The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FLEABITE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
F
L
E
A
B
I
T
E
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FLEABITE mean?
FLEABITE noun- The bite of a flea, or the mark caused by such a bite.
- Something which causes only trifling irritation; a minor inconvenience.