Formally known as midges but also referred to as punkies, biting midges and sand flies, they are often mistaken for mosquitos or fleas. The insects are usually found in the great outdoors, chomping away at gardeners, hikers, farmers and beachgoers.
The no-see-ums are from the genus Culicoides, and the adults are less than 1/16th of an inch long. Many people associate no-see-ums with beaches, perhaps in the mistaken belief that they are sand flies. But the tiny bugs are found anywhere that has moist soil or fertilizer exposed to the air, including forests, wetlands and farm pastures.
They are active in the early morning and the beginning of the evening of the summer and are particularly active on cloudy days with little to no wind. Any exposed skin is fair game for these critters, but they seem to prefer the legs, arms and back of the neck for their attacks. Adults rarely roam far from the nest, so those encountering a dense area of no-see-ums may find none just a few hundred yards away. Because they aren’t great fliers, windy days likely will keep their presence to a minimum.
No-see-ums feed on flowers, but the female of the species feeds on blood to help her eggs mature into viability. No-see-um eggs are found mostly in moist soil, and favorite breeding grounds include the edges of seashores, ponds, rivers, streams, springs, muddy areas, swamps, tree holes and occasionally accumulated water from air conditioners.