Minute Pirate Bugs

Ouch! What was that painful pinch? There are many bugs that bite, but if you receive a painful bite in late summer or early fall, you may want to put the minute pirate bug on your suspect list. Like lady beetles, these tiny insects are actually friends—most of the time.

What Are Minute Pirate Bugs?

They're called "minute" for a reason—these bugs are tiny, only about 2-5 mm long as adults. These true insects are also commonly called flower bugs. Nymphs are wingless and teardrop shaped, and change from yellow to brownish-red throughout their development. Adult minute pirate bugs are easier to distinguish from other insects with their black oval-shaped bodies and white or purplish markings on their wings. Both adults and nymphs have long, thin mouth parts that they use to spear their prey.

Benefits of Minute Pirate Bugs

Minute pirate bugs may be tiny, but they're good for gardens. They don't harm plants, and both nymphs and adults feed on small, soft-bodied insects that can destroy plants, like spider mites and thrips. They also eat aphids, phyllids, whiteflies and insect eggs. Using their long needle-like mouths, minute pirate bugs stick their prey then suck out their body fluids. Sounds gross, but it's an effective method for keeping plant-harming bugs at bay.  

Some gardeners use minute pirate bugs in greenhouses or with crops to control insects like mites, thrips and aphids. While minute pirate bugs are available for purchase for pest control, this is not recommended. It's better to let their food sources, like those pest insects you don't want, attract them naturally. When they can't find their favorite snacks, minute pirate bugs eat flower pollen and nectar, so it's a good idea to have flowering plants to help attract them to your garden.

Minute Pirate Bug Bite

There's only one problem with minute pirate bugs: they bite. You'll typically feel a minute pirate bug bite in late summer and early fall as their normal food sources become scarce. For such a little bug, their bite can pack a punch! Unlike mosquitoes, minute pirate bugs don't feed on people or blood, and they don't carry diseases or inject anything into your skin. At worst, their bite is a minor irritation. Researchers suspect that minute pirate bugs bite people just to see what you taste like. Once they confirm you're not food, they'll move along.

Some people may experience swelling, redness or itching at the bite site. These symptoms usually don't last long, and minute pirate bugs are not known to cause allergic reactions. If you experience unusual symptoms after getting any bug bite, contact your doctor or local poison center immediately.

Controlling Minute Pirate Bugs

Pest control and repellents aren't a good option for minute pirate bugs. Most aren't effective against these tiny insects, for one. More importantly, minute pirate bugs benefit your garden, and you want them around eating insects that can kill your plants. 

What you can do is take a few precautions to avoid a bite. They're more active during warmer hours and days, so work outside while it's cooler and cloudy. Cover up in long sleeves and long pants. As lighter colors seem to attract minute pirate bugs, consider wearing darker clothing when possible.

If you're not fortunate enough to have minute pirate bugs or lady beetles eating pests like thrips, aphids and spider mites in your lawn or garden, consider Ortho® Bugclear™ Insect Killer for Lawns & Landscapes as an alternative. This bug killer works on listed plants and your lawn to get rid of insects you don't want.

Don't worry if you feel the bite—however painful!—of a minute pirate bug. They're helping out in your garden. Take a few steps to protect yourself from a bite, and you can get along just fine with these tiny bugs.