Tick tock
Location: US, California, Santa Monica
July 26, 2011 3:14 pm
Did I ever think I would be writing an email to someone called the Bugman. No. lol. But now I am glad I found you.
Dear Sir,
I have what looks like a tick? Photos to follow.
Location: Santa Monica, California. Douglas Park just off Whilshire Blvd.
Tues July 26th, 12pm, 70 degrees.
Douglas park is a few acres big, tons of people moving about. Veterinarian hospital next door to it (matter?) Has three duck ponds. The ponds are closed off for renovation. No water in the ponds just dug up and moved earth for now. Hey maybe it has something to do with the bugs? idunno
We sat on a bench for about 5-8mins in the park. NO trees hanging over head so the bugs came from bottom to top. My counterpart was covered in mite sized tick looking bugs. Approximately 100 to 150. I had only a few on my shoes. She had a long pair of cloth stretchy pants that touched the ground. So they must have climbed her cloth and they had trouble on my sneakers. She was covered, I was not. We sat side by side.
They were inside her pants and outside. I had to beg her not to get naked at the park.
I brushed them off and noticed they seemed to be getting squashed, so I would say soft body insects.
I told her they were aphids to calm her down. But in my mind I was freaking out. Covered, covered, covered. They only made it to her lower body.
When we got back to the house I set her clothes in the sun and they all vacated into the seams and darker areas of her clothes. They hated the sun? I also noticed that they would raise there lower body into the air and try to barrow into my shoe. So I figured it was a tick?
I suppose they came from the park. Do we need to notify anyone? Can you help ID these suckers?
Signature: what does this mean? Please don’t worry about signing it?

Louse

Please don’t shoot the messenger.  You’ve got Lice.  While this is most certainly a Louse, and we are linking to images of Human Lice on BugGuide, we do not have the necessary skills to determine what species of Louse this is, however, we have a strong suspicion it is a Human Louse.  BugGuide indicates that Sucking Lice in the family Anaplura which includes the Human Louse are:  “Parasites of mammals. Most species are restricted to one or a few hosts” and that they are characterized by being “Wingless, flat-bodied. Resemble chewing lice but the head is narrower than the thorax. Mouthparts are fitted for piercing skin and sucking blood.“  It is possible that the person who sat on, or slept on the park bench prior to your arrival had poor hygiene habits, perhaps from a lack of bathing, and the Lice remained behind.  If there is a high indigent population frequenting the park, it is highly likely that would be the source of the Lice infestation.  We haven’t tagged anything as Worst Bug Story Ever in quite some time, but we think your experience warrants tagging in that category.  We would strongly recommend seeking professional attention to prevent any spread of this infestation to family and friends.

Louse, probably Human Louse

So yes,  I was informed yesterday that they are lice. Gross.  Lice that crawled up from the ground.  Interestingly,  if they were on the bench we were sitting on, they would have gotten on my shorts.  But they only got on my shoes and her shoes and pants pants.  They for sure climbed up from the ground not the bench in this case.
So it is day two.  After having the bug ID last night, I went and bought lice shampoo.  We both used it.  But, neither of us have yet had an itch yet.  So I am freaking out waiting to itch.  I have searched her high and low.  Ans myself. nothing so far.  No itching just yet.
I guess it would be safe to say if nothing serious happens after 7 days I am in the clear?
But this is only part way into day two.  So I am trying to aggressively dodge this bullet and not wait.
If we get lice I will let you know.  I am so disappointed.  So bizarre to.
Thanks
Antony

Hi Antony,
You are lucky you began treatment immediately.  Please keep us posted.

Dodging the Lice bullet
July 29, 2011
Well I think it is safe to say that we dodged the bullet here!
After my GF being cover, truly infested with lice, over 150 lice crawling all over her shoes and pants.  Well nothing made it higher.  I suppose most people find out they have lice after the fact.  We had the complete opposite.  We visually discovered it before they made it to the top.  I have never heard of a case like this.  Neither one of us have been itchy or have any bites, nit or egg looking particle in the hair, or anything and the discovery of adult lice swarming the lower body happened on Tues am. It is like a miracle.
I spoke to the ground crew at Douglass park in Santa Monica.  He mentioned there are so many bums sleeping around the park that one of them must have had clothes or items on the ground under that bench.  He had seen someone sleeping near the bench earlier that day.  We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is sad to because so many kids play there and parents and folks relax there, that to have bums laying around the park covered in lice is a terrible mix.   I will be forever scarred from the visual of 150-200 lice swarming the pant legs of my hysteric GF.  Me telling her they are aphids though I thought they were ticks.  Turns out they were lice…lol.
Happened Tues and it is Fri.  I think it is safe to say we made it?  We dodged 200 lice.  Go figure?  Thanks for your help, I have researched lice and seen way to many lice pictures on the internet that if I ever encounter this again I will not be as freaked out.
Thanks again,
Anthony

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