Surprising predictions part 4

 California Beachgoers Beware: 'Mini-Shark' Bugs Are on the Prowl!

In Southern California, there’s a new danger lurking on the beaches — and it’s not from the Pacific Ocean! Reports are coming in of mini-shark bugs that are biting beachgoers at every turn, seemingly intent on injuring as many people as possible! These tiny, aquatic insects have been spotted in alarming numbers over the past few weeks, and local officials are warning everyone to stay out of the water until this mystery has been solved!

Giant, rat-sized fleas from LA beaches

Recently, swarms of mini-sharks known as fleas have been terrorizing Southern California beaches. These fleas are smaller than their mainland counterparts, which can grow up to two inches in length. Unlike large fleas which prey exclusively on mammals like cats and dogs, these tiny bloodsuckers roam beaches, looking for unsuspecting humans to bite. The human flea larvae are most likely blown over from the mainland by ocean currents and typically lay dormant until they find a warm body to feast upon. As dusk falls, small children and adults alike have been reporting an increase in bites from these voracious pests; some beachgoers even describe them as feeling like razor blades slicing through their skin when they're bitten... For those who spend time outdoors at night, it's important to wear clothing that covers your arms and legs as well as using insect repellent with DEET or Permethrin. Unfortunately, there is no current way to control these infestations without getting into shoreline ecology or toxic chemicals that could harm marine life. So if you spot one of these pests, be sure to give it a good stomping. I mean, come on—they only live four days at best, so there's not much else we can do but get rid of them. Good thing they're easy to squash and don't travel very far before dying off. One little biter will turn into a hundred thousand more in a day, though. They'll need to be dealt with quickly before this gets out of hand!

How to keep from getting bitten

Surfers and beachgoers in California should take extra care this summer, as reports are coming in that swarms of the bugs, nicknamed 'mini-sharks,' are feasting on humans. There is no need to cancel your trips to any oceanfront locations; there are a few simple tips for staying safe. Always wear shoes or slippers when going in sand or among vegetation and shower thoroughly after outdoor activity. Keep away from standing water as it is breeding ground for mosquitoes and other dangerous pests. If you do happen to get bitten, make sure to clean the area well so bacteria will not get into your body too easily. It's also important to watch out for developing infections, which can be prevented with antibiotics. Lastly, stay calm! Mosquitoes and insects may suck blood but they can't kill you. It's only scary because most people don't know what to expect or how to deal with it properly. Don't let fear rule your life and keep you homebound. Just use common sense precautions like wearing repellent, avoiding standing water, and taking appropriate medication if necessary to avoid infection. And never underestimate an insect's ability to bite you -- even if it can't kill you, bites are extremely painful. Remember these tips the next time one of these creepy crawlers gives you trouble at the beach! 

With over 100 varieties, mosquitoes are found all over the world and have adapted themselves to many different environments. They mostly breed in still water sources such as stagnant ponds, rain puddles, bird baths and more, laying their eggs right near its surface. While some prefer saltwater shores (and some of them live exclusively in salty waters), fresh waters seems to be their favorite breeding ground. They typically lay eggs every two days throughout much of their lifespan (between 3 weeks up to 6 months) so new generations appear quickly if conditions allow it. If possible try putting a net around your pool or spray DEET bug spray on yourself before heading outside especially early morning and late evening when mosquito attacks tend to occur most often. Although they might seem harmless, and the pain goes away within 24 hours, mosquito bites are actually quite problematic. The female mosquito has evolved to become immune to pain, making her able to eat our flesh without feeling anything. Some species of mosquitoes carry and transmit diseases like malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus and yellow fever to name a few. That is why it's important to always apply repellant or wear protective clothing when venturing outdoors. When living in warmer climates it is crucial to remember that unlike cold weather where we just bundle up, the opposite effect happens during warm weather: mosquitos flock towards us thinking we're warm bodies and therefore tasty morsels.

What it feels like when you get bitten

Some describe them as small bees, and others call them meaty flying ants. But regardless of what they're called, swarms of these bugs have been raining down from their nests in oak trees onto unsuspecting California beachgoers below, hungry for a tasty bite of human skin.

Larvae are expected to hatch out this week near Sacramento and San Diego, a stage that is likely to trigger an exodus of bugs from their nests and into the populated areas nearby. And the larvae? They can grow to lengths over an inch long in their search for prey -- namely ankles and feet. The unlucky few who come across the critters while on the sand or sitting at a picnic table often mistake them for honeybees. They look like honeybees, but they fly like mosquitoes, says entomologist Gary Raupp. 

The real danger comes when people walk through shady or dark places where nesting bugs live; there's no telling how many bites one person could suffer if walking through an infested area by themselves. 

There are places where you'll be running along and you hear the buzz, said one lifeguard from Los Angeles County Fire Department station 84 in Manhattan Beach, California who wished to remain anonymous because he wasn't authorized to speak about ongoing cases.You turn around and see hundreds of these things coming towards you. It sounds like a swarm of killer bees, and it's not something I would want to go through again.

As the season progresses, more beaches will become affected by these pests--especially those close to dense populations with large expanses of oaks--and more caution should be taken when visiting any outdoor public space. Bug spray might not be enough protection either; according to Raupp, DEET only lasts up to 90 minutes after application. 

In order to avoid being bitten during your next outing on the shoreline or pier (or even just playing in your backyard), it's best practice to wear protective clothing (shoes, pants) whenever possible so that your skin remains uncovered.

What your bites mean for public health

As the baby sea turtles and birds that live along California's beaches grow weaker, these insects will get stronger. This means that we need to understand what makes them tick (pun intended) and how we can intervene without harming them in order to make sure that they're not making life harder for our vulnerable marine critters. Here are some of the important things you should know about sand fleas:

-Female sand fleas need blood from land animals or crustaceans in order to produce eggs; so, they have adapted their mouthparts so that they can pierce human skin. -Sand flea larvae feed on organic debris, including fecal matter, rotting plant material, decaying seaweed and diatoms. The adults feed on fresh vegetation and small invertebrates. 

-Their bites cause an allergic reaction in most people with a sensitivity to insect bites, but other species may experience no reaction at all. 

-Some people suffer severe reactions with blistering or secondary infections due to bites by these fleas, especially when infected areas are scratched by clothing before the area has healed completely. 

-Beachgoers are advised to apply bug repellent containing DEET and/or picaridin if available, wear protective clothing such as long sleeves and pants when possible, wash any exposed areas thoroughly after being outside and avoid wearing dark colors which attract bugs. If anyone experiences severe symptoms after coming into contact with sand fleas, they should contact their physician immediately. Sand fleas cannot be killed with normal household chemicals and treatments like boric acid are only effective if used correctly. They must be sprayed directly onto the sand flea population rather than treating large areas of sand. Otherwise, sand fleas will just move to untreated parts of the beach and continue biting uninhibitedly. -Sand fleas carry pathogens, some of which may cause eye irritation or respiratory illness. Furthermore, because there is no evidence that sand flea populations decrease following hurricane season, it is also important to keep watch over new populations appearing post-storm. It's estimated that almost half of North America's coastline is infested with these pests--more than 830 miles of beach. That's alarming considering that many humans prefer not to use mosquito nets during the day because they block out too much sunlight and heat exposure could lead to harmful conditions like sunstroke.

What do these fleas mean for coastal ecosystems?

Not only can these fleas leap 30 times their body length, but they can travel up to a mile from where they were first deposited. As such, in addition to bothering humans and biting people's feet, these fleas may also be carrying diseases between populations of sand fleas who reside near each other. For example, scientists studying different species of sand fleas off the coast of southern California found that one could spread a bacterial infection to its counterpart just by jumping aboard. And since there are no natural predators for sand fleas to keep them in check, this means that if an infected individual is carried into an area with uninfected individuals, there will soon be no more uninfected ones left. These fleas pose significant threats to coastal ecosystems, especially those without any type of predator population. So far, these fleas have been sighted along beaches in Santa Barbara County and Ventura County (both located south of Los Angeles), as well as Orange County (situated about halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles). In Santa Barbara County alone, it has been estimated that there are nearly 200 different species of mini-sharks residing at various beaches. It is advised that beachgoers wear shoes to avoid being bitten. If a bite does occur, apply ice packs or iced tea bags to the site of the bite, which should help minimize swelling and pain. If you experience nausea, vomiting, hives, severe itching, or a rash lasting longer than 24 hours after the bite occurs then seek medical attention immediately. After removing your shoes, wash your feet thoroughly and allow them to dry before putting on socks. To prevent bites, consider applying insect repellent containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) to bare skin. If you notice any bugs around your house - don't forget to spray inside and outside of buildings too - use pyrethroid insecticides containing permethrin for indoor treatments and temephos for outdoor treatments. However, since these chemicals are toxic to beneficial insects like honeybees and ladybugs, consider using insecticidal soaps instead. Another alternative is diatomaceous earth dust; while not harmful to animals or humans, it works by absorbing the waxy coating on an insect's exoskeleton during contact and cutting through the arthropod’s outer skeleton, causing death by dehydration.

Do any other animals have flea infestations?

Fungus gnats and bed bugs are other, less common pests. Fungus gnats are a type of insect that infests plants with fungus or other organic material by laying eggs near or under the soil or leaves. They thrive in damp, dark areas and may enter a building through leaks in plumbing, vents, or broken windows. Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed exclusively on blood and are most active at night; they often hide in cracks within wall structures near beds as they search for hosts. Fleas live anywhere where their food source can be found and spend most of their time indoors with pets; they cannot reproduce without being in contact with a host animal's blood. The flea is an ectoparasite (parasite living outside the body) which feeds on the animal's skin and draws blood from its host when it ingests its own feces after digestion. Female fleas will lay eggs in batches of up to 50,000 while sucking up three times their weight in blood per day. The larvae then grow inside a cocoon, pupate into adults, and emerge hungry for more blood. Infestations occur year round because female fleas can produce between 1,500 and 2,000 eggs per day. Vacuuming the floors regularly and using a vacuum cleaner bag to seal them off is one way to keep these pesky parasites away from your home. If you see any signs of these creatures around your pet - like chewing at ankles or scratching relentlessly - bring them over to your veterinarian for treatment as soon as possible before anyone else becomes infected. With any luck, we'll all stay free of bites this summer season. So far, California beaches have been spared but let's not tempt fate by putting our feet too close to the water...