Itchy mite bites on skin linked to cicada eggs, health experts explain

By Karen Jordan

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    DUPAGE COUNTY, Illinois (WLS) — Just when the Chicago area thought it was all done with the cicada invasion, now comes another issue.

Cicadas may be gone for the most part, but they’re not forgotten, especially among a growing number of people experiencing itchy bug bites.

The cicadas came to lay their eggs, and now those eggs are causing a new problem. People are starting to notice a lot of rashy bite marks, and that’s apparently caused by itch mites who are feeding off the cicada eggs.

“They’re microscopic, so you can’t really see the itch mites,” said Jennifer Rydzewski with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “You can’t feel them. You can’t feel them biting you.”

Rydzewski said areas where cicadas were prevalent means eggs were left behind in trees. Brown branches are giveaways that cicadas burrowed their eggs there.

The eggs boosted the mite population, and they can fall on unsuspecting people standing under a tree.

“In 2007, the last time there was a periodical emergence of these cicadas, people started reporting more cases of these itchy bites,” Rydzewski said.

Dr. Jordan Carqueville with the Derm Institute of Chicago said the past couple of weeks they’ve seen an uptick in people coming in, reporting uncomfortable itchy bites, mainly on on their torso and arms, that have a small red center surrounded by a red ring.

“We’re getting calls on a daily basis, at least five to 10 people a day,” Dr. Carqueville said.

Experts advise people not to spend too much time under trees.

“You can put on long sleeves, pants, spraying yourself with EPA-approved insect repellant containing DEET might help the situation,” Rydzewski said.

It appears the Chicago area may deal with the problem for a few more weeks. Cicada eggs will finish hatching in September.

“If you don’t have an exuberant bite, you can use over the counter treatments like calamine lotions, antihistamine cream or over the counter topical steroids like hydrocortisone,” Dr. Carqueville said.

The good news is when the cicada nymphs burrow underground for the next 17 years, the mite population will decrease.

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