at ridding areas of mosquitos and no-see-ums, too. The traps give off an attractive smell that entices the insects. As they fly closer, a vacuum sucks them into a net. They can’t escape; they then dehydrate and die.

How to Prevent No-See-Um Bites

An ounce of prevention… Once you’ve suffered from no-see-um bites, avoiding them becomes a serious business. You can’t exactly carry CO2 traps around with you everywhere you go, so you need to wear insect repellent.

Here is one Floridian’s opinion of the top 6 insect repellents for 2019:

Know the Enemy

If you are one of those poor souls that emit more carbon dioxide than most – and if you’re not an entomologist – it’s difficult to see what value no-see-ums add to the universe. George R. Martin said, “The unseen enemy is always the most fearsome,” and that certainly applies to no-see-ums.