Anyone hear of Oak Mites aka Itch Mites?

[Bakersdozen]

The state agriculture college included a note about Itch Mites in its newsletter.  I have never heard of them before.  Due to weather conditions it is predicted to be a bad year for them.  The newsletter said that Deet products don't seem to deter the little arachnids.  Those with Oak trees will be exposed more than others.  I think this is what has bitten me the last 3 years.  I thought it was some type of spider bite and I guess I was right!  The itch, redness, and little pus pocket lasted for several weeks. 
I have lived here all my life.  Chiggers are bad enough, now this.  Anyone hear of these before?

[brooksbeefarm]

No? never heard of them , but i have had bites that i thought were chigger bites, that lasted a lot longer than chigger bites do? I'm in and out of the woods (most all Oak trees) at least one or two times a week all year long. The bite looks like a pimple and itches like crazy and have scratched them till they bleed and they still itch The no itch cream seems to help. Thanks for posting B12, i was thinking i had some sort of skin disease I guess this is just something else we will have to cope with. In a way it's nice to know that even at my age that something thinks i'm so desirable it wants to eat me. Jack

[CBT]

Brooks try witch hazel on those bites. And I also wash the area with octagon soap (lie) soap before.
In the summer I get them so bad there chiggers from three county's fighting for turf.

[iddee]

We have "chiggers"??  at the lake where our cabin is that are known as the most vicious chiggers in the country. I've never heard of oak mites, but that may well be what they are. They itch worse, cause a bigger red area, and last longer than any chiggers I have ever had.

[Green bee]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyemotes_herfsi    Found this. We have those tiny red bugs that bite I always call them (who done it's) . Anyway I've never herd of them either , but there real.

[iddee]

According to that, they aren't in N.C., so I guess we just have a very vicious chigger.

[Green bee]

Also sounds like they can be really bad some years, and go unnoticed other years. If there worse than chiggers I surly don't want them.

[lazy shooter]

I may also have these itch mites.  We moved into our current home last fall, and this year, since about April, I have some bites on my legs that make a pustule.  That's common with our fire ants, but I usually feel a fire ant sting, and I don't know when this strange varmint bites me.  I have been thinking it was chiggers on steroids, but it may be itch mites.  The bite seems to take more time to heal that does a chigger bite. 

lazy

I usually get more that one fire ant bite, and they are very aggressive.  These bites are just scattered about my legs and lower torso.

[CBT]

Was reading up on bakers bee venom cleanser. It's sounds good for chiggers. Think I'll get some.
I scratch them too hard sometimes too.
http://bradbkr.tripod.com/home.html

[neillsayers]

Great, one more biting bug to look for!

[Bakersdozen]

I have one bite.  I put some Bakers Venom cleanser on it and it only seemed to make the appearance worse.  Did not help. 
Oak Mites were the topic of conversation during a local radio program yesterday.  One of the hosts said she and her husband were covered in bites.  She claimed that they drop down out of trees (oak maybe) and land on you.
Here is a news story about them and how to stop the itching.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/30135320/oak-mites-chomping-their-way-across-midwest