Actually, I found out what they are. They are in fact biting thrips! I've known what thrips are for ever, but never knew they bit us. Not all kinds bite people either. They are seasonal here, and are generally only out in the hottest parts of the day in direct sun. They are tiny for sure, about 1mm. Im glad its not those things you linked too! Thrips only bite people because they are attempting to find food. They rasp leaves and flower petals and suck up the slush they make by the rasping/ sucking of their mouthpiece. The only reason they bite people is because they are attempting to do the same thing to human skin. Once they find they cant do it, and thus get no food, they fly away or move to another part of the body and attempt again. They are annoying little buggers for sure, but usually leave no lasting affects in most people. Usually just a second or two of a tiny pin prick type itch / slight sting, and we either scratch or they fly off having not gotten any food. Very common bugs, and very VERY common in grassy areas, especially lawns.

Maele -- Our weather in SoCal has been so wierd, I've powdery mildew on things that NEVER mildew. I've also got what looks like some anthracnose and cercospora, here and there. And just to make things even better, many of my roses shed leaves after that unseasonal blast of heat. Which is all to say that this is going to pass. You can use a product called Eco-ERASE -- which is jojoba oil. It covers and smothers the spores, and more or less hides the damage. But I'm not sure it's still available. Other than that, fungicides are PREVENTIVE. They don't remove mildew once it's there. And I'd avoid using ERASE or any other oil or wax when temperatures in SoCal climb much over 75 degrees (which I gather they're going to, soon). Probably one of the most helpful things you could do at present is to hose-wash off the foliage in the morning, and give it all day to dry off. (Assuming the water-use police don't catch you.) There's one other factor: Many roses have poor resistance to mildew when they are immature. These generally outgrow the problem as they mature. Jeri

I usually have on jeans when I am outside, and try to come in after a couple of hours and take a shower. I keep a spray bottle with about 1/8 cup bleach and the rest water, spray it from toes to chest and then shower. But if I spend all day or all morning outside, it's too late. I did sulphur the yard and have a sock with sulphur dust to hit against my ankles. The problem is, I never INTEND to go into chiggar areas, in fact I never intend to start doing anything in the yard in the morning. I go out to feed the fish or drink some tea on the deck, or I pull a weed here or there, or decide to check the vegetable garden, and the next thing I know, it's 10:30 and I've been out there all morning.

iv been under attack for 19 months and it turns out... im about 90% sure its bird and rat mites. I didnt think so for a long time because no matter where I go they swarm and bite. I knew we had a rat infestation but as i said.. I would get swarmed and bitten in the grocery store or really just anywhere Id go. But it now makes sense. My attacks started around the time the lockdown was ending and Rats became a huge problem all over the city. Im the only person who can feel the bites and swarms btw and that also had me extremely confused. But its as simple as some people feel them and most others do not. Not one product helped relieve the pain or reduce the bites and I really tried just about everything. Turns out undiluted rubbing alcohol will kill them right away so give it a try when they are biting and on ur body. it will not get rid of them, and if ur having the same issue as I am, then the worst parts of the attacks like being suffocated or insects going into my eyes , ears,, and every single other hole in my body. thats still an issue. But it does help with the extreme biting on my skin. so check around for rats. If thats the issue... look it up online and you will find info on how to treat it. try typing " tropical rat mites" basically you MUST remove the rats completely. I hope this helps someone because this is by far the worst thing that i feel could ever happen to anyone physically. and anyone that doesn't feel what we are feeling has absolutely no idea whatsoever the pain and suffering we are going through.