Seems the no-see-um bite is pretty sharp.
No, as I lack insurance and my general experience with medical investigations are that they are incredibly inefficient if not totally dismissive of things like this.
Either the diptera involved is a no-see-um relative or the possibility of the "sting" sensation is actually coming from the ejection of foreign matter from under the skin instead of from a sting from the outside. This would seem more plausible given the black specks emerging from the skin and only rare indications of bites on the skin.

Also allergies probably could be ruled out as I have no itching and the "stings" take place at really random times and locations on my body-- fortunately not very many per day.
Neuropathy is such a long-shot that I can't afford to spend money on it right now. More of a longshot than no-see-ums.

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Originally Posted by DeepMysteries

Also allergies probably could be ruled out as I have no itching and the "stings" take place at really random times and locations on my body-- fortunately not very many per day.
Neuropathy is such a long-shot that I can't afford to spend money on it right now. More of a longshot than no-see-ums.

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Are they always on exposed skin? That would support your thesis.

Have not heard back from the Insect Curator yet. Meanwhile, back at the ranch... last night a sharp sting into the heel of my foot through a white cotton sock with at least three TBS of mentholated powder in it. This is what the stinger looked like from the outside of the sock. And a smaller one nearby on the same sock. The visible part of the larger one actually measures 2.5mm.

I also found a small black bug crawling on the inside of my pant leg but *#@*!! It got away!

Both of those are reminiscent of Deerfly parts. The larger looks like the insertion of a wing while the smaller reminds me of a proboscis

Hardly "Invisible".

Does have the patterning, but so much smaller! The large one is only 2.5 mm.

The point is surely I would see deer flies. (Invisible was the heading on this site before I joined)

Soooo.. I see that this forum thread has been accessed more than 400 times --wondering why no one else has any feedback?

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Originally Posted by DeepMysteries

The point is surely I would see deer flies. (Invisible was the heading on this site before I joined)

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If you had stepped down on it as it bit, pieces may have broken off. Note I said the photos resembled parts.

I do believe you have multiple issues in that house. Occam's razor is a logic tool, not an environmental one.

The "scum" you have shown from the water bowl looks a lot like fungal spores. Nothing in my experience hatches that many eggs overnight.

The pyramid shaped protuberances look like blood clots, also known as scabs, over bites.

You mentioned the University of Texas. Austin is aswarm with thousands of bug species in the summer time, as evidenced by all the photos you've posted of different insects.

You mentioned your house is old and has had a rat infestation. Numerous types of mites absolutely love rats' nests.

My best advice is to deal first with the rats, then their nests or burrows.

Then look at mildew and fungi.

Once you have done everything you can to rid yourself and your house of environmental problems, look at medical issues like nutrition and allergies.

A few answers...
There are flying, biting bugs, but none are invisible. No-see-ums do exist, but that is just a common name that refers to their tiny size. You can see um. They are not invisible. When they bite, you know it. Besides being seeing them when they bite, their bite leaves and itchy welt.

(sorry, accidentally posted too soon, see the complete response below.)

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Originally Posted by DeepMysteries

The point is surely I would see deer flies. (Invisible was the heading on this site before I joined)

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First post was by you "invisible flying biting bugs " and now we are into macro flying bugs. Hmmm what is the real issue here?

A few answers... (Click on the links for more information.)

*** There are flying, biting bugs, but none are invisible. No-see-ums are small biting flies in the genus Culicoides, family Ceratopogonidae. but "no-see-um" is just the common name that refers to Culicoides' tiny size. You can see um. It's just that they are very small, but they are not invisible. Besides seeing them when they bite, their bite leaves an itchy welt.

*** Culicoides sp. might upset your stomach is you ate a bunch of them, but they can not infest your intestine in the parasitic sense.

*** Culicoides sp. are common insects that require wetlands to complete their larval development. It is very difficult to control Culicoides, as marshes and rivers are sensitive habitats, that are not easily messed with. Biting-midge management is usually by exclusion and repellent use. Small-mesh screens are req'd to keep out no-see-ums.

This is probably a fungus gnat, but I can't be sure without a specimen to examine more closely. Fungus gnats are not parasitic and don't bite people. Family: Mycetophilidae, order: Diptera, class: Insecta, phylum: Arthropoda

There are similar insects from other families, but this looks like a leafhopper. Leafhoppers feed on plants, not people. Family Cicadellidae, order Hemiptera, class Insecta.

(Again, hard to be sure without a specimen to examine.)

These are not insects.

There is no way anyone can say what that is, from the picture, but it certainly is not fly larvae.

That might be an insect, but picture quality is too poor say for sure.

Those are boogers.

Dude, that is your freakin buttwipe! Myiasis and fly parasites of human intestines are extremely rare.

This is not an insect.

There are probably fungus gnats. Do you have house plants?

I see a leafhopper, a fungus gnat and moths

There is no way anyone can claim these to be insect parts based on these pictures.

I am interested in hearing that you think the diptera looking insects are fungus gnats.

No house plants but possibly mold.

The things you say are not insects -- they are stinging me -- and not like I am stepping on splinters-- the ones in my finger emerged from my finger after feeling a sting and rubbing alcohol over the sting area, the ones in my sock occurred when I was reading in bed and suddenly had a sharp sting. Looking at my sock I saw tiny black dot and slightly larger one-- this is what I saw through the microscope.
Do molds attack people?

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Originally Posted by DeepMysteries

I am interested in hearing that you think the diptera are fungus gnats.

No house plants but possibly mold.

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Good job Locrian--I think you have hit on the fungus gnats id. I have asked many and no one has gotten it.

Now, if there is an ecosystem built up around mold that may have very well invaded my house and body, what else could be attacking me to eat the mold? There seems to be some kind of community between these moths, leaf hoppers and the fungus gnats. But, none of these sting, right? Also something has now infested my cat-- not fleas. So the million dollar question is: what is smaller than a moth, leaf hopper and fungus gnat that may be carried by them and that may be able to penetrate the skin delivering a sting like a small projectile?

This one is still unidentified-- sorry not a good picture.

Yeah, not a good picture.

Locrian. Stay tuned. I found a research paper that answers most of my questions and puts a large section of the puzzle together. I will copy the link to it in the morning. Thanks for identifying one of the key pieces--the first insect of interest.

Where do you live Deep? Could the cat have mange or mites? If you have mould, could this be a reaction from the mould? Cats first explained that "invisible bugs" can be environmental i.e. mould...

Check this out-- it names the fungus gnat as a diptera that can become the myiasis vector! Just what I was looking for.

Close associations: Micro-Myiasis & Morgellons Disease

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Originally Posted by DeepMysteries

Check this out-- it names the fungus gnat as a diptera that can become the myiasis vector! Just what I was looking for.

Close associations: Micro-Myiasis & Morgellons Disease

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Fly-strike from fungus gnats? Sure, why not? Do you think they were released by the Grays or the Greens 150 million years ago?

Meanwhile, this thread has morphed into a discussion rather than a question/answer.

Obviously the grays.

Obviously the Grays.

Obviously Twilight Zone trolling

I vote for the Morgellons.

Biology of various species of diptera, arthropoda, etc. can be identified by rthe inrterior structure usually found in a macrophage, cytoplasm and glycoprotien encasement. Tsetse, Chagas via Rhodius Proxilus, and several Diptera species at a phase of embryogenesis will present a "key" type shape unique to the species. Not a fool proof system ibn the event of polygenesis or other indeced mutations due to medicine and health dieseases such as HIV, diabetes or in the case of coinfection with ticks or fleas (Babesia/Rickettsia) The structure you see here is possible a polygenesis larva.