Topic: beatles-not the fab 4

[chrispea27]

 :(  Anybody been bitten by small hardback beetles landing on the skin .Seems to be happening all the time on my allotment.  They leave large swollen lumps that itch like crazy! are they ticks?

thanks for any info

[goodlife]

Yes..I do..but they are bit confused sort of beetles..they should be munching on pollen or sap but seem to be having a tasting session with me to see if I'm edible. Unfortunately I react for all sort of insects.. ::) There is quite a lot of different insects that are capable for unfortunate nibble..even ladybirds...but rather than being blood thirsty they just testing you.
Bloody things..I'm itching now.. ::)I must be quite look tempting but tasting bitter.. ;) ;D

[Digeroo]

I remember the swarms of ladybirds one year took to having a nip, and the results of that were also very itchy. There were so many I think they had run out of green fly.

Does wearing sleeves etc stop them?

[Unwashed]

I remember the swarms of ladybirds one year took to having a nip, and the results of that were also very itchy. There were so many I think they had run out of green fly.

'77 I think.

Ticks are nasty spider-like critters - not beetles, not even insects - and you really don't want to be bitten by them because they carry all sorts of nasty bacteria, not least Lyme disease.  They lurk in long grass particularly in areas with deer.  My dogs are Frontlined and that is pretty much complete protection, excellent stuff.

It does sound more like a pollen beetle getting a bit confused.

[chriscross1966]

It's not a beetle, it's a biting fly. We've had them around Oxford for a few years now, they seem to like to live near streams (though they can turn up anywhere) and once they've colonised you simply cannot wear shorts or short sleeves. If you get bitten enough you can go into toxic shock. DEET seems to keep them at bay and some of us are naturally not very attractive to them (though I still get bitten occasionally I never seem to be the prime target...