näessä

Näessä is a Finnish word that primarily refers to a type of biting midge, commonly known in English as a 'no-see-um'. These are small, biting insects belonging to the family Ceratopogonidae. They are characterized by their tiny size, often less than a millimeter in length, making them difficult to see, hence the English common name.

The term näessä can also be used more broadly to refer to the annoyance or discomfort caused by these insects. Their bites can be itchy and irritating, and in some regions, they can be a significant nuisance for people outdoors, particularly during dawn and dusk. While not typically vectors for serious diseases in Finland, their bites can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

In a broader, figurative sense, näessä can sometimes be used metaphorically in Finnish to describe something small, insignificant, or bothersome that is difficult to get rid of or notice, much like the insect itself. This figurative use is less common than the literal reference to the insect. The biological classification of these midges places them within the order Diptera.