Derry locals fear return of mystery bugs after summer relatively free of painful bite

Some theorise the warmer summer may have killed them off, while others expect return of the ‘Ballykelly bugs’ in weeks ahead

Locals in a Co Derry village are braced for the return of an insect responsible for painful bites plaguing the area over recent years.

This comes after the local council drafted in an expert last year to investigate the cause of the apparent problem, as people took to social media to complain of extremely painful bug bites.

And some Ballykelly locals say they now expect the problem to crop up again in the coming weeks, after a summer that some have said was relatively free of the notorious ‘Ballykelly bite’.

READ MORE: Expert says he has identified culprit behind the ‘Ballykelly bite’ insects plaguing locals in Co Derry villageREAD MORE: Former WWII airfield in Co Derry could become ‘logistics hub’ if Heathrow gets third runway, says MP

Last year, a consultant entomologist brought in by the Causeway Coast and Glens council pinned the blame on a female mosquito known as ‘Culiseta annulata’.

Expert Paul Moore, in a statement to Belfast Live in October 2024, proclaimed the “specimen responsible has been identified”.

The insect specialist said Culiseta annulata is “one of the most common species (out of 18 species on the island of Ireland) found in the rural environment.”

He added: “They normally enter a hibernation state during the winter months in cold dark spaces but can ‘wake up’ if the ambient temperature increases enough.”

One of those who has been impacted by the problem in the past is mum-of-two Niamh Costello, a nurse who works in a care home near Limavady.

“I had skin infections and cellulitis from bites on a number of occasions,” she told Belfast Live. “I required antibiotics and even treatment in hospital. I’ve since moved out of the area and I haven’t had any problems with them since.”

The issue was first brought to public attention by the ‘Ballykelly’ Facebook page last year, with locals complaining of having been “bit stupid by bugs”.

And this year, the page prompted further discussion when one person messaged to ask: “What happened to the Ballykelly bugs this year?”

The commenter wrote: “Last year I was tormented. And clearly so were many others. This year I haven’t had to go searching for sudocreme once. What happened that was different? Was it the better weather?”

Several people responded to predict the return of the dreaded Ballykelly bugs in the weeks ahead.

One commenter wrote: “They come in September, October it’s etched into my brain. I got ate alive.” The commenter described the bites as “horrendous” and said one mark left by the bugs on her scalp was particularly painful.

Entomologist Paul Moore last year said that still water is linked to the local mosquito population.

“From early spring and through the summer months, mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water,” he said. “Any source of still water can produce a mosquito population. Water butts, garden ponds, discarded tyres, drains, drainage ditches are all likely candidates.”

One Ballykelly commenter theorised that the warmer summer this year might have reduced their ability to reproduce.

“I think the heat killed them off and [there] was less stagnant water lying about for them to breed in,” she wrote, adding: “Thank f**k”.

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