Whether you are at home or abroad, knowing how to treat insect bites is essential.

As Simon Worrall quite rightly says: “Without bugs, we might all be dead” and most people in the UK are genuinely concerned about the decline of bees and other pollinating insects.

But, naturally, we don’t like to be bitten or stung by insects, whether we are at home or abroad, even if they are a fundamental part of our eco-system.  And with 1.4 billion insects per person in the world it is very clear that not all insects are created equal. While we may appreciate the need for many of those bugs, some seem little more than a plain annoyance.

In the UK, we are very lucky because although insect bites can be unpleasant, particularly for younger children, the localised pain does not normally last long or cause any real problems for the majority of people. Sadly, though, some people do have severe allergies, sometimes that they are not even aware of, and in such cases insect bites could lead to anaphylaxis which is a medical emergency and potentially life-threatening.

If you are abroad, there may be different insects to contend with and/or there may be different species which may be more challenging.

Whether you are at home or abroad, understanding the diversity of symptoms so that you are treating insect bites appropriately and recognising any potentially unusual and/or severe reactions is absolutely essential.

In this post, you’ll learn more about insect bites, symptoms, treatments, and the dangerous bugs you should avoid at all costs – whether you are at home or abroad.

Symptoms

Symptoms of insect stings and bites range from mild to severe. Whether you’ve been bitten by a wasp, fly, or mosquito, you can usually feel a slight or major itch or pain on the bitten area. The infected skin might also swell or turn red. These signs are common, mild, and can heal in a couple of days.

When Do You Need Urgent Medical Attention?

Meanwhile, there are also more severe symptoms, such as vomiting, swelling of face, nausea, abdominal cramps, and breathing difficulties. The injured person might also feel dizzy and confused. Or they might even faint. Should these signs happen, be sure to call for professional help and avail of emergency care.

First Aid Treatment

Insect bites or stings are pretty common. And almost everyone has had a close encounter with pests in one way or another. When the need arises, follow these steps when treating insect bites with mild reactions:

1. Move away from the insect infestation.
2. Get rid of the stinger.
3. Wash the bitten area with water and soap.
4. Wrap a cube of ice with a wet cloth and apply it on the affected skin. This will reduce swelling, itch, and pain.
5. Apply calamine lotion, bicarb soda paste, aloe vera gel, or hydrocortisone cream to ease the itch or swelling. Do this several times every day until the symptoms are relieved.
6. Consider taking an antihistamine to ease the itch.

Mild insect bite symptoms usually go away within two days. But feel free to visit the doctor if you want to speed up the healing or there’s something extremely unusual about the bite or affected area.

Insights for Specific Insect Bites

The toxicity of the sting or bite depends on the insect and the age or existing allergic reactions of the person. Take note of the following bite characteristics for specific insects:

• Scorpions – Children and infants are more likely to experience severe symptoms (e.g., nausea, drooling, breathing difficulties, and muscle twitching) than adults.
• Wasps – The bitten part and the surrounding area will swell, itch, and turn red. Wasps can also bite multiple times.
• Black Widow Spider – Considered as one of the dangerous insects, the black widow spider leaves a red bite area with a white centre.
• Brown Recluse Spider – The bitten area could be itchy or painful for 2 to 8 hours after the venom enters the skin. The bite could also cause complications, such as haemolytic anaemia, body aches, and vomiting.

List of Deadly Insects

Yes, pests, bugs, and insects play a crucial role in the ecosystem. But some creepy crawlers could still cause major threats to health despite their smallness. Be sure to steer clear from the following pests – they are some of the most unforgiving and dangerous:

1. Sydney Funnel Web Spider – Anti-venom for this insect was discovered in 1981.
2. Bullet and Fire Ants
3. Deer Ticks – This insect carries diseases, such as babesiosis and Lyme disease.
4. Black Widow and Brown Recluse Spiders
5. Asian Giant Hornets – This insect is also called “murder hornet.”
6. Indian Red Scorpion – This insect’s potent venom could kill a person in less than 3 days if left untreated.
7. Mosquitoes – Mosquitoes are carriers of many life-threatening diseases, such as yellow fever, West Nile virus, and dengue.

Intentional Biters to Stay Away From

Many insects attack only if they feel threatened, especially if their infestation area is disturbed. However, there are also intentional biters, such as mosquitoes, fleas, and bedbugs. This is also true for some species of mites (scabies mites and chigger), flies (black flies and horseflies), and lice (head and public lice).

Insects could be found almost everywhere, be it outdoors or inside your bedroom. So, you better be careful!

Treating insect bites is one of the first aid skills you need to learn to save yourself and your loved ones from the wrath of pesky pests.

Image credit: Image by skeeze from Pixabay