Charlotte cicada craze not over — they left tiny, itchy mites that travel in the wind

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – After the 13-year brood of cicadas quieted down for the summer, Charlotte residents started having an extra case of the itches.

Oak leaf mites feast on eggs the cicadas left behind, and they cause problems for people.

“These mites are here all the time, but they have become a there have increased their numbers because there have been more food for them,” explained Carolina Pediatrics & Piedmont Medical Center pediatrician Dr. Carlos Paxtor.

Female cicadas leave hundreds of eggs that a microscopic mite, oak leaf itch mites, feast on.

“These tiny spiders that are about less than a quarter of a millimeter — so tiny that it is not perceptible to our normal vision,” Paxtor said.

In a region where trees are unavoidable, underneath them is where Paxtor says someone is most likely to be bit. Unfortunately, “they can also fly with the air and go in other places,” Paxtor said.

Because they are so small, it’s important to close windows and doors, because they can blow into your home with the wind. While their bite may present like a mosquito bite does on your skin, the mite bite itches more than a mosquito’s would.

“The major problem with this is how we respond to these bites,” Paxtor said. “[When you] start scratching with dirty hands, you can also bring germs inside and cause infections.”

Dr. Natasha Pyfrom from Atrium Health Primary Care Shiland Family Medicine gave a few tips for treating bug bites:

• Make sure that the offending insect is not still attached.
• Wash the area with lukewarm water.  Do not use hot water as this can dry the skin and cause worse pruritus.
• Do not scrub or scratch the areas, as this can cause infection and worsening pruritus.
• Do not apply abrasive/harsh chemicals such as alcohol or vinegar.
• Try to avoid further destruction of the skin barrier.
• It’s OK to apply hydrocortisone, calamine, or topical Benadryl (unless contraindicated).
• Oatmeal baths with products such as Aveeno are also a good option.
• If signs of infection, such as: extreme swelling, redness, streaking, pus, fever or severe pain, seek medical evaluation right away.

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