Thanks for your question.

I’m afraid that there is not much you can do regarding these bugs. It is the time of year that they have emerged and will be with us for another two weeks or so. Neem oil is not considered to be a good repellent. I doubt that tilling the soil will achieve much as most of the adults emerge from water. The idea that this might be effective derives from the fact that adults sometimes will lay eggs in moist soil. However this would only be true for a relatively small number of adults. I use repellents containing DEET and find that to be reasonably effective. In short, living in Minnesota near water in the spring means that you also be living with no-see-ums. See the following for further information:

https://mosquitojoe.com/blog/what-attracts-no-see-ums-to-an-area-and-how-to-repel-them/ - :~:text=Lotions containing picaridin, which repels,from your yard or patio.

https://www.terminix.com/blog/bug-facts/what-are-no-see-ums/

https://mosquitonix.com/blogs/news/how-to-treat-no-see-um-bites

Good luck; thanks for using our forum

We are not near water and our garden is quite dry.  Our gardens are worked and watered almost daily to keep them growing.  Would this dryness add to our bug problem? I have read a number of articles about Neem Oil and how well it works on bugs.  If the gardens are sprayed and saturated in the spring, before planting begins, would that help keep these bugs under control?

Thank you.

Thanks for your response. In light of your comments I repeated an even more exhaustive search of the literature and could not any good evidence that tilling of soil would have a significant effect upon populations of no-see-ems. You mentioned extensive application of Neem oil to the soil. Please be aware, however, that by so doing this may subsequently affect the edibility of any vegetables grown in such soil. Neem oil contains various compounds that have insecticidal properties, including azadirachtin, which disrupts the feeding and growth patterns of insects. When applied to the skin, neem oil can repel and deter insects, including no-see-ums, due to its strong odor and taste. However, it's important to note that the effectiveness of neem oil as a repellent may vary from person to person, and it may not provide complete protection against these tiny biting insects. Some individuals may find it helpful, while others may require additional methods of protection, such as wearing long sleeves, using insect screens, or applying insect repellents containing DEET. Remember these pests will largely be gone in a couple of weeks.

See the following for further information on these and related points:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html - :~:text=Neem oil can be slightly,eaten in a normal diet.

https://mosquitojoe.com/blog/what-attracts-no-see-ums-to-an-area-and-how-to-repel-them/

https://bestbeebrothers.com/pages/what-are-no-see-ums-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them

Thanks again for using this forum.

Thank you for your time and research.  It is much appreciated.  Since I have to provide updates, information and solutions to our no-see-ums issue, your comments are very much appreciated and will be passed along.  We have some gardeners who think only tilling will solve our issue, which has not helped in the past.  The spraying of Neem Oil has only taken place this year and was sprayed only 4 times.  The person spraying was mindful of being covered up, including gloves..  Neem Oil has not been applied to the skin just the soil.  From a number of articles I found Neem Oil was helpful, if applied properly, to help cut down on pests and since it was a natural oil, and was not harmful to vegetables.  From your comments this  information is not true.  So, it seems there isn't anything we can actually do to eliminate these pests in our gardens and DEET is the best insect repellent they can use. along with proper clothing.

Thanks for your response. Just a clarification. I said that Neem oil MAY affect the edibility of vegetables. Since this was speculation on my part, I researched this aspect of Neem oil. I found that there seems to be consensus that Neem oil is generally considered safe for use on edible vegetables. However in most of the papers that I looked at there was an important caveat. This was in all instances the product label on the Neem oil container is the ultimate source of correct information. As you and your group pursue the implementation of Neem oil, carefully read the label on the actual container of Neem oil that you are using. Pay particular attention to what is said about vegetables exposed to Neem oil That should be the final basis upon which you plot your course of action and NOT what I may convey to you.

Good luck to you all. Thanks again for using our forum.

Thanks for your response.

Chiggers and no-see-ums, also known as biting midges or sandflies, are both small insects known for their bites. While they share some similarities, there are distinct differences between the two:

1). Appearance and Habitat: Chiggers are larvae of certain mites. They are barely visible to the naked eye and typically have a reddish or orange color. They are often found in grassy, brushy areas, especially in humid regions. They are about the size of a sand grain. They tend to be most active during the day. They do not have wings and so do not fly See:

https://tickcontrol.com/blog/chiggers-or-lone-star-ticks-on-long-island/

No-see-ums are also very tiny but slightly larger than chiggers. No-se-ums are about 1/16 of an inch long. They have a dark color and possess wings. They can fly. They are prevalent near bodies of water, such as marshes and swamps. They are most active at dawn and dusk. See:

https://www.animalsaroundtheglobe.com/no-see-ums-a-pesky-creature/

2). Biting behavior. Chiggers crawl onto the skin and attach themselves to hair follicles or skin pores. They inject digestive enzymes in the skin, which break down skin cells. The chigger then feeds on the liquefied skin cells. Chigger bites typically cause intense itching and can develop into red welts or blisters.

No-see-ums feed on blood having mouthparts that can pierce the skin to extract blood. Often, their bites will cause slight bleeding. This is not seen with chigger bites. No-see-um bites result in red, itchy bumps, similar to mosquito bites.

Here are some sites that describe further differences between chiggers and no-see-ums:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23267-chigger-bites

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/prevent-treat-chigger-bites

The best way to identify whether you have chiggers or no-see-ums is whether the critters are flying (no-see-ums) or not flying (chiggers). Good luck on your gardening ventures. Please get back to us if additional questions arise.