Ouch! Stop pinching me!

Vermilion County Conservation District
Anyone noticing tiny black insects on your skin that seem to have a painful bite that feels out of proportion to their small size? These small insects are known as “Minute Pirate Bugs.” They poke their short blunt beak into our skin to see if we are edible (we are not), but they do not feed on our blood or inject venom or saliva into our skin. Most people do not react to the bite, but some bites may swell or turn red like a mosquito bite. Over-the-counter cortisone cream is recommended if you have a reaction.

Even though they make it uncomfortable for us to enjoy the outdoors and our backyards now, they actually provide valuable pest control by helping limit the number of insect pests (like aphids) in our fields, gardens, and woodlands. In fact, these biological control agents can be purchased from several commercial companies for natural greenhouse and garden pest control.

The minute pirate bugs will leave us alone once colder weather arrives. (Photo from the Purdue Extension Entomology, Purdue University with credit to Ho Jung Yoo)