Everyone has suffered from those incredibly itchy bites and stings that keep you awake at night. Although some people may seem more susceptible to bites, others may have spectacular and occasionally life-threatening reactions.
This guide gives you a general overview as to what might have got you and suggestions as to the best way to treat the bites and stings to make them more bearable and less of an ordeal.
What Are Your First Steps?
First things first, no matter how tempting it is, please don’t scratch the bite.
Once the skin has been broken the bite is far more likely to become infected. The first sign your bite is becoming infected is likely to be that it gets redder, hot and more itchy. If this is the case, get it seen by a health professional as soon as possible. If the redness tracks away from the bite and spreads across the skin, this could be a sign of cellulitis, which is serious and you should get medical treatment quickly.
Reactions
Anyone can react to a sting.
Usually it is only a local reaction, just affecting the bite or sting itself. If the person who has been stung experiences a local reaction, apply a wrapped ice pack to the affected area and this will help to reduce the swelling and can reduce pain as well.
Antihistamines (Pills or Topical Creams) will also help reduce the reaction and will treat itching and swelling. If you are in pain, you can take paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage it.
Anaphylaxis
If the casualty shows any signs of a systemic reaction or of anaphylactic shock, call an ambulance immediately. Use their Adrenaline Auto-Injector or Epipen if they have one. Remain calm, reassure them and position them appropriately: If they are struggling to breathe, they should sit in an upright position. Putting something under their knees to help increase their circulation can be helpful – into the lazy W position.
The Lazy W Position
If their breathing is unaffected, but they are feeling weak, dizzy, sick and thirsty or showing signs of shock, they should lie down with their legs raised to help increase the circulation to their vital organs. They should stay lying down even if they appear to recover, as sitting or standing up could cause a further drop in their blood pressure. Encourage them to turn their head to one side if they are likely to vomit. Cover them to stay warm and keep them in this position until the paramedics arrive.
Treatment for shock
Bee and Wasp Stings
Bees and wasps are not generally aggressive and don’t look to sting people, however it is extremely common for people to accidentally step on them in bare feet, or for them to fly into us and then sting. When bees or wasps sting a person, they inject venom through their stinger into the skin of the victim.
Wasps, hornets and other stinging insects have stingers without barbs that they retract when they sting, so these insects can sting people multiple times. Bees have a barbed stinger that they leave in the victim’s skin along with the venom sack so they cannot sting twice.
Symptoms:
Most people only experience a localised reaction to bee stings. This area around the skin is red and painful. About 3% of people stung by bees and wasps have an allergic reaction to the sting, and up to 0.8% of bee sting victims experience the severe and life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis – this requires urgent medical intervention as detailed above.
What to do:
If someone is stung by a bee and the sting remains in the skin, quickly flick it out using your thumb nail or a credit card. Try not to squeeze the sting as this can increase the amount of allergen entering the body and therefore increase any possible allergic reaction. The venom sac can take 2-3 minutes to release the venom and so removing the sac promptly can prevent further venom increasing the reaction.
Old Wives’ Tales:
Old wives’ tales suggest neutralising stings with vinegar or bicarbonate of soda (depending on the source) is an effective remedy for wasp or bee stings. They claim that:
- Wasp sting venom is more alkaline and the remedy is neutralising the sting with vinegar to reduce the pain.
- Bee sting venom is predominantly formic acidic so they advise bicarbonate of soda to neutralise it.
Neither of these remedies have any scientific backing and it is more likely to be the power of suggestion than any real benefit that might make people feel better.
To make sure you know what to do and what is the right information, consider our Essential First Aid Course.
Ticks
Ticks are arachnids that live in woodland and grassy areas. They are blood sucking and bite into the skin to feed on blood. Initially they are extremely small, but swell as they eat, eventually becoming pea sized and therefore easier to spot and remove.
You are unlikely to know immediately that you have been bitten as Tick bites do not hurt.
How to spot and remove ticks
This section follows advice from NHS England.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. You can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick. Dispose of it when you have removed it.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
You don’t need to do anything else unless you notice a rash or become unwell.
Never burn the tick off or try and use chemicals to kill it.
Keep the tick in a container to show to the health professionals so they can ensure has been removed entirely. Cover up with long trousers and socks when walking in woodland and long grass and always check yourself, your clothes and your dog for ticks upon your return.
Lyme Disease in Humans:
Bull’s eye type rash associated with Lyme Disease
Not all ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, however it’s still important to be aware of them and how to safely remove them as soon as possible.
Lyme disease is a serious illness in humans, characterised by flu like symptoms, lethargy and aches and pains. 50% of people with Lyme disease develop a classic bulls eye type rash, which can appear on any part of the body. If a doctor can diagnose and treat Lyme Disease quickly, it is possible to make a full recovery. However, otherwise it can cause paralysis, arthritis, meningitis and severe long-term problems.
Lyme disease also very much affects dogs.
Chiggers
Chiggers are mites that are commonly found on meadows, golf courses, woodlands, parks and in grassland around lakes and rivers.
They are members of the Trombiculidae family and are tiny mite-like spiders. They are also known as berry bugs, red bugs or harvest mites.
Symptoms:
- Intense itching.
- Flat or raised red bumps on the skin.
- Bumps can sometimes appear blistered.
Antihistamines and topical anti-bite and sting relief creams can help manage the itching.
Chiggers most commonly bite areas of thinned skin such as wrinkles and warm folds of skin such as the crotch and groin areas, armpits, and behind the knees. The ankles and calves are also common sites for chigger bites. When the chigger bites, it inserts its feeding structures and mouth parts into the skin. They inject enzymes into the host skin that destroy the tissue around the bite and it is these that frequently provoke reactions. The area around the bite then hardens, and they insert a feeding tube, called a sylostome, further into the bite area. They can feed on the skin through this structure for a few days if they aren’t removed.
Mosquito bites
Most of us are familiar with the tell-tale buzz of the mosquito and well aware of the look of these pesky vampiric pests. Unfortunately, we do get them in the UK and our increasingly warm summers are leading to a surge in numbers. Mosquitos feed on human blood and furthermore, they can also carry malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and many more extremely serious diseases.
Mosquitos love stagnant water and breed prolifically when the conditions are right. Only female mosquitos bite humans as females need blood in their diet to reproduce. Male mosquitos have feathery antennae that help them sense the presence of female mosquitos but the males only live for about a week. Females have less bushy antennae and can live for a few months. Female mosquitos have long, tubular mouthparts that they use to pierce your skin and feed on your blood. When they bite you, they inject saliva into your body while suctioning your blood.
Symptoms:
Mosquito saliva contains proteins that most people react to causing a red and itchy bump.
How to Avoid Being Bitten:
Mosquitos sniff their victims out and choose them based on their scent. Many mosquito repellents try to change our smell to make us less appetising to the mosquitoes. You can get patches and sprays and people also say eating large amounts of Marmite can make you less appealing to the bugs.
Ideally use a high quality, insect repellent and cover up with loose fitting, long sleeved clothes and long trousers. Some mosquitos are around more in the daytime, some at dawn and dusk. Deet based insect repellents are widely seen as the most effective.
What to do if Bitten:
Wash mosquito bites and stings with soap and warm water. Antihistamine tablets and topical creams, anti-itch creams and applying an ice pack to the bites should provide relief from itching. Avoid scratching the bites.
It is rare for anyone to have a severe allergic or anaphylactic reaction to a mosquito bite. Therefore, if you develop aching, headaches, or fever after a bite, contact your doctor. These are more likely to be symptoms of a mosquito-borne disease.
Ants
The most common ant in the UK, the black garden variety, does not sting or bite. However, red ants, wood ants and flying ants sometimes do.
Ant bites and stings are generally harmless, although you’ll probably feel a nip and a pale pink mark may develop on your skin. Sometimes the bitten area may be painful, itchy and swollen.
Spiders
Bites from spiders in the UK are rare, but some native spiders – such as the false widow spider – are capable of giving a nasty bite.
Symptoms:
- Spider bites leave small puncture marks on the skin.
- They can be painful and cause redness and swelling.
- Some spider’s bites can cause you to feel or be sick, sweating and dizziness.
- Bites can also become infected or cause a severe allergic reaction in rare cases. Get medical help immediately if you have any severe or worrying symptoms after a spider bite.
Bed Bugs
Bedbugs are small, oval, brown insects that feed on the blood of animals and humans. Adult bedbugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, though, they swell and turn a reddish colour.
Signs of bed bugs:
Usually you won’t spot bed bugs around the house, so it’s difficult to know whether a bed bug has bitten you, or a spider or mosquito. If there are bed bugs in your home, you may spot:
- Spots of blood on your bedding – this could be from their bites or from rolling over and squashing them.
- Small brown spots around the home – their poo.
Symptoms:
- Bedbug bites typically occur on the face, neck, hands or arms.
- They’re typically found in straight lines across the skin. They’re usually in clusters of three to five bites.
- The bites are not usually painful, and if you’ve not been bitten by bedbugs before, you may not have any symptoms.
- If you have been bitten before, you may develop itchy red bumps that can last for several days.
- On white skin, the bites will appear red, however on darker skin they may look purple and be harder to spot.
Treatment
Bed bugs usually go away by themselves in a week or two, but there are things you can do at home to reduce irritation:
- Putting a cool, wet cloth on the bites can ease the irritation and itchiness.
- Keeping the area clean using soap and water reduces the risk of infection.
- Resisting the urge to scratch the bites, because this increases the risk of infection.
It is always best to see a medical professional. A pharmacist may be able to prescribe a steroid cream, or antihistamines.
Fleas
Fleas are minute, irritating insects, that like to feed on our blood and that of our pets. They are a real nuisance and their bites are itchy and sometimes painful. Getting rid of fleas is hard and requires professional pest control treatment for total eradication. Pet owners are most at risk of flea infestations, however it is possible to have fleas in your home without pets.
Fleas are tiny jumping bugs, that are extremely fast breeders.
Symptoms:
- Fleabites are distinctive small, red bumps with a red “halo” around the bite centre.
- Bites usually occur in groups of three or four, or in a straight line.
Fleas like warm moist areas such as the waist, armpits, breasts, groin, or in the folds of the elbows and knees. However, they also nibble the easy to reach areas such as ankles and calves. Fleabites are incredibly itchy, the skin around each bite can be sore or painful and you might develop a rash or hives near the site of a bite. Scratching the bites is very likely to lead to infection.
This is not a comprehensive guide to bites and stings. If you experience any unusual reactions or issues following a bite or sting, please seek medical advice. Wishing you a safe and happy bite and sting free summer!
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Eating Marmite does not deter mosquitoes from biting! I have marmite every day and I still get bit by the pesky critters.
I think it is meant to be the quantity of marmite in your system – we tried marmite based patches on holiday and my son reacted to them. Different preventative measures for different people and different bugs!
Are there mosquitos in Scotland
Yes, although midges also bite and are very common. Unlike mosquitoes you usually encounter them in large groups
Yes! I am in SW Scotland and this Summer in particular they have been awful and the bites itchier I’m sure!
We live in a motel when moved in there were bedbugs not so anymore but we have very teeny tiny looking fleas that bite n get in your hair n stay. What are they
I think I have chigger bites but I am not sure because I keep finding new bites that weren’t there before.
Dont think so I never saw any
I’m getting holes all over my body from midges they are horrible
I got bit in the inner part of my ear, then started to get itchy bumps on my face, and neck. It was extremely itchy at first, I’m not sure what it is
I think I have chigger bites but I am not sure because I keep finding new bites that weren’t there before.
Hello I don’t know wat bit me. The bug is under the skin and out of the bite there’s hair there. Bug is under my skin
I regularly get bitten by anything and everything every summer. Just by stepping outside they’ll
track me anxious take a bite. Mosquitoes have entered my bedroom whilst windows open, and also had one lying in wait for my return. I also get the bullseye rashes, arms and legs, back and chest. Recently I’ve discovered Neem oil and bought a huge bottle of organic. I’ve added this to my normal skin lotions/creams and sunscreen too. It seems to be working and they can buzz around but keep their distance. I’ll report back end of summer. Good luck everyone
Where can I bye this midges biteing me badly Almost like they’re waiting for me And holes everywhere Very frustrating and very depressing and then comes And blood looking worms Tell us you’ve been through this you do not know what it’s like….. I’ve read somewhere that I’m a host Go me I do have a rare blood type maybe that’s why
I know this is a year old but I live in Idaho. Something but me sleeping on ear. It looked like 2 tiny holes in 3 places. I have double pierced ears, between top one which they are closed over and the bottom one. They must have caused blister I really bed it, it was itchy and felt fluid. I’ve kept extremely clean with soap, water and hydrogen peroxide. 3 rd day, they almost seem to go away and then start bothering me again. No fleas, no head lice, not tick, I’m thinking spider as there are 2 tiny holes x 3, any ideas???
I’ve never heard of Marmite deterring mosquitos. Good to know. I will check on the web to learn more. I wonder if Vegemite does the same?
We live in a motel when moved in there were bedbugs not so anymore but we have very teeny tiny looking fleas that bite n get in your hair n stay. What are they
You may have head lice. They ‘glue’ each egg to the base of a hair; they are tiny and brown at first but turn white after hatching. Check behind the ears and nape of neck.
I got stung in my sleep thought it’s a big mosquito bit and after a week of the area staying the same i open the sting area and found a stinger inside, what coupd have stung me? Is there anything other than a bee that leave stingers behind?
Thank you for your message, but I’m afraid I have not idea what might have stung you. There are many different stinging and biting bugs, all over the world.
A tarantula hawk?
Dear Emma,
I’m Mr M. Maclaren. I submitted a text messageto you. I Didn’t know it was email. I’ve been constantly being bitten in my Van mainly, by these minute insect type flies, with transparent wings. I was attacked by them when I was in Spain over the xmas period, and a month ago in Bristol. They seem to be all over the place. Their hardly see-able. They have tiny transparent wings in an almost squarish, oval, type shape. They bite the eye area, especially with the
reflection off my glasses when it catches them. The wings have little orange type suckers on each corner. About five of them. They also glow in the dark. Like an electronic, bright light.They get into the cracks of the glasses so you cant wipe them off. There extremely quick and clever. I can’t believe how quick they are for something so minute.
I have been studying them quite closely, because they stick to my windscreen, with there tiny suckers In there wings. Loads of them. Next to one ,& other.!?!
The other month they morphed into what seemed like an incubatory transparent sack type shape. The head was orange & black, so was the little curl of a body, but both seperate from each other in, as I say this little sack. The wings are transparent, & the bodies like a fine angled slash of tiny rain.!! When they stick to 5he windscreen.
I even wondered, as I’d seen them all over the continent, whether they might be a cause of the conivirus spreading. Cause I’ve never seen these before, and I’ve always had problems believing it’s been spread by Chinese buisnessmen. There seems to be millions of them. Zillions even.! As I say, I’m 70 yrs old, and I’ve never seen, or felt, anything like these before. As the summer has come on & got hotter. They have got fiercer. There Now sticking to my skin to bite. Where as before, when I first noticed them, they were sticking mainly to shiny surfaces ie: car bodywork, or the windscreen.
I’d love to know, any ideas.!!?They really are dangerous, when you’re driving and there attacking you’re eye’s like crazy.!!!?
Yours sincerely. Mr M. MacLaren.
The email: maclarenbarnes@gmail.com
So sorry to hear about the flies that are bothering you. I am not aware of these and so can’t cast any light on what they are. Huge apologies not to be able to help.
What a really helpful site, thank you. Its particularly so being for UK and related to specific instances here.
In addition to showering after being in the garden, however briefly and given the knowledge that these biters like damp moist skin, would a dusting of talcum powder help?
I think the key is to dry yourself thoroughly and wear insect repellent if you are particularly prone to being bitten.
I’ve seen those. Mysterious. I’d get a large wet wash towel and throw it on them when they were resting on the ceiling and I couldn’t reach the ceiling. I got rid of a lot of those little black flybugs. I don’t remember them biting me. We had fleas too. I couldn’t figure out where they came from. Trees outside maybe.
I am not sure if i was stung or stung on the back of my thigh but it has become a really hard slightly raised lump about the size of the main palm of my hand. Its itchy and feels really tight. Any ideas?
Unsure what it is, but it sounds like you are having a bit of a local reaction to it. Try taking some antihistamine, applying a wrapped ice pack and maybe using a little topical hydrocortisone if the inflammation isn’t coming down. If it becomes hot and inflamed, it could be getting infected. In which case get your family doctor to have a look. It may alsp be worth asking someone to see if there is anything in there – such as a stinger that should be removed
I was bit (or stung) on my ankle by a bug that kind of looked like a really small moth while I was sitting still and minding my own business. It wasn’t extremely painful and the wound isn’t very big but I did bleed. Any idea what it could have been, or why it attacked me?
If there is a ‘bite’ taken out of you and the bite site swells up quite a lot, those are usually signs of a horsefly dining on you. Some horseflies species are quite large too.
I have been bitten on my lower legs and ankles. The bites went unnoticed until they became extremely itchy. They itch and they burn and they seem to be spreading beyond the original site, when I scratch. I have tried vaporub and Benadryl. It has been three days. Please help me find out what bit me.
Dear Rose, I think the burning may be due to the vaporub, it isn’t indicated for bites and should not be applied to broken skin. It will be causing a local skin reaction and making things worse. Hope they get better soon. Please see your GP if they are not as they could become infected. Best wishes Emma
This has happened yo me all through summer. So.ething is biting me at night and sometimes in the day. Very random small bites mainly on my ankles. I got two bites in a row on my wrist just before I went to bed. I have no idea what it is. I wear vapour rub to bed to stop them and use a plug in anti bug plug. Nothing is working!!! I use anti bug spray and nothing works!!! Driving me mad
Lice I’d what that could be
I went to my friends house and we hung out in his basement. I noticed when I got home the next day from work I had a bunch of bites on the top of my feet. I had taken my socks and shoes off). They seem to have darkened (reddish purple) and I’m worried it may be bedbugs. I didn’t have any bug bites issues before going to his house, so I’m assuming it originated from there.
I’ve dealt with bedbugs before and I definitely have some rising anxiety over these bites.
I’ve got photos of the bites too if it helps
I was bit (or stung) on my ankle by a bug that kind of looked like a really small moth while I was sitting still and minding my own business. It wasn’t extremely painful and the wound isn’t very big but I did bleed. Any idea what it could have been, or why it attacked me?
Sorry, I didn’t mean to reply to someone else’s comment, I meant to make my own
Hi Emma, for the last 10 days I have been getting bitten at home , I am pretty sure at night time. My boyfriend is fine , we have washed all the bed linen and topper , sprayed the room with a insect killer and thought we were clear . Today 2 more bites appeared in the middle of the day , it’s all on legs and ankles . We have no pets and weirdly despite being a target for most insects I have been fine all summer.
It’s very frustrating as we can’t see anything around , I’ve googled and can only really come up with bedbugs : fleas but not sure my bites look like those in the photos . Be grateful for any advice , thank you
I am so sorry you are getting bitten. Incredibly difficult to pinpoint what it could be, some if these insects are really small, they could be flying insects or ones lurking in clothes
Hi Emma, 2 weeks ago I had 3 small itchy bumps appear on my hip, and since then it has turned into a red puffy and bumpy line that remains to be itchy and just a few days ago it seems the bumps have been spreading. I’ve googled and nothing seems to match up with the marks or rash that has appeared, any advice?
If the bump is spreading and you feel concerned about it definately seek medical adive from your GP.
Hello,
I was playing in the grass with my nephews about 3 months ago and when I got home I saw I had a bite (red mark, circle) on my lower leg. The park is right on the water of the intercostal in florida grassy with small ponds. I noticed in the passing weeks after it appeared that a cluster of 3 began to show up. They now resemble small creators. I have a few on my other leg as well but smaller. I’m freaking out! Do I have a parasite or what?
Please help…
I was bitten last night it sounded like mosquito switched the light on it was my head board looked thin black long body I managed to kill it,have a large lump on my neck which is itchy, I had the same thing a couple of weeks ago on my hip 2 large lumps,am hoping I have killed the only one,no sign in day light.
you are so scary guys.
Hi, last year I had what I thought was a horse fly bite on my lower legs, red and inflamed spot that would not heal kept weeping with puss, and painful surrounding it, this was ongoing for a month before I saw my Doc ( with it only being a small bite I hadn’t thought much of it until it was a month down the line and still not healed and had gotten worse ) was subscribed a course of antibiotics for a week that I had to get again for another week as hadn’t healed completely also was tested for diabetes to rule out why it took so long to heal. Had this happen again in the last week which has confused me as I haven’t been out on walks and not been wearing shorts in that time. same again puss filled spot and red and inflamed around it. My doctor has no idea what it is and again subscribed antibiotics. Do you have any Idea?
James sorry to hear about your bites I had a simlier thing happen to me 5years ago Iwas bitten on my upper thie 4 times which I think was a brown spider such pain when it happened Iwas going to my local surgery 3 times a week for 5 months to have it dressed before it healed up thankfully now fully healed leaving Abigail scar for life I hope yours has too AB
u got bit by a brown recluse by the sound of it
Sorry to be that person, but the first photo on this page is a fly in the family Syrphidae, which does not contain any fly that stings or bites. If I had to guess, I’d say this pretty friend is maybe Myathropa florea. I’ll spare you an essay, but feel free to reply if you’d like to know more.
Thank you for this. The illustration is of the fly that happened to land on my daughter’s hand
Thank you for being that person, Tin! Stuff like this fuels ignorance and makes people unnecessarily afraid of our precious invertebrates.
I keep being bitten at night everytime I stay at my boyfriend but he is never bitten it’s only me and I’m confused what it is as we’ve changed the bed sheets and hoovered
Sounds like fleas, I’m afraid. I don’t have pets but realised that infestations occurred when a friend who does have a cat visited. A responsible pet owner who uses flea treatments. My professional pest control people say that flea eggs can survive on a treated pet, drop off onto clothing or onto carpets and survive for months as egg and then cocoon before hatching. They like the dark and are “activated” by small increases in temperatures (from our toasty bodies) and the presence of carbon dioxide (from our breathing out). I spent thousands of pounds over three years getting rid, but then getting reinvested. Not everyone displays an allergic reaction to flea bites. On the last infestation, I dealt with it myself, but it’s a painful amount of hard work.
1. I used Indorex spray. Buy yourself a good quality mask (workman one, not COVID surgical mask). Keep windows open.
2. Collect all bedding and clothing and put it in black bin bags, to transport to your washing machine. Keep it in the plastic bag till you’re ready to load it into your washing machine.
3. Take your duvets, pillows and cushions (pads and covers) to the launderette or dry cleaners for laundering (NOT dry cleaning). Hand in your “dry clean only” clothes for dry cleaning. Don’t collect anything till you’ve done all the vacuuming and spraying at home, otherwise you have wasted your money and time.
4. Wash all bedding and clothing at 90 degrees. Keep it separate from anything untreated till it’s all done.
5. Vacuum EVERYWHERE in the house and EVERYTHING. Use the narrow nozzle to get into every nook and cranny: where carpets and rugs meet the skirting boards, vacuum seat and back cushions on sofas, plus the nooks and crannies of the sofa itself. Rugs – vacuum the undersides too. Move furniture and…vacuum! Beds – do mattresses and divan bases. Don’t forget the sides of the mattresses and do the reverse sides too. Do hard floors as well as carpets and rugs.
6. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner’s dust bag, even if you intend to do more vacuuming tomorrow morning (although I took the view that I was getting everything done in one day, come hell or high water, but as it was my seventh infestation in three years, and I’d spent £350 on each of the first six professional treatments, I was bloody determined to address this on the basis of nuclear Armageddon). Dust bag needs to go into a plastic bag before you move it to the outside bin i.e. don’t amble around the house with the bag in your hand as you may be dropping eggs around the place.
7. Spray, spray, spray. Everywhere you vacuumed needs to be sprayed. I have a large three bedroom, two bathroom flat, and I used seven cans of Indorex spray. On your mattresses – look for the little ventilation holes on the sides and spray in there too. Spray where skirting boards meet flooring (even hard floors).
8. Scarper for a few hours to let the worst of the spray settle. It is unpleasant and not good for you.
9. Don’t vacuum again for 7-10 days, to let the spray do it’s work. I also (see nuclear Armageddon comment above), used a DEET based insect repellent (“Jungle Formula”) on myself for two weeks, after my shower in the morning and before bed (don’t do this in your bedroom – it’s vile stuff), so that if anything had survived, I wouldn’t be it’s next meal.
My friendship has withered away over the pandemic period but I’m not sorry as I couldn’t keep on seeing her, at home or out – those eggs can shed!!
PLEASE HELP I DONT KNOW WHAT IS BITING ME WHILE IM SLEEPING AT NIGHT. I have ALREADY discovered it is not bed bugs, not flea bites because we have no animals. I feel like it isn’t chiggers because we never really go outside in the grass. But I keep finding bites that usually come in one single bite mostly on my arms and back sometimes my stomach. And they itch but not too bad. They also have a CLEAR COLORED small amount of puss Or whatever it is that’s in the bite.
My husband woke this morning and his right ear lobe is so swollen almost the size of a large grape. He does not have large lobes. On inspection there is a tiny bite close to his head on his ear and when pressed is very hard and painful. Any suggestions
Hello, I wondered if you could help me. I am getting bitten at night whether I am in my bed or on the sofa downstairs. I get this every single year when it gets warmer, I’m in the UK. It’s several new bites every single night without fail but now my 5 year old is starting to get a few too. My partner get non whatsoever.
The bites themselves are tiny little red bumps that itch so intensely that they get scratched off and become raw open sores that still itch continuously. They sometimes appear in small clusters, sometimes they appear to be in a line. Most commonly they are on my ankles and lower legs, second most common place is on the inside of my forearms, but they do appear on my stomach, chest, back, etc. Never do I seem to find them in hot sweaty places like my groin or armpits.
I’ve checked thoroughly for bedbugs and never found a single one. We did have fleas on our cat but the house got treated for them along with the cat, we have checked and never found a single flea and I’m pretty sure we’ve broken the life cycle.
This is making me utterly miserable (it does every year to be honest), but I’ve learned to live with it and have accepted that my legs are going to be a scarred mess, but now it’s starting to affect my daughter I really need some help.
Kind regards,
Andrew
Andrew
See my other reply about fleas. Your bites sound just like mine. Incredible dormancy period for fleas – six months is common, up to 12 months can happen. Your cat could be treated and have fleas or eggs from an infested cat or dog, or dropped ones in the grass, get on-board. The treatments affect the animal’s blood so adults will die once they bite. Eggs will sit there until they are shed onto you, clothing, furnishing fabrics/carpets.
I was also advised to sprinkle a really light dusting of diatomaceous earth onto flower beds too. It’s incredibly finely milled powder which is soft to our touch but at a microscopic scale, it has spikes which puncture the exoskeletons of the adult fleas. I did this in my cellar but didn’t do it in the garden.
Several bites in a line sound like bedbugs. They are hard to find because they can hide in tiny cracks or joints in the furniture rather than the bedding. Usually there are small signs of their presence (tiny black excretions). It’s worth trying a specialist spray on your furniture several times, as once is never enough.
Hello I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if I was bitten or anything but there’s a pain in my left bicep and its kinda like a throbbing pain but not at the same time. Its a sharp pain and it makes my arm flex whenever it throbs harder. I don’t see any bite marks or stings or anything and its not swelling at all but it hurts and I don’t know what to do about it because I put on some pain relieving spray but it didn’t do anything and I’m not sure what it is. I can’t tell if its red or not because I have a sunburn at the moment but it doesn’t look more red than my other arm and its not hot or anything either I just don’t know what to do.
I had went to Ohio for a funeral and when I returned I had bite marks and I thought that they were mosquito bites but this morning I woke up with them a little bigger and I want to scratch them but I don’t and it’s really irritating because I want to itch them. What could it be because they don’t look like mosquito bites because it has a little dent in the middle. What could it be?
Hi
The picture of the tick with the tweezers is very misleading. Even though it is explained underneath how to remove them the picture shows the tweezers holding on to the body.
DO NOT SQUEEZE A TICK
By squeezing them the blood can be squeezed back in to the person and much more likely to infect them. Also removing a tick in this way could leave mouth parts in the bite causing infection.
I found an itchy bite mark on me one morning on my upper thigh. This was weird because I always wear pants at work. I itched it a lot thinking maybe it was just a mosquito bite because I usually get big bumps when I am bit. By the next morning there was a large red hive mark around the now darker red spot in the middle. The red spot in the middle developed a white dot in the middle of that. It was warm to the touch and was painful like a sunburn. I didn’t experience any other allergic reaction outside of the spot itself. I never found a tick or a stinger. My doctor put me on an oral steroid and that brought down the inflammation and it is getting better. But it will forever “bug” me that I never could figure out what was the cause. Could it have been a spider? Could the stinger of something come off with friction?
i went to the beach and then woke up the next morning with small itchy red bumps on my legs. thought they were midge bites at first but one has swollen to the size of a golf ball and theres lots of blood under the surface. it almost looks like a birthmark. and they itch like hell and are only below the knee on my left leg (which was the one hanging off the picnic blanket at the beach). seems too big for a sand hopper or midge, any ideas? (this is june in south wales)
I live in a woodland area and not far from a farm. Last night I was bitten whilst outside. Although it itches I have not been tempted to scratch, but today my leg is swollen and I now have a big blister at the site of the bite and it also burns. What could this be ?
Blister beetle
I have been in my garden in the UK in shorts .I found group of slightly raised red marks in a group.no puss ,mild itch.any ideas
I went to get my dog out the woods bc she went running and Now I have random bite all over me and they hurt and itch
So sorry to hear this. Antihistamine cream is likely to help, hope they get better soon
Why on earth is the first picture a hover fly, who don’t bite or sting??
Please change the photo showing tick removal as it’s wrong and potentially dangerous. Ticks should be removed with a proper tick removing tool. If not available and you use tweezers, then never grab the body/sac as in this photo. 1. You risk leaving the head parts in your skin which can then get infected 2. You’re potentially squeezing bacteria-laden blood back into your bloodstream.
Always remove from the head.
What has been hitting me? Less then a month ago I received 2 bites one in each leg that I just woke up to that itched like a mosqueto bite. As the day went on blisters began to form and then started to wheep! Swelling redness and pain followed went to the doctor was our on antibiotics. Now 2 days ago I received what I thought was just a normal couple of misqueeto bites on my left calf. They itched as normal the first day second day itchieness got worse and bite seemed bigger. All skin around this bite seemed like it felt hot and bumpy! Next day woke up to a large blister, put itch cream on it and covered! Blister popped and now it’s been so crazy itchy and wheepy where the blister was now looks pruned, pussy, dark in color for the most part and a large area around it so itchy. To the point where I have dry skin I can’t help but to go crazy itching it unless I have an ice pack, what is biting me and how can I help the itchiness please
I do have demodex around my eyelids and have not been very successful in getting rid of them, HOWEVER, this comment is about something else.
Hardly a day or night goes by that I don’t get at least on pin prick type bite to various parts of my body including straight in the eye. Usually they hit on my cheek below the eye. It is always a sharp pain but never really seems to leave a mark, my skin gets a bit red in the area of the bite but doesn’t linger or itch for very long. None of my doctors know a thing about such. Any ideas or help?
I still don’t know what bit me on my thighs, legs, arms, and back of my ear. It pains, itches, and it shows no point of any entry like these photos! I have a potted plant next to me, if that is any clue. It is definitely not a bed bug, because I’ve had that happen before. Couldn’t be a mosquito because I was under covers. I am lost. Any ideas would be appreciated.
I have been bitten every night for the past week. I get two to four bites a night. I think it’s bed bugs, but not sure. Can mosquitoes live in doors for over a week? Please help me.
What kind of bug bite is dark red ish and splotchy
My bite / sting is two circular marks half inch apart just above the inner ankle. Didn’t know about it until my leg was heavy and scarlet red right up to the mid calf. Could not put pressure on leg to walk. It’s been two weeks now and still tender.
We are in a motel living we had bedbugs now it’s almost invisible little flea looking insects eating us alive what are they
I have been bitten every night for the past week. I get two to four bites a night. I think it’s bed bugs, but not sure. Can mosquitoes live in doors for over a week? Please help me.
Why do bugs always tend to bite me right on the butt cheeks.. all the time.. or on the outer thigh right at the elastic part of the pants or boxers.. ive been told that the bites are from spiders crawling up seeking warmth.. but i never see any spiders on me or any other bugs, will get like a bid hard mosquito looking bite but mosquitoes couldn’t be the culprit because theyd have to bite through a good thick layer of clothes.. and never feel anything crawling on me, no bed bugs, only spiders i see in my house ever are wolf or parsons spiders and theyre always around 1″ or bigger.. and they both hurt when they decide to bite.. itll wake you up and be a big red spot.. but i wanna know what is getting me randomly around my gibbly bits in the house, with pants on, and in a clean(ish) environment, never see any bugs.. besides the occasional spiders and beetle (not roach but are strawberry beetles).. maybe an ant or two..
i suspect the horse fly is responsible
I live in Ireland, In the last week my head is covered in bites, they are like little mountains on my head, they itch like mad, sorry but i scratched a few they opened up and a liquid came out, have you any i dear what it could be
So sorry to hear this, but I am afraid without being there I can’t help as to what they are. Hope it resolves soon
Why do you have a picture of a hoverfly at the beginning of this post. They are perfectly harmless.
I was going to ask the same question!
Hi all. What can bite us. When we moved into current home around 6 years ago we are bitten on ankles and waist , sometimes arms by something. It happened always between ca 20 July till begin of September. Bites on skin are red and itchy . After about 2 days from spotting red they looks like cracking and later dry out. We can’t spot anything walking or jumping on us. So I don’t think they are fleas or so. Bites are similar I can see on the photo with chiggers bites . On first week of September all is back to normal till next end of July. We have garden and grass , but on other house we had garden too. What can it be and how to treat bites and most important how to remove them from yard and house? TiA
i do not have ay idea what bit me i know for sure or almost am sure it was non of these all of these are either to red to big or to small or just plaint out not it i have no idea what it is it just showed up i think it might be a cyst but its on my ankle and feels like a bite i just don’t know
My husband and I keep getting bitten by something during the night. I’ve checked our mattress and there’s nothing. I change our sheets weekly. The bites are two small red raised bites a half inch apart. I just sprayed our mattress with lavender oil mixed with water. But what type of bite is this?
No mention of ked flies on here – they are becoming more and more common and spread lyme disease, similar to ticks – they also have elasticated bodies and as such cannot be easily crushed – they will chase a suitable host as they cannot fly very far… basically they’re invincible, flying ticks and are bloody horrid!