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Last week we attended our first drum circle in Laguna Beach at Aliso Beach.
We were there from about 6pm until 10:30pm and brought a bunch of towels, blankets, sand toys etc with us.
We now have fleas in our car and our 4 year old son keeps getting bit.
Keep in mind... we dont have any pets that go in the car.
We are thinking it might be fleas from the beach?
Has anyone else had this problem in Laguna?
You were at Aliso Beach, I would worry more about the water there, a lot of sewage from the creek spills out into the ocean from all the housing up in the hilly neighborhoods. Laguna is old and has decrepit plumbing. You were probably being bit by sewer bugs.
Correction, there are sand flees in the U.S. Parris Island, South Carolina has them, and I'm speaking from experience. They bite and itch like crazy. Worse than the midwest mosquitos. Thank goodness I'm in Cali now and spoiled. Nice weather, no sand flees, no mosquitos. The only thing we have to worry about here is wreckless Radical Politicians.
Ok I will turn down my sarcasm. When I was growing up in the rural midwest we would shake our heads at people like you and just say, "city people."
Anyway in California we do not have the biting sand fleas which in central and south America can cause serious problems. There they can actually embed beneath your skin raising all kinds of problems. They do not inhabit the U.S. !
We have Sand Crabs which resemble sand fleas but are not a health concern. We (fisherman) catch the larger sand crabs and use them for bait when surf fishing. Google sand fleas or sand crabs and see what I am talking about. This site has good photos but I am not sure if it will load for you.
[URL="http://www.fishingdestinguide.com/baitSANDFLEAS.html"]www.fishingdestinguide.com/baitSANDFLEAS.html[/URL]
Good luck and if in doubt apply bug repellant before your next "drum circle".
Correction, there are sand flees in the US. I know from personal experience in PI South Carolina. Thank God I'm in Cali now. No sand flees, and no mosquitos like I had in the midwest growing up. We only have to worry about wreckless Radical Politicians out here.
Never encountered this at Capo Beach, Baby Beach, Salt Creek Beach, or Aliso Beach. You got sand fleas from another source, probably someone else's blanket in the drum circle.
I have to say I was in the same position as all of you who say you have been going to Orange County beaches for many years and never encountered these nasty bites. I have been in Orange County my entire almost 41 years now and grown up on the beaches. Mainly, San Clemente Pier, Salt Creek and various others. I went to Aliso beach 3 days ago and hadn't been there in over 20 years. I was sitting in my chair with a towel and felt something bite me but didn't see anything. That evening many hours later a saw nasty very bright red bites on my leg. Three of them and it's as if the blood vessels around the bites broke a bit. Very ugly and gross and itchy. I have not scratched them but there were 4 of us at the beach that day and only two of us were feasted on. Three days later, almost zero improvement. I have never had this happen before but KNOW they are there! My boyfriend grew up bodyboarding out beaches and has yet to encounter any bites either. Perhaps it the start of an infestation or just a Laguna problem... Who knows but now I know about these stupid sand fleas. Google them, I've learned a lot about them and they are actually a crustation that is very tiny and sand colored and they suck your blood! Good times.
I have to say I was in the same position as all of you who say you have been going to Orange County beaches for many years and never encountered these nasty bites. I have been in Orange County my entire almost 41 years now and grown up on the beaches. Mainly, San Clemente Pier, Salt Creek and various others. I went to Aliso beach 3 days ago and hadn't been there in over 20 years. I was sitting in my chair with a towel and felt something bite me but didn't see anything. That evening many hours later a saw nasty very bright red bites on my leg. Three of them and it's as if the blood vessels around the bites broke a bit. Very ugly and gross and itchy. I have not scratched them but there were 4 of us at the beach that day and only two of us were feasted on. Three days later, almost zero improvement. I have never had this happen before but KNOW they are there! My boyfriend grew up bodyboarding out beaches and has yet to encounter any bites either. Perhaps it the start of an infestation or just a Laguna problem... Who knows but now I know about these stupid sand fleas. Google them, I've learned a lot about them and they are actually a crustation that is very tiny and sand colored and they suck your blood! Good times.
The bugs are probably from the hot sewer water runoff that comes down to the ocean from the creek. I remember years ago I saw a family swimming in it all excited and smiling about how warm the water is, I let them know that was sewer water, I recall there was a sign there not to swim but must people do not maybe notice or care.
I'm wondering if they're talking about all those little insects that swarm around the kelp that comes onshore.
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Sand Fleas Orange County Beaches
