What is this? Lice, mites or ticks?

[Satori]

Apple seeds. Just kidding.

Go on to a search engine. Put in a search term something like. "Insects indigenous to [name of your state]." Maybe say "small insects....."

I bet you find it.

[Noelle]

Posted by DeDukshyn (here)
Definitely not weevils, and likely not ticks, too big to be mites I think, but maybe lice ...

You say they fly? And have nits? Are you sure were dealing with just one type of critter here? The images look entirely like lice to me (full of blood), and that would certainly explain nits and blood sucking, but the flying? Lice don't fly ...

Dog lice image:

Thanks for the reply, DeDukshyn. My very first guess was lice, because of the nits plus itchiness of the animals; but then I noticed they were going into the dog's and cats' inner ears, which is what mites do.

They could be two separate parasites, but what are the chances of a bloom -- more like an explosion -- of two separate critters at about the same time? They look like very tiny lice when on the dog's ankles and on the cats' chins, but then there are the reddish-brown dots on other part of their bodies and on my floors. The dots are either flat or plump (probably full of blood).

@AutumnW: Thanks for the suggestions. Can bed bug infestations begin outdoors? The problem appears to be outdoors, which is brought indoors by the dog and possibly the critters flying through screens and maybe even the A/C system.

@Satori. I wish they were apple seeds. I have done so much Internet searching. My next step will likely be the county or the university bug dept.

[RunningDeer]

Posted by LadyM (here)
@RunningDeer, sorry. I've been itchy for about a month now, even though I've only found a few on me after handling the cats and dog. I also lint roll myself every 30 mins. or so to make sure.

LadyM, I wasn’t sure if you experienced itching before your infestation. If so, this post is

Introduction of new products can cause itching, such as: allergic to a new food product, change in laundry detergent, cleansers, lawn spray treatments, or change in seasons, i.e. pollen.

One simple example is to my surprise, I’m allergic to beansprouts. It feels like ants crawling under my skin. It doesn’t matter if the seeds are organic, or which kind I sprout and rinse really well. Whether it’s the seed itself or traces of mold, I never figured out. Sometimes, it triggered an asthmatic reaction.

Years back, I went for testing. I learned I’m allergic to mold, mildew, some trees and grass and foods like eggs and wheat. I eliminated the stress, modified the foods and detoxed. It’s 99% better. Even the foods that once caused allergic reactions, I can now have in moderation.

The 8 Best Remedies for Itching

♡

[Noelle]

Posted by RunningDeer (here)

Posted by LadyM (here)
@RunningDeer, sorry. I've been itchy for about a month now, even though I've only found a few on me after handling the cats and dog. I also lint roll myself every 30 mins. or so to make sure.

LadyM, I wasn’t sure if you experienced itching before your infestation. If so, this post is

Introduction of new products can cause itching, such as: allergic to a new food product, change in laundry detergent, cleansers, lawn spray treatments, or change in seasons, i.e. pollen.

One simple example is to my surprise, I’m allergic to beansprouts. It feels like ants crawling under my skin. It doesn’t matter if the seeds are organic, or which kind I sprout and rinse really well. Whether it’s the seed itself or traces of mold, I never figured out. Sometimes, it triggered an asthmatic reaction.

Years back, I went for testing. I learned I’m allergic to mold, mildew, some trees and grass and foods like eggs and wheat. I eliminated the stress, modified the foods and detoxed. It’s 99% better. Even the foods that once caused allergic reactions, I can now have in moderation.

The 8 Best Remedies for Itching

♡

It definitely started with the infestation. My itchiness is due to me having a couple on me but mostly from picking them off the floors and watching the animals scratch. Thanks, though, for the info. It may come in handy down the road.

[Joe from the Carolinas]

Diatomaceous earth will dry those suckers up fast, whatever in the heck they are. No chemicals, just fossilized algae (wear a dust mask to apply).

[Noelle]

Posted by JoefromtheCarolinas (here)
Diatomaceous earth will dry those suckers up fast, whatever in the heck they are. No chemicals, just fossilized algae (wear a dust mask to apply).

Thank you, Joe. I've got a bag of the food-grade variety and have been patting down the animals with it every day. Should I be dusting the yard with it too? Whatever it is, I hope it's just passing through and not here to stay.

[TargeT]

Posted by JoefromtheCarolinas (here)
Diatomaceous earth will dry those suckers up fast, whatever in the heck they are. No chemicals, just fossilized algae (wear a dust mask to apply).

Dusk mask? why? I use that for my pool's filter and I used to eat 2 table spoons of that a day for a while... tasted very earthy. I wouldn't wear a mask (unless previously compromised in someway), that's a good stimuli.

Hormesis includes tiny sharp bits of fossilized algae

Posted by Joe (here)
I would check to see if they are oak mites.

Are they that big? I always thought mites were generally very small. I guess it's just a type of arachnid though, so there could be all kinds of sizes.

[TomKat]

The only flea & tick collar that works a darn is the Seresto, expensive, but REALLY worth it and good for 8 months.
The only topical that works a darn is Advantage II. You should probably give your dogs both until it's under control. Lime disease is no fun, I hear.

[Noelle]

Posted by TomKat (here)
The only flea & tick collar that works a darn is the Seresto, expensive, but REALLY worth it and good for 8 months.
The only topical that works a darn is Advantage II. You should probably give your dogs both until it's under control. Lime disease is no fun, I hear.

Thank you. I've never heard of the Seresto collar. I'm praying these are not ticks.

[Joe from the Carolinas]

Posted by LadyM (here)

Posted by JoefromtheCarolinas (here)
Diatomaceous earth will dry those suckers up fast, whatever in the heck they are. No chemicals, just fossilized algae (wear a dust mask to apply).

Thank you, Joe. I've got a bag of the food-grade variety and have been patting down the animals with it every day. Should I be dusting the yard with it too? Whatever it is, I hope it's just passing through and not here to stay.

Awesome. I wouldn’t recommend dusting the yard as it will get washed out during your next rain, but dusting under any covered / rain-free areas around the home can work very well to slow down nearly every bug in existence.

[Joe from the Carolinas]

Posted by TargeT (here)

Posted by JoefromtheCarolinas (here)
Diatomaceous earth will dry those suckers up fast, whatever in the heck they are. No chemicals, just fossilized algae (wear a dust mask to apply).

Dusk mask? why? I use that for my pool's filter and I used to eat 2 table spoons of that a day for a while... tasted very earthy. I wouldn't wear a mask (unless previously compromised in someway), that's a good stimuli.

Hormesis includes tiny sharp bits of fossilized algae

on a microscopic level, the diatoms resemble shards of broken glass (this is how they are effective against bugs.. the shards get stuck on their bodies and they rip themselves apart whenever they move). For humans and our animal friends, diatomaceous earth can seriously irritate the airways and lungs, (more or less depending on whether the DE is amorphous or crystalline).

Since most manufacturers don’t list their sources, I find it best to wear the mask so I don’t breathe in a lungful of it. Eating it is fine as long as it is generally moist and wet- they say it cleans out the gut

[Noelle]

I phoned our pest service again this morning, and the owner actually came out because he saw it as an emergency situation (I'd say!).

He took the samples that I had and collected a few of his own. There were hundreds of them on the mailbox, so it was easy enough for him to do. He’s sending the samples to the lab at the University of Florida for identification.

He left here very perplexed; he had never seen anything like it before. I know. Lucky me. While here, he was on the phone with one of his workers, who is guessing chiggers.

If there's any good news for me today, it was when he told me he is almost 100% sure they are not baby ticks.

[Valerie Villars]

Posted by LadyM (here)
I phoned our pest service again this morning, and the owner actually came out because he saw it as an emergency situation (I'd say!).

He took the samples that I had and collected a few of his own. There were hundreds of them on the mailbox, so it was easy enough for him to do. He’s sending the samples to the lab at the University of Florida for identification.

He left here very perplexed; he had never seen anything like it before. I know. Lucky me. While here, he was on the phone with one of his workers, who is guessing chiggers.

If there's any good news for me today, it was when he told me he is almost 100% sure they are not baby ticks.

This little saga fascinates me, so please keep us posted.

When we were kids and we went either to the beach or spent time in the woods and we came home with itchy whelps, my Mom would always say they were chiggers. I never really knew exactly what a chigger was, but she was my Mom and equal with God in my eyes. I'm going to look up exactly what the heck those pesky little chiggers really are.

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-a...higger-bites#1

Here you go hon. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Axman]

Have to say little baby chiggers are red like that. boy do they suck they itch for weeks on end never again for me.
Good luck LADYM keep us posted please.
itch scratch itch Im out lol

The Axman

[Noelle]

Axman and Valerie Villars, I suppose they could be some form of young mite (chiggers), but from what I have read chiggers don't suck blood -- and I have seen specks of blood from some that I have smashed with my lint roller. We shall see.

I will definitely do an update post when the results come back. Thanks for the help with troubleshooting and itching and scratching right along with me.

[onevoice]

Posted by Valerie Villars (here)

Posted by LadyM (here)
I phoned our pest service again this morning, and the owner actually came out because he saw it as an emergency situation (I'd say!).

He took the samples that I had and collected a few of his own. There were hundreds of them on the mailbox, so it was easy enough for him to do. He’s sending the samples to the lab at the University of Florida for identification.

He left here very perplexed; he had never seen anything like it before. I know. Lucky me. While here, he was on the phone with one of his workers, who is guessing chiggers.

If there's any good news for me today, it was when he told me he is almost 100% sure they are not baby ticks.

This little saga fascinates me, so please keep us posted.

When we were kids and we went either to the beach or spent time in the woods and we came home with itchy whelps, my Mom would always say they were chiggers. I never really knew exactly what a chigger was, but she was my Mom and equal with God in my eyes. I'm going to look up exactly what the heck those pesky little chiggers really are.

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-a...higger-bites#1

Here you go hon. Good luck and keep us posted.

When I was growing up in Texas, I used to get bit by chiggers all the time whenever I walked through pasture or through any uncut grassy area. Best and simple remedy for chigger bites is to put a clear or skin tone nail polish on the red rash areas. What the nail polish does is seal the skin of the affected area so that the chiggers can't breathe and they die. Overnight, the itching stops and after a few days, the red patch will disappear.

[Noelle]

Posted by onevoice (here)
When I was growing up in Texas, I used to get bit by chiggers all the time whenever I walked through pasture or through any uncut grassy area. Best and simple remedy for chigger bites is to put a clear or skin tone nail polish on the red rash areas. What the nail polish does is seal the skin of the affected area so that the chiggers can't breathe and they die. Overnight, the itching stops and after a few days, the red patch will disappear.

Thanks, OneVoice. I've looked at some of the images related to chigger bites, and I have nothing like that. Just in case, I will pick up some nail polish tomorrow.

[DeDukshyn]

Posted by LadyM (here)

Posted by onevoice (here)
When I was growing up in Texas, I used to get bit by chiggers all the time whenever I walked through pasture or through any uncut grassy area. Best and simple remedy for chigger bites is to put a clear or skin tone nail polish on the red rash areas. What the nail polish does is seal the skin of the affected area so that the chiggers can't breathe and they die. Overnight, the itching stops and after a few days, the red patch will disappear.

Thanks, OneVoice. I've looked at some of the images related to chigger bites, and I have nothing like that. Just in case, I will pick up some nail polish tomorrow.

Maybe don't bother with the nail polish. True "chiggers" are the little red mites and don't burrow into the skin. Applying nail polish to the bites likely doesn't actually help, and the strong solvents in it might add to the irritation. https://www.thoughtco.com/does-nail-...iggers-1968056 It seems to be a bit of an old wive's tale, brought on by the belief that these mite larvae burrow in the skin like ticks or scabies -- they do not.

[Noelle]

Posted by DeDukshyn (here)

Posted by LadyM (here)

Posted by onevoice (here)
When I was growing up in Texas, I used to get bit by chiggers all the time whenever I walked through pasture or through any uncut grassy area. Best and simple remedy for chigger bites is to put a clear or skin tone nail polish on the red rash areas. What the nail polish does is seal the skin of the affected area so that the chiggers can't breathe and they die. Overnight, the itching stops and after a few days, the red patch will disappear.

Thanks, OneVoice. I've looked at some of the images related to chigger bites, and I have nothing like that. Just in case, I will pick up some nail polish tomorrow.

Maybe don't bother with the nail polish. True "chiggers" are the little red mites and don't burrow into the skin. Applying nail polish to the bites likely doesn't actually help, and the strong solvents in it might add to the irritation. https://www.thoughtco.com/does-nail-...iggers-1968056 It seems to be a bit of an old wive's tale, brought on by the belief that these mite larvae burrow in the skin like ticks or scabies -- they do not.

I didn't buy the nail polish yet, and I decided not to after reading the article you shared. The article also points out that chiggers can grab onto hair follicles, which could explain why I am seeing nit-like things on the animals' fur.

[Hervé]

On the scarier side:

Deadly Scabies: US Ex-Model Gets Devoured Alive by Parasitic Mites

Sputnik US
12:26 30.04.2018

© Photo : Family photo

A 93-year old woman has reportedly passed away in a nursing home after suffering from a flesh-eating parasitic infestation, which the facility’s staff failed to treat for some reason.

The family of Rebecca Zeni, a former model and TV station employee who passed away in 2015 at the age of 93, is suing the company in charge of the nursing home where the woman died after it became apparent that her death was caused by a severe case of scabies, an investigation conducted by a local TV station, 11Alive, revealed.

A forensic pathologist who reviewed Zeni’s autopsy report said that according to his estimates there were hundreds of millions of mites living inside the woman, and that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to assume that her death was a painful one, as she was basically being eaten alive over the course of several months or even years. "I would seriously consider calling this a homicide by neglect," he said.

According to the records obtained by the media outlet from the Georgia Department of Public Health, state authorities were notified of a scabies outbreak at Zeni’s nursing home in 2013 and 2015 before her demise, but did not inspect the facility in person, opting instead to send a manual on how to treat scabies.