The Specific Reason A Lot Of Illinoisans Might Get A Rash This Fall

We're in the "dog days of summer" and we might soon be in the "rash days of fall".

2024 has been full of "once-in-a-lifetime" things and they're not without some random side effects.

You may have heard one or two (or a dozen) things about Cicadapocalypse 2024. That giant, once-in-a-lifetime double brood emergence. Now (unless you really can't hear anything) you've invariably heard the "dog day cicadas" that emerge at the end of summer.

Here's the thing though: there's a mite that likes to hang out with these cicadas and it's spread into Illinois since 2004. And it bites.

Meet The Mite

It's called the oak leaf itch mite. It's a little reddish-tan bug that's shiny with 4 pairs of legs. Researchers at Penn State said they'll bite you, but they don't mean to:

Although they have been reported to feed upon many different insects, it is when they have become very numerous, eliminating their current food source, that they will search for alternative hosts and inadvertently bite humans.

When they do bite you, you'll know it. NBC Chicago reports that people develop a rash after being bitten by one of these mites. They have to be on you for about 4 hours before they bite, experts told the outlet. So it's kind of like a chigger.

But the difference is that those bites are mostly on the leg. The mite bites can be on your neck, face, arms, and upper body. And they will likely be super itchy.

That itchy rash can hang around for 2 weeks. And as with most rashes, experts suggest not itching it as that can create a bacterial infection. To avoid the mites, do this:

• Don't sit under oak trees
• If you have an oak tree nearby, keep your windows shut August-October when "mite showers" may occur
• Take off your clothes at the end of the day and wash them (I would hope we're all already doing this anyway)
• If you've been outside, take a warm, soapy shower once you come back in

This is prime time for these mite bites to happen. Their eggs are hatching right now. There could be a lot of them since there were so many cicadas this summer so pay attention to what tree you're having a picnic under.