[noh-see-uh
m] 
[puhng-kee] | any of the minute biting gnats of the family Ceratopogonidae. |
| no-see-um (nō-sē'əm) n. See punkie. [Alteration of no see them.] |
| punk·ie also punk·y (pŭng'kē) n. pl. punk·ies Any of various minute, biting flies of the family Ceratopogonidae. Also called biting midge, no-see-um. [Of North American Dutch origin, from Munsee pónkwəs.] |
no-see-um
any member of a family of small, bloodsucking insects in the fly order, Diptera, that are often serious pests along seashores, rivers, and lakes and may attack in great numbers and cause extreme discomfort. The nickname no-see-ums is descriptive, for, although its irritating bite is felt, the female midge is often difficult to find. Biting midges are usually about 1 mm (0.04 inch) long.
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