Never mind that they are minute. Size doesn’t matter. They are mean. They are yucky. They are decidedly an unwelcome, biting nuisance. Oak tree mites have descended on NWA and also Oklahoma.
The first inkling I had of their unwelcome presence was seeing them on my bird baths in the back yard. Small, white specks covered the baths. And, horrors! Those white specks were moving! I am blessed with a pin oak tree in my front yard and a willow oak in the back so I have millions of those mean, minute monsters falling out of the trees along with the autumn leaves. I’ve never seen them before in all my born days (and there are a lot of those). I didn’t know there were such little pests.
Where are the ravens? Where are the insect-loving birds and ladybugs? Don’t ladybugs like them or do they dine only on choice aphids?
Then, as icing on the cake, a couple of days ago I noticed a different little bug on my mailbox. Now, oak tree mites are arachnids, like chiggers but these squishy-looking things are six-legged insects. They have literally descended upon us. Maybe the mites and these black/orange critters are friends and travel together? I don’t know! I just want them gone.
This is a good time to read the children’s picture book, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams and Megan Lloyd. Maybe that’ll give me some clues as to how to handle the situation or at least inspire me with courage to face these pesky monsters from space (or from the oak trees). All I want is for them to be gone!
The tiny white specks you can hardly see are the mites. The others the Orange/Black Icky Things.
Yuck!
Well said, Sharon.
You’re making me itch.
I know. Just the thought is itchy.
We have had oak mites this year too and the bites from them are miserable like.chugged bites. Those other bugs I have no idea but yucky
I wonder why they have descended on us this year? I didn’t know there were such things!
They look like ladybug larvae to me and Tim.
Do you mean the orange and black ones? I hope so.