Here’s a Great Way to Help Those Nasty Bug Bites

Whether you’re in the water, on a mountain trail, or in your backyard, the wildlife you encounter have ways of protecting themselves and their territory.

Insects such as bees, ants, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, wasps, and arachnids may bite or sting.

The initial contact of a bite may be painful. It’s often followed by an allergic reaction to venom deposited into your skin through the insect’s mouth or stinger. Most bites and stings trigger nothing more than minor discomfort, but some encounters can be deadly, especially if you have severe allergies to the insect venom.

The insects you should recognize and understand depend very much on where you live or where you’re visiting. Different regions of the United States are home to many of these creatures.

The season also matters. For example, mosquitoes, stinging bees, and wasps tend to come out in full force during the summer.

Mosquito bites

• A mosquito bite is a small, round, puffy bump that appears soon after you’ve been bitten
• The bump will become red, hard, swollen, and itchy
• You may have multiple bites in the same area

Flea bites

• Usually located in clusters on the lower legs and feet
• Itchy, red bump surrounded by a red halo
• Symptoms begin immediately after being bitten

• The itchy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to the bite of a bedbug
• The small rashes have red, swollen areas and dark-red centers
• Bites may appear in a line or grouped together, usually on areas of the body not covered by clothing, such as the hands, neck, or feet
• There may be very itchy blisters or hives at the bite site

• Painful, itchy rashes are caused by an inflammatory reaction at the site of the fly bite
• Though usually harmless, they may lead to severe allergic reactions or spread insect-borne diseases
• Take precautions when traveling to endemic countries by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants and using bug spray

Chigger bites

• Painful, itchy rashes may be caused by an immune response to the bites of tiny mite larva
• Bites appear as welts, blisters, pimples, or hives
• Bites will generally appear in groups and be extremely itchy
• Chiggers bites may be grouped in skin folds or near areas where clothing fits tightly