Ouch! What Bit Me?

A word of explanation:

We were yakking about mosquitos and 'white socks' on another thread and I got this inspiration to write a bit about bugs and added it to the Road Report thread of mine, but then decided it would be best for this subject to have it's own title....So....I moved this post here to start a NEW thread about Bugs that Bite!


NOW..about these pesky bugs...


Many a camping trip and outing has been threatened or ruined by things that bite you. These outdoor and indoor events range from funny to downright life-threatening. Indeed, encounters with biting and stinging critters happen in everyday home life too... (I currently have two bite marks on my tummy..well, forget that ...)


OUCH! WHAT BUG BIT ME?

There are many different types of insects that bite or sting. Some bites and stings, like those from fire ants, wasps, hornets, and bees, are painful. Some can also spread illnesses, such as Lyme disease (black-legged tick), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (dog or wood tick), and West Nile virus (mosquito). The bites of other bugs, such as mosquitoes, mites, and fleas, are itchy and uncomfortable, but usually harmless. Learning to identify a bug bite by how it looks and feels will help you know whether to seek medical attention immediately or treat the skin bump at home.


MOSQUITOS





A mosquito bite is a very itchy round, red, or pink skin bump. Mosquito bites can spread the West Nile virus, though this is rare: Only 1 percent of mosquitoes in areas where infected mosquitoes have been found actually have been shown to have the virus. Still, it’s important to recognize the symptoms, which commonly appear 5 to 15 days after the bite: headaches and body aches, fever, and possibly swollen glands and a skin rash. People with a more severe infection may develop encephalitis, with symptoms such as stiffness in the neck, a severe headache, disorientation, high fever, and convulsions. I had a childhood friend, Patsy, who suffered from mosquito-borne encephalitis for many years.


BED BUGS



It does not hurt when the bed bug bites, but many people develop an allergic reaction to the saliva of the bug usually between 24 hours and three days later, resulting in a raised, red skin bump or welt that is intensely itchy and inflamed. Both the welt and the itchiness may last for several days. Bed bug bites can occur anywhere on the body, but are typically on uncovered areas, such as the neck, face, arms, and hands — and are often found in a row of two or more.


SPIDERS



Most spider bites are not poisonous; symptoms are much like those for a bee sting, including red skin, swelling, and pain at the bug bite site. Some people may develop an allergic reaction, with symptoms such as tightness in the chest, breathing problems, swallowing difficulties, or swelling of the face. A poisonous black widow spider bite can cause a much more severe reaction. The bug bite itself may or may not be painful, but 30 to 40 minutes later pain and swelling may begin in the area and within eight hours you may experience muscle pain and rigidity, stomach and back pain, nausea and vomiting, and breathing difficulties. Always seek medical attention immediately if you could have been bitten by a poisonous spider. A Coyote neighbor was bitten by a black widow...plus stung by a scorpion..all in the same hour. He needed air evac muy pronto.



BROWN RECLUSE



The brown recluse spider is another poisonous spider found in the United States and Mexico. Some people feel a small sting followed immediately by a sharp pain, while others don’t realize they’ve gotten a bug bite until hours later — in four to eight hours, the bite may become more painful and look like a bruise or blister with a blue-purple area around it. It may become crusty and turn dark a few days later. Be sure to seek medical attention immediately if you could have been bitten by a poisonous spider.


TICKS



Some tick bites can be dangerous. Black-legged ticks, formerly known as deer ticks, may carry Lyme disease, and dog ticks may spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). Symptoms of Lyme disease include a skin rash in the pattern of rings, much like a bull’s-eye on a target, that can appear up to a month after the bug bite, fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint aches, and irregular heart rhythms. Symptoms of RMSF include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a skin rash that begins on the ankles and wrists after a few days of fever and later spreads to the rest of the body.


FLEAS



Symptoms of flea bites — which may begin within hours of the bug bite — include a small, red skin rash that may or may not bleed, itching (possibly severe), hives, and swelling around an injury or sore. Flea bites — which tend to be in groups of three or four — are more common on the ankles, armpits, around your waist, and in the bends of your knees and elbows. The rash turns white when you press on it and tends to get larger or spread over time.


BEES



Bee stings cause a sharp pain — much like a shot from your doctor — that may continue for a few minutes, then fade to a dull, aching feeling. The area may still feel sore to the touch a few days later. A red skin bump with white around it may appear around the site of the sting. The area may also itch and feel hot to the touch. If you have been stung before, your body may also have an immune response to the venom in the sting, resulting in swelling where the sting occurred or in an entire area of the body


LICE



Lice bites are tiny red skin spots on the shoulders, neck, and scalp. Because these bug bites are so small, they don’t hurt, but they do itch a lot. Some people may develop a larger, uncomfortable skin rash. Continual scratching of the itchy spots could lead to an infection with symptoms including swollen lymph nodes and tender, red skin. An infected bug bite may also ooze and crust over, and will need to be treated by a doctor.


ANTS



Some types of ants, like fire ants, are venomous. Ant bites and stings are typically painful and result in a red skin bump. Fire ants bite first to hold on and then sting. Fire ant stings produce a sharp pain and a burning sensation and result in a white, fluid-filled pustule or blister a day or two after the sting, lasting from three to eight days. There may also be itchiness, redness, and swelling at the site. Carpenter ants bite and, although they are not venomous, they spray formic acid into the bite, which causes a burning feeling.


MITES



Mite bites do not usually spread disease, but they often irritate the skin and cause intense itching. Itch mites usually feed on insects, but will bite other animals, including people. Their bites usually go unnoticed until itchy, red marks develop, which may look like a skin rash. Chiggers are a form of mite. They bite to inject their saliva so that they can liquefy and eat skin. In response to the chigger bite, the skin around the bite hardens. The surrounding skin becomes irritated and inflamed, and an itchy red welt develops.


SCABIES



Female scabies mites burrow into the skin to lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae come to the skin surface, begin to molt, and burrow back into the skin to feed. This results in a skin rash that may look like acne pimples and create intense itching. The itching tends to be worse at night. You may also notice light, thin lines on the skin where the mites have burrowed. Scabies mite bites and burrow lines are commonly found in the folds of the skin, including between the fingers, in the bends at the wrists and knees, and under jewelry on the wrists and fingers.


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MOSQUITO BITES

Everyone has thier favorite remedies, but here are some things my family has done over the years to treat those common..and itchy.. mosquito bites:

Treatment / Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites

Mild Soap:
Usually hypoallergenic soaps for babies, just rub the soap in the affected area

Garlic:
Rub a piece of garlic in the affected area to prevent swelling

Rubbing Alcohol:
Apply in the affected area to reduce itching

Ice Pack:
Apply in the affected areas immediate relief from itchiness

Vinegar:
Apply directly into the affected area using a piece of cotton

Baking Soda:
Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with few drops of water good enough to produce a paste. Apply in the affected area.

Aspirin:
Crush a tablet of aspirin and mix with a few drops of water to make a paste, Apply in the affected areas

Essential Oils:
Tea Tree, Witch Hazel, Cedar, Lavender Oil.. apply in full strength directly into the affected area

Basil:
Crush a few leaves and rub in the affected area

Lemon:
Slice a lemon and rub or make a lemon juice and apply in the affected area



HOWEVER!...If you live in Alaska, Canada, or Minnesota, forget it...you're doomed without an immediate blood transfusion.

Dracula could not suck your blood faster...

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Now..who wants to see North Dakota? Anybody?..anybody at all? Helloooooo....

[Edited on 9-8-2010 by Pompano]

CHIGGER BITE



Here's what I just read about CHIGGERS...


"I need home remedies for chigger bites STAT!!!

The kids came home from my parents (who live on 7 acres) COVERED in chigger bites. I think my kids must be really sensitive because I never remember being bitten like this (and I lived there for 14 yrs). I know JediBoy is predisposed to skin issues, what with his history of eczema and current allergies. Easily, they each have at least 50 covering them. And they are miserable.

We're dosing them with benadryl, and so far have tried nail polish (which I've always heard as the remedy but after reading more, realize it's pretty useless aside from the alcohol in it); Vick's vapor rub, and Winter Badger Balm (like a natural Vick's). JB is looking worse because he just can't stop scratching. We're calling his allergist in the morning because I'm really afraid of him getting an infection (kids w/ eczema are more prone to staph infections--and though his eczema days are behind him, this could cause a flare at the very least).

I have a laundry list of things to try in the morning, everything from Listerine to pineapple juice. My poor babes will have to wear socks to Judo (open sores on feet plus sports, a HUGE no-no in my book).

It's just so hard to see them grumpy and not be able to fix it. You can bet we're stocking up on chigger prevention before their next visit!! "

So...chiggers join the list of unwelcome bugs!

We have all of the above..in numbers! Bobos are a riot come April-May around our islands in Coyote Bay. (think bird poop)

Go hang out around any island with birds and sit back..then watch The Race of The Bobos..as they run back and forth on the bill of your cap.

Omigoodness... all these bug bites in the morning, I'll be itching and scratching all the day long. Thank you so much, Pompano, for sharing.

nena

OK folks, since I am a public health entomologist by profession I just have to inject a little something in here. I get asked about biting bugs numerous times per day. One thing I can tell you is that in most cases you cannot tell what bug bit you only by looking at the bite. You really need the offending critter in hand to place the blame correctly. We are all unique and many of us react differently to insect bites. Just look around you next time the mosquitoes are out and look how some suffer for days and others are hardly bothered after being bitten. Not to mention, the instant you scratch an insect bite it tends to remove most or all of what little evidence there may have been to blame a particular bug. Find me a person who does not instinctively scratch an insect bite and I will show you a person with no nerve endings or a corpse! If you really want to know what bit you catch the little sucker in the act if at all possible and get it identified. For any of you living in Southern California your local vector control agency probably will do this free of charge (I do several id's a day at my office). For those of you in Baja, you may have to be a bit more creative (post a picture?). The DEET based repellents are still considered to be the most effective for many of the biting bugs but some newer ones are out there now that have received the OK from the CDC (oil of lemon eucyalyptus, picaridin and IR3535). I now exit my soap box and return you to your regularly scheduled bug bashing.........(really, I am totally OK with that!)

Since I was asked about Dengue in particular here is a list of some general advice concerning this disease.

1. The mosquito that transmits dengue in Baja (Aedes aegypti or yellow fever mosquito) is fond of breeding in containers. You would do well to spread the word about dumping standing water. It only takes about a week under warm temps for mosquitoes to mature into adults and it takes precious little water for them to complete development. The eggs of this mosquito can lay dormant for months so after a rain event it can almost seem like the darn things just appeared out of nowhere.
2. This mosquito is also most active during the day and at dusk. Under hot weather they may wait to fly until later in the day but they usually stop biting after it gets completely dark (other species may take over at this point). This means you need to have your repellent on even during daylight hours, especially if it is cloudy and cooler or you are hanging out in the shade. Having good screens on your windows and door entries will help to keep them out of the house.
3. If by some terrible luck you are infected with Dengue, seek medical help quickly and do your best to prevent yourself from being bitten by mosquitoes. Once sick, you are now a source for other mosquitoes to pick up the illness and spread it to others. This is not the gift that you want to keep on giving!!
4. Once you have had dengue don't get too comfortable thinking you are immune now. There are 4 known strains of Dengue and immunity to one strain does not confer immunity to the others. In fact, the research suggests that getting exposed to another strain may increase your odds of getting the more severe form of the disease (dengue hemorrhagic fever....really bad stuff).
5. For much more info than I can post here check out the cdc website at CDC.gov. There is an A-Z index at the top and you can go to the "D" section for info on dengue.

As for bite remedies........I am not a medical doctor so can't really make any recommendations other than to do whatever you can to reduce the itching as that seems to prolong the discomfort. For me, I swat the little bastard into a pulp and then swear a bit for the initial discomfort. Then try to take my mind off it by going fishing or something. Actually catching something helps!

Does 'lighter fluid and an ice-pick' bring anything to mind?