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Favorable conditions help spawn oak leaf itch mite boom

By Associated Press - | Sep 29, 2015

? People in the Kansas City region may soon feel the bite as favorable weather and environmental conditions have led to a boom in the oak leaf itch mite population.

The Kansas State Extension office reports that it has fielded its highest number of mite-related calls in 10 years. The Kansas City Star reports that horticulture agent Dennis Patton has described the reproduction levels as hitting “epidemic proportions.”

Entomologists say one tree could shed more than 370,000 of the microscopic mites in just one day.

Patton says over-the-counter bug repellants are not effective against the mites. Wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants helps limit exposure to them.