No-See-Um (Biting Midge)
Also known as sand fly, punky. Culicoides
Near-invisible biting midges that swarm at dawn, dusk and after rain along Florida's coast.
No-See-Um (Biting Midge) (Culicoides) is a Florida pest we rate as a moderate concern. Mosquito control in Florida's Treasure & Space Coast is handled by Rhino Pest Management, a local, licensed (#JB242881) and insured company rated 5.0★ across 16 Google reviews. Ask for a free estimate at (772) 589-6842.
Photo: The original uploader was Ellmist at English Wikipedia. Later versions were uploaded by Minesweeper at en.wikipedia. (Public domain) · Wikimedia Commons
Extremely small (1–3 mm), gray and moth-like, with spotted wings when viewed closely. Essentially invisible in flight — you feel the bite before you see the insect. Leave a red welt that itches intensely.
Breeding in wet, organically rich soil, mangrove edges, salt marshes and standing water film. Adults rest in dense vegetation, mulch and ground cover during the day.
- Intense, burning bites with no visible insect
- Biting worst at dawn and dusk in coastal or lagoon-side yards
- Welts developing in clusters on exposed arms and ankles
- Biting intensity spikes after rain or with onshore breezes
No-see-ums can make outdoor activities completely miserable, especially on Sebastian's Indian River Lagoon waterfront. Bites cause intense itching and localized swelling; large-exposure reactions can cause hives.
Is this urgent?
Not an emergency, but don't sit on it. No-See-Um (Biting Midge) establishes indoors and gets harder — and slower — to clear the longer the colony has to spread. Treated early it's a routine visit; left for a season it usually takes more than one.
Rhino's mosquito suppression program covers no-see-ums — larvicide in breeding sites, adult knockdown in vegetation and barrier treatment of resting areas along the property edge.
Our Mosquito Control serviceNo-See-Um (Biting Midge) guides
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Scientific source
For the biology behind this page, the University of Florida's IFAS Extension publishes a detailed Featured Creatures profile of this species — free to read, and written by entomologists in this state:
Biting Midges, No-See-Ums Culicoides spp. — UF/IFAS Extension