If you packed extra Deet, lavender oil or blowtorches to keep the bugs away at this year's Burn, you can make room in your bags for something else. (Well... keep the blowtorch. It is Burning Man, after all.)

We went straight to the playa's mouth and got some good news: The bugs are making their way out. 

The official Burning Man blog took to the internet to quell participants' fears, saying,

"So are there bugs in Black Rock City? Yes. Due to unseasonably wet weather, the grass on the hills is unusually verdant, and that’s resulted in more bugs showing up in the desert than usual. There are green beetles called stink bugs (so-called because they emit a coriander-like odor when disturbed), mosquitos, and gnat-like seed bugs called Nysius. One entomologist reports that they might be causing skin irritations not because they’re biting, but because they’ve likely been eating mustard seed, which has been proliferating in the region recently, and the mustard oil irritates the skin when the bugs are smashed."

But despite the rampant rumors, these bugs are more of a mild nuisance than a full-blown infestation that should cause any major concern with Burning Man participants."

Images of thick, bright, green and brown creepy bugs have been popping up all over social media and national news outlets this week, causing a panic amongst attendees who are only a week away from their desert voyage. Although the initial uproar was not unfounded, the volume of bugs is decreasing. 

Visitors to Burning Man should remember, however, that they're in the desert and its inhospitable environment is well-documented. Bugs are unusual, but these things do happen. You can prepare by wearing lighter-colored clothing, using mosquito repellent, and preparing for insects to be attracted to your el-wire and bright lights at night.

As a parting reminder, BM organizers want to "remind you that Radical Self-reliance is a thing. We tell you every year to be prepared for damn near anything, and this time? We’ve got a new, interesting challenge. Welcome to it. We’ll see you on playa."

We'll see you there.