I think these are what bit John and caused the rash, which by the way is gone now.

[link|http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/954DC3F23CE1875E86256F1F001659AE?OpenDocument&Headline=Mighty+mites+are+driving+us+buggy|http://www.stltoday....+driving+us+buggy]

Excerpts:
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The source of the ultra-itchy bites could be a type of mite called a straw itch mite, Pyemotes tritici (pronounced pie-moat-ees try-tea-see). The mites are invisible to the naked eye and usually pose no threat to humans. They usually live in grain and on hay and dried grasses where they feast on insect larvae. The mites are actually beneficial, said Dr. Larry Samuels, a dermatologist at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield.

But other experts say the little biters could be no-see-ums, minuscule flies that resemble mosquitoes. The flies, called Ceratopogonidae, have a slashing bite, said Gerardo Camilo, an entomologist at St. Louis University. And the almost invisible flies add insult to injury when taking a blood meal.

"Not only do they bite you, they spit on you," said Camilo.

The flies inject saliva into the wound to numb the skin, making it easier for the flies to eat without getting swatted, he said. After the flies leave, the numbing agent wears off, a localized allergic reaction starts and itching ensues. Some people aren't affected much by the bite. Others have strong reactions, Camilo said.

The more a person itches, the worse the bite gets, Camilo said. Scratching breaks open the wound, exposing more skin to insect saliva.

Chiggers and straw itch mites don't suck blood as mosquitoes do. Instead they use powerful saliva to liquefy skin cells, which they then can suck up. The itchiness of the bite depends upon how much saliva the mites inject and how strongly a person reacts to the saliva, Samuels said.

Weather conditions have been ideal for no-see-ums and mites, Camilo said. St. Louis experienced the eighth-coolest summer in 150 years of weather data collection and the fourth-driest September. That means more mites and flies, and it also entices people outside where they are likely to be bitten, Camilo said.
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It says the bugs have also been found in Kansas and Nebraska.

So be careful outside, cause they aren't any fun to be bitten by.

Nightowl >8#