Aphids, Colorado potato beetles, and the Pterygota are some of the yellow bugs that you can find in gardens and homes. Most of the yellow bugs do not bite and will flee if provoked. But you can see some yellow bugs that fly about in the garden and will bite you if they land on you.
What are the little tiny yellow bugs that bite?
Thrips are the tiny yellow bugs that bite humans. There are various colors of thrips ranging from black to yellow. The yellow Thrips are called Frankliniella Occidentalis and are the smallest among other Thrips. They grow to be about 1/50th of an inch long and feed on plant matter.
Among the various yellow bugs that roam your garden, some of them are Thrips. They do not only have a yellowish color as there are other Thrips with different colors in nature. Their color ranges from yellow to black, and their size depends on their color.
Thrips are plant bugs and feed on plant matter. The yellow Thrips are the smallest among the others and grow to be about 1/50th of an inch. They are almost unnoticeable due to their size and can be found on the leaves of plants.
An interesting fact about Thrips is, they bite humans accidentally. They probe the human skin with their mouth to check if it is their food or not, and when they realize it is not a plant they can eat, they fall off the body. Their bites may appear as rashes or lumps but, they do not inject anything inside the skin.
What are thrips? Where do they come from?
Thrips are tiny bugs that may be black or yellow, live on houseplants, and suck out the sap out of leaves, stems, and flowers. They can be seen under the leaves of infested houseplants but can be strenuous to see at first glance due to their miniature size.
There are about 6,000 known species of Thrips all around the world.
Adult thrips can fly so they can come in through open windows and doors when they detect the presence of a houseplant. As they are a common garden pest, they can come along with the cut flowers or plant parts that you may bring into the home from the garden.
Additionally, they can also come with plants that are purchased from stores.
Are thrips dangerous to humans?
No thrips are not considered dangerous to humans. For their feeding function, their mouthparts are specially adapted to pierce plants and suck out the sap.
But occasionally, when thrips land on human skin, they can break the skin surface but, they are not known to drink blood or inject anything into the bloodstream.
Thrip bites, therefore, are not dangerous to humans as they do not transmit any diseases to humans and animals. Bites from thrips may result in itching and forming some pinkish rash without any pain or swelling.
However, some people may experience smarting pain when bitten and severe skin irritation.
Additionally, people may go through raised lesions and blotchy rashes at the bitten area. The site of the bite may also turn reddish. People with bug bite allergies may go through severe reactions and should medical help as soon as possible after being bitten.
How to treat thrip bites?
In most cases, thrip bites do not require special treatment. They only result in mild irritations for some time and then go away. To reduce the itching, you can wash the bitten area with some warm soapy water.
However, if you face inflammation and itching, and rashes, visit a doctor as soon as possible. People with allergies to bug bites should seek medical attention right away.
How to keep thrips from biting me?
Thrips biting can be annoying and frustrating at the same time as they cannot be easily located being so tiny. Following the methods below can prevent thrips from biting you.
Bug repellents:
Wearing bug repellents will repel all sorts of bugs, big or small, and prevent them from landing on your skin. Bug repellents will ensure they do not get a chance to bite you.
Controlling the thrips:
One thing that you can do is to manage or eliminate thrips living indoors or in the gardens. You can use specific pesticides to erase them and use insecticides indoors to get rid of thrips.
Long, loose-fitting clothing:
If you wear loose-fitting clothes, bugs cannot land on your skin. Therefore, they will not be able to bite you.
How to get rid of thrips in your home naturally?
Thrips infesting your homes can be worrying since these pests will damage the plants that grow inside your house. They may also destroy the plants in your garden. Getting rid of thrips is necessary, and following the tips below, you can get rid of thrips from your home.
Soapy water:
Soapy water is an effective thrips repeller. Spraying some soapy water on your houseplants will erase all thrips and prevent outside thrips from landing on them.
DIY insecticidal soaps:
You can use any dish detergent to make your homemade insecticidal soap. They will get rid of thrips from your home naturally.
Neem oil:
Neem oil is an essential oil that you can find at any apothecary. This oil eliminates thrips on contact. Mix some neem oil and water in a bottle and spray it at the pests to get rid of them.
But be careful as some plants are sensitive to neem oil, and direct sunlight on neem oil will burn it. After spraying, rinse the plant with some water to wash off the oil.
Diatomaceous earth:
Diatomaceous earth can dehydrate thrips and erase them over time. Sprinkling some over the plants will do the job, and sprinkling some around the plant top will prevent thrips from coming in again.
Sticky traps:
Blue sticky traps are handy in catching thrips and causing them to expire over time. Stick some of the sticky traps around the leaves and stem, and they will fall into the trap. They are attracted to the color blue and land on the sticky traps.
Pyrethrin:
Pyrethrin is a short-term pesticide. It comes included in bug sprays. So, buy a bug spray containing pyrethrin and spray it on plants affected by thrips. Such bug sprays will get rid of thrips effortlessly.
What other common yellow bugs are there in the home and garden?
Other than the thrips, many other yellow bugs are commonly observed in the home and gardens. Some of them are listed below:
Aphids:
Aphids are pear-shaped critters that are seen on plant leaves. They are tiny and have two tubes projecting behind their abdomen. Throughout North America, aphids can be seen clinging on vegetables, flowers, fruits, and leaves as they suck plant sap.
Aphids feeding on trees cause foliage to distort and spread viral plant diseases.
Colorado Potato Beetle:
Adult Colorado potato beetles have black stripes on their wing covers and can be found on tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and petunias throughout North America.
These insects can defoliate plants and also have the potential to terminate young plants.
Mexican Bean Beetle:
Adult Mexican bean beetles are yellowish-brown and have 16 dots on their wing covers. They grow to be about ¼ inch long and thrive in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, and Utah.
These beetles feed on cowpeas, lima beans, snap beans, and soybeans. They tend to eat leaves from beneath that make the leaves look lacy afterward.
Japanese Beetles:
Japanese beetles have bronze wing covers and grow to be about ½ inch long. They are found in the states east of the Mississippi River and feed on almost any vegetables, flowers, and small fruits.
The adult Japanese beetles eat leaves and leave behind the veins. They also chew on flowers and may completely defoliate the plant.
Beetles:
Beetles, in general, tend to feed on plant leaves and flowers. Unlike the ladybugs, these spotted, striped or, banded insects eat almost the leaves of any plant and leave behind the carcass.
They defoliate the plant and may cause young plants to expire.
Final Thoughts
The tiny yellow bugs that bite are thrips but, their bites do not spread any diseases. Their pricks may cause temporary irritations, rashes, and redness, and you can wash the affected area with warm soapy water to get relief. Thrip bites may pose a threat to people with allergies to bug bites.