Mosquitos can spread viruses like West Nile, so prevent mosquitos from biting by wearing long sleeves and using insect repellent. Mosquitos like to hang out near water in damp, moist climates. [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Check out the CDC’s ArboNET map to see if mosquitoes are spreading diseases in your area.
Fleas tend to bite legs, feet, calves, and ankles. Check your pets for fleas and notice if they’re scratching more than usual. If you suspect or see that your pet has fleas, get rid of them by giving your furry friend a bath. Try placing aloe vera, honey, or oatmeal on your bites to soothe the itch naturally.
Bed bugs are excellent hiders and love to hitchhike to your cozy bed from luggage, shipped furniture, or packages. If you’ve been bitten by a bed bug and have signs of an infestation, avoid itching the bites and treat your home with an insecticide spray by calling an exterminator.
Recluse spider bites typically have a pale center that turns blue or purple with a red ring around it. The pain usually increases over the first 8 hours. Widow spider bites have a fang puncture mark in the center of the bite and can cause pain and swelling that spread into your abdomen, back, or chest. Hobo spider bites will become hard within 30 minutes of the bite and produce a pus-filled blister. [6] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Wolf spider bites will have 2 fang marks at the center of the bite and can become inflamed. Most spiders enjoy warm, dark, and enclosed environments.
Check your local tick forecast to see where and when ticks are active in your area here. [7] X Research source Take precautions before you go out to avoid a tick bite. Choose an outfit with long sleeves, long pants, and long socks, and use insect repellent. If you do find a tick on you, don’t panic and remove it as quickly as possible with a pair of tweezers. [8] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Ticks can carry Lyme disease, a dangerous chronic illness that can cause debilitating symptoms. If a rash appears in a bull’s eye pattern around the bite, contact your doctor immediately as this could be a sign of Lyme’s disease. [9] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Chiggers thrive in areas with high humidity near moist soil. Chigger bites usually last around 2 weeks, with the most intense itching occurring within the first 24 and 46 hours.
If a fire ant bite triggers more than a small red welt, seek medical attention immediately, as this could be an allergic reaction. Blisters can develop where the bites are after a few hours; a day or so later, the blisters may pop with yellow or white pus. Fire ants are the most common in the southeast United States and are found in colonies or nests on the ground.
Use an insect repellent when you’re near marshes or moist, wet environments to keep horse flies and other insects away.
You may feel a soft tickling sensation on your head as the adult lice move around. If you suspect you have lice, get rid of the bugs by washing your hair with a non-prescription lice-killing shampoo and wash all your clothes and bedding that may have come in contact with them. Head lice are the most common amongst younger children and spread through head-to-head contact or shared infected clothing. [14] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source An overnight coconut oil mask can be a great alternative to get rid of lice if you can’t use chemical treatments on your hair.
If you experience extreme swelling and/or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately, as you could have an allergic reaction. Always seek help if you’ve been stung by multiple bees at once, as this could be life-threatening. Bees can be found around flowered or grassy areas and building walls, and they’re typically passive unless disrupted. [16] X Research source
Yellow jackets often build their nests in tree stumps, attics, or between walls. Basically, any cavity they can squeeze into.
Scorpions typically hide during the day and come out at night; they’re often under rocks and other objects on the ground. They prefer dry, desert areas but can also be found in grasslands and caves.
If you were outdoors near a wooded area, it might have been a mosquito, tick, or spider. If you were near food or garbage, it could have been a fly, bee, or wasp. If you were indoors sitting on the carpet or playing with a pet, it may be fleas. If you were bitten in your bed while sleeping, it could be bed bugs.
Mosquitos usually leave behind a single bite that small and red. Chigger bites are a number of small, itchy mounds lined together. You’ll probably find them in areas where your clothes fit tightly to your body, such as your waistband. Bed bug bites will be itchy red bumps grouped in rows of 2 or 3. Bee stings cause an initial stingy sensation and form a red, swollen welt where the stinger was placed. Fire ants attack the skin all over to create bright red bumps that burn. Spider bites will commonly have 1 or 2 puncture marks and will be paler in the center with a red outline.
If you find the stinger, carefully remove it with the edge of a credit card. Avoid using tweezers, which could push the stinger further into the skin. [21] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source A honeybee dies after it stings you because it loses its stinger. [22] X Research source Hornets and wasps don’t leave a stinger behind, so they can sting multiple times in a row.
This is especially important if you’ve been bit by a tick, as they can carry Lyme disease. Place the live tick in a resealable plastic back, a lidded container, or rubbing alcohol to show your doctor. [23] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Avoid catching a bee, hornet, or other stinging insect when it’s alive, as this could lead you to be stung again.
Never put any medications or creams on the affected area until it’s clean.
Look for creams, gels, and lotions with pramoxine as an ingredient, as these can help control itching. Try making an anti-itch essential oil by mixing 5 drops of lavender, 3 drops of frankincense, and 2 drops of peppermint oil with almond or coconut oil.
The first signs of a serious reaction are often hives, rash, a swollen throat and/or tongue, and trouble breathing.
Notice if you experience new symptoms unrelated to the insect bite, like fever, body aches, or nausea. This could be a sign that an illness has been passed to you by the insect. [29] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Always seek medical attention immediately if you’ve been stung by a scorpion or deadly spider.
