How do chigger bites differ from other insect bites. What are the most effective treatments for chigger bites. Where are chiggers commonly found. How can you prevent chigger bites while enjoying outdoor activities.

Understanding Chiggers: Tiny Mites with a Big Bite

Chiggers, often referred to as “berry bugs” or “red bugs,” are microscopic mites that inhabit vast regions of the United States, including the South, Great Plains, and Mid-Atlantic areas. Despite their bright red coloration, these tiny arachnids are nearly invisible to the naked eye, measuring only about the size of a salt grain.

Dr. Lee Townsend, Professor Emeritus of Entomology at the University of Kentucky, explains: “Chiggers are a type of immature mite that spend time feeding on small mammals, and also on humans.” It’s important to note that not all mites are chiggers, but all chiggers are indeed mites.

The Feeding Habits of Chiggers

Unlike many blood-sucking insects, chiggers have a different approach to feeding. They don’t pierce the skin to extract blood. Instead, these tiny creatures feast on skin cells and tissue. The chigger’s saliva contains enzymes that break down and digest these cells, causing an uncomfortable reaction in humans.

Identifying Chigger Bites: Key Characteristics and Symptoms

Distinguishing chigger bites from other insect bites can be challenging, as individual reactions may vary. However, certain characteristics can help identify chigger bites:

• Intense itching: Chigger bites are known for causing extreme itchiness, often described as more intense than other insect bites.
• Clustered appearance: Chiggers typically feed in groups, resulting in clusters of red welts rather than isolated bumps.
• Location preferences: These mites tend to gather in warm, moist areas of the body, such as sock lines, waistbands, armpits, and behind the knees.

Dr. Michael Merchant, Professor of Entomology at Texas A&M University, notes: “If you see a pattern of bites only where your sock was, that’s probably chiggers.” This distinctive pattern can be a telltale sign of chigger activity.

Treatment Options for Chigger Bites: Alleviating Discomfort and Promoting Healing

While chigger bites can be incredibly itchy and uncomfortable, they typically resolve on their own within a week, often in just a few days. However, there are several methods to manage symptoms and promote faster healing:

1. Hot shower: Taking a hot shower and thoroughly soaping the affected area can help remove any remaining chiggers and provide relief.
2. Topical treatments: Applying calamine lotion or rubbing alcohol can help reduce itching and discomfort.
3. Cold compresses: Using cold compresses on the affected areas can help soothe irritation and reduce swelling.
4. Oral antihistamines: Over-the-counter antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or cetirizine (Zyrtec) can help alleviate itching and inflammation.

In most cases, chigger bites do not require medical attention. However, if you notice signs of infection or experience severe symptoms, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional.

When to Seek Medical Attention: Recognizing Potential Complications

While chigger bites are generally harmless, there are instances where medical intervention may be necessary. Be vigilant for the following signs:

• Worsening swelling or redness several days after the initial bite
• Fever or flu-like symptoms
• Fluid leakage from the bite site
• Development of a yellow or golden crust around the bite
• Increased pain or tenderness
• Hives, vomiting, or nausea

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to seek medical attention promptly. In some cases, doctors may prescribe topical steroids or even administer steroid injections for severe cases that don’t respond to over-the-counter treatments.

Chigger Habitats: Understanding Where These Mites Thrive

Knowing where chiggers are likely to be found can help you avoid encounters with these tiny pests. Dr. Townsend explains that chiggers prefer specific environmental conditions:

• Shaded areas: Chiggers seek shelter from direct sunlight.
• High humidity: Moist environments are ideal for chigger populations.
• Tall grasses and overgrown areas: These provide ample hiding spots and access to small mammal hosts.
• Forests and wild fields: Natural, undisturbed areas are prime chigger habitats.

It’s worth noting that well-maintained, mowed, or landscaped areas are less likely to harbor significant chigger populations. This information can be valuable when planning outdoor activities or choosing areas for recreation.

Prevention Strategies: Enjoying the Outdoors While Avoiding Chigger Bites

While chiggers can be a nuisance, there are several effective strategies to reduce your risk of encountering these tiny mites:

1. Wear appropriate clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes can create a barrier between your skin and chiggers.
2. Use insect repellents: Apply EPA-approved repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 to exposed skin and clothing.
3. Treat clothing and gear: Consider using permethrin-treated clothing or gear for added protection.
4. Stay on designated trails: When hiking or walking in natural areas, stick to well-maintained paths to minimize contact with chigger-infested vegetation.
5. Shower after outdoor activities: Taking a hot shower and thoroughly washing your clothes can help remove any chiggers that may have attached to you.

By implementing these preventive measures, you can significantly reduce your risk of chigger bites while still enjoying outdoor activities.

Dispelling Myths: Common Misconceptions About Chiggers

There are several misconceptions surrounding chiggers that can lead to ineffective prevention or treatment strategies. Let’s address some of these myths:

• Myth: Chiggers burrow under the skin.
• Fact: Chiggers do not burrow into the skin; they feed on the surface.
• Myth: Nail polish can suffocate chiggers.
• Fact: Applying nail polish to bites is ineffective, as chiggers detach after feeding.
• Myth: Chiggers transmit diseases.
• Fact: In North America, chiggers do not transmit diseases to humans.

Understanding these facts can help you focus on effective prevention and treatment methods, rather than wasting time on ineffective remedies.

The Impact of Climate Change on Chigger Populations

As global temperatures continue to rise, the distribution and behavior of many insect species, including chiggers, may be affected. Some potential impacts of climate change on chigger populations include:

• Extended active seasons: Warmer temperatures may lead to longer periods of chigger activity throughout the year.
• Range expansion: Chiggers may be able to survive and thrive in areas previously too cold for them.
• Increased reproduction rates: Higher temperatures could potentially accelerate chigger life cycles, leading to larger populations.

While the full effects of climate change on chigger populations are still being studied, it’s important to stay informed about potential shifts in their distribution and behavior.

Chiggers and Pets: Protecting Your Furry Friends

Chiggers don’t just affect humans; they can also be a nuisance for our pets. While dogs and cats are less likely to experience severe reactions to chigger bites, they can still be affected. Here are some tips for protecting your pets from chiggers:

1. Regular grooming: Brush your pet’s coat frequently, especially after outdoor activities in chigger-prone areas.
2. Use pet-safe repellents: Consult with your veterinarian about appropriate insect repellents for your pet.
3. Maintain your yard: Keep your lawn mowed and remove overgrown vegetation to reduce chigger habitats near your home.
4. Post-outdoor inspection: Check your pet for signs of irritation or unusual redness after spending time in potentially infested areas.

By taking these precautions, you can help protect your furry companions from the discomfort of chigger bites.

The Role of Chiggers in Ecosystems: A Balanced Perspective

While chiggers are often viewed as pests, it’s important to consider their role in natural ecosystems. Like many small organisms, chiggers play a part in the complex web of life:

• Food source: Chiggers serve as a food source for various predatory insects and small animals.
• Population control: By feeding on small mammals, chiggers may help regulate populations of certain species.
• Nutrient cycling: As part of the decomposer community, chiggers contribute to the breakdown of organic matter in ecosystems.

Understanding the ecological role of chiggers can provide a more balanced perspective on these tiny creatures, even as we seek to avoid their bites.

Advances in Chigger Research: New Insights and Future Directions

Scientific research on chiggers continues to evolve, providing new insights into their biology, behavior, and potential control methods. Some areas of ongoing research include:

1. Molecular studies: Investigating the genetic makeup of different chigger species to better understand their evolution and adaptations.
2. Improved repellents: Developing more effective and long-lasting repellents specifically targeted at chiggers.
3. Ecological studies: Examining the impact of environmental changes on chigger populations and their interactions with other species.
4. Medical research: Exploring potential applications of chigger-derived compounds in medicine, such as anti-coagulants or enzyme inhibitors.

As research progresses, we may gain new tools and strategies for managing chigger populations and mitigating their impact on human health and comfort.

Cultural Perspectives on Chiggers: Folklore and Traditional Remedies

Chiggers have been a part of human experience for centuries, and various cultures have developed their own beliefs and remedies surrounding these tiny mites. Some interesting cultural perspectives include:

• Native American remedies: Some indigenous cultures used plant-based treatments, such as jewelweed or plantain leaves, to soothe chigger bites.
• Asian folklore: In some parts of Asia, chiggers are associated with supernatural beings or spirits that cause skin irritations.
• Southern U.S. traditions: Many folk remedies in the American South involve applying various substances to “suffocate” chiggers, despite this being scientifically inaccurate.

While many traditional remedies lack scientific backing, exploring these cultural perspectives can provide insight into how different societies have coped with chigger infestations throughout history.

Chiggers in Popular Culture: From Myths to Media Representations

Despite their tiny size, chiggers have made their way into various aspects of popular culture, often with exaggerated or humorous portrayals:

1. Literature: Chiggers have been mentioned in novels and short stories, often as a source of discomfort for characters in outdoor settings.
2. Music: Some folk and country songs reference chiggers as part of the challenges of rural life or outdoor adventures.
3. Film and television: Chiggers occasionally appear in nature documentaries or as comedic elements in movies set in wilderness areas.
4. Cartoons and comics: Exaggerated depictions of chigger bites and reactions sometimes feature in humorous illustrations or animated shows.

These cultural references, while often not scientifically accurate, contribute to the public awareness and perception of chiggers as a common outdoor nuisance.

The Economic Impact of Chiggers: Beyond Personal Discomfort

While chiggers are primarily considered a nuisance for individuals, they can have broader economic impacts in certain regions:

• Tourism: Areas known for high chigger populations may experience reduced outdoor tourism during peak seasons.
• Agriculture: Farm workers in chigger-prone areas may face productivity challenges due to discomfort from bites.
• Pest control industry: The need for chigger prevention and treatment contributes to the demand for insect repellents and pest control services.
• Medical costs: While rare, severe reactions to chigger bites can lead to medical expenses and lost work time.

Understanding these economic factors can provide a broader perspective on the importance of chigger management and prevention strategies.

How to Know When It’s a Chigger Bite

Sometimes called “berry bugs” or “red bugs,” chiggers populate large sections of the United States — including all of the South, the Great Plains, and the Mid-Atlantic. Though they’re often bright red in color, chiggers are only about the size of a grain of salt — making them almost impossible to spot either in the wild or on a person’s skin.

“Chiggers are a type of immature mite that spend time feeding on small mammals, and also on humans,” says Lee Townsend, PhD, a professor emeritus of entomology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Dr. Townsend says that there are many different species of mites, but only a few types that bite during their larval stage. It’s these that are referred to as chiggers. “Not all mites are chiggers, but all chiggers are mites,” he adds.

Unlike mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting bugs, chiggers don’t attach themselves to mammals in order to suck blood. Instead, chiggers feast on skin cells and tissue, Townsend explains. But much like mosquitoes and ticks, chiggers can induce a nasty skin reaction. That reaction, he says, comes from the chigger’s saliva, which they use to break down and digest the cells and tissues they devour.

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Chigger Bites Look a Lot Like Other Bug Bites, So Here’s How to Correctly ID Them

As with all bug bites, there’s some person-to-person variation when it comes to chigger bites.

“Different people react differently to bites, so it can be really difficult to tell the difference between bites of things like mosquitoes from chiggers,” Townsend says. Especially if you’re bitten by a lone chigger, the red welt that forms may look more or less identical to a mosquito bite.

But there are bite characteristics that can show up that can help differentiate chiggers from other bugs. For one thing, chigger bites tend to take itchiness to a whole new level. “I don’t know of many things as intensely itchy as a chigger bite,” says Michael Merchant, PhD, a professor of entomology at Texas A&M University in Dallas.

Also, chiggers tend to latch onto a person’s skin in groups. You won’t be able to see them without the aid of a magnifying glass. But you may feel some irritation when they first start feeding. And the resulting bites often appear as clusters of red welts — as opposed to a single itchy lump or a red rash. (1) If you have a swath of itchy skin lumps that looks like many mosquito bites or welts, it’s a good bet you’re dealing with chiggers. (2)

Another characteristic of these bites: chiggers like to gather in areas that are hot and sweaty — like the insides of socks, at waistlines, inside armpits, or behind the knees, Dr. Merchant says. “If you see a pattern of bites only where your sock was, that’s probably chiggers,” he adds.

What Can I Do to Treat Chigger Bites and Relieve the Itching?

While itchy and uncomfortable — not to mention unsightly — chigger bites tend to resolve on their own within a week — and often within a few days. (3) “Once they’re done feeding, [chiggers] drop off on their own,” Townsend says. He recommends taking a hot shower and soaping the area thoroughly. (This can remove chiggers before they’ve had the chance to cause welts and irritation, he says.) Applying topical calamine cream can also help reduce the itch, he adds. So can cold compresses, oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or cetirizine (Zyrtec), and rubbing alcohol. (4)

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Do you need to see a doctor? In most cases, no. “Chiggers can transmit diseases in some other parts of the world, but not here,” Townsend says of domestic chiggers.

That said, chigger bites can put a person at risk for a secondary infection. That could happen if you scratch the bite (or bites) and break open the skin, allowing in bacteria, Merchant says.

If the swelling or redness around a bite is getting worse several days after it first appeared, or if you notice a fever or other flu-like symptoms, those may be signs of an infection. The same is true if the bite is leaking fluid, has developed a yellow, golden crust, or has become painful, or if you’re experiencing hives, vomiting, or nausea — see a doctor. (5)

Doctors can prescribe prescription topical steroids or even inject dilute steroids into intensely itchy bites if you don’t experience relief from over-the-counter options.

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Yes, You Can Avoid Getting Chigger Bites and Still Enjoy the Outdoors

Chiggers usually live in shaded or overgrown areas like forests and wild fields, Townsend says. “They need shelter from the sun and they like high humidity, so they tend to like tall grasses and places where there are mice and small mammals around,” he says. “You’re not going to run into many of them out in mowed or landscaped areas.”

For that reason, keeping yards or outdoor areas well-tended and free of overgrowth and brush are effective ways to keep chigger populations to a minimum. Staying on walking paths — as opposed to making your way through tall grass or wilder areas — is another way to avoid picking up chiggers. (6)

If you’re going to be tramping through woods or picking fruit in a field, those are times when you’ll want to take extra precautions to guard yourself against chiggers. Townsend recommends wearing long pants and tucking them into your socks. “Repellents also help,” he says, mentioning common types like DEET, which is also used to repel mosquitoes and ticks. Be sure to use those repellents on your shoes and lower legs — places chiggers tend to latch on.

And again, taking a hot, soapy shower after you’ve been in chigger-infested areas can help remove them before they cause skin irritation, Townsend says.

Chiggers are a nuisance — and their bites can be incredibly itchy. But if you can resist scratching those bites, they don’t cause any long-term issues or health complications.

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Common Spider Bite Symptoms: Household, Wolf Spider

While some spider bites cause only redness and itching, others are more dangerous. Here’s how to identify spiders that bite — and what to do if you get bitten.

Medically Reviewed

There are more than 50,000 types of spiders in the world. All spiders have eight legs, no wings, and only two body parts: a thorax and an abdomen. They also all have fangs and enough venom to kill the insects that make up their diet. But only a handful of spiders have fangs and venom that can penetrate human skin — including the brown recluse spider, hobo spider, camel spider, wolf spider, black widow spider, and banana spider. Most spiders are harmless and will bite only if they feel threatened. But depending on the spider and its victim, spider bites can cause anything from mild itching and redness to a reaction that becomes a medical emergency. Here’s detailed info on some common spiders and their bites.

The Brown Recluse Spider

The brown recluse spider gets its name from its habit of living in dark corners inside or outside homes, such as in woodpiles, closets, attics, and basements. This spider is more common in areas that have warm and dry climates, like the south and central areas of the United States. The brown recluse is about a half-inch to an inch long, is light brown in color, and has a violin-shaped mark on its back. The distinctive mark gives the spider these other nicknames: the violin spider or fiddleback spider.

The Brown Recluse Spider Bite

The brown recluse spider’s venom may cause burning pain and itching within several hours after a bite. The actual bite may cause a stinging sensation or not be felt at all. The bite has the appearance of a bull’s-eye, with a central blister that scabs and falls off, leaving a small ulcer. Possible symptoms include body aches and fever. Children may be at risk for an allergic reaction to the venom. To treat a brown recluse spider bite, immediately wash it and apply an ice pack. You can also use an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. In most cases, symptoms resolve within 48 hours, but the central ulcer may take weeks to heal.

The Black Widow Spider

The black widow spider is about the same size as the brown recluse spider (a half-inch to an inch long) and also likes dark places. This spider is usually found outside in sheds, barns, or woodpiles. The black widow can be identified by her shiny black color and a red or orange hourglass marking on the underside of her abdomen. Only the bite of the female spider is dangerous. Black widows can be found throughout the United States but are most common in warmer and drier areas.

The Black Widow Spider Bite

The victim of a black widow spider’s bite usually feels it right away, and there may be fang marks and swelling. If you are bitten, you should clean and ice the bite. If the spider has injected venom, you may experience muscle aches and cramps that spread from the bite area to the rest of the body. Possible symptoms include nausea, difficulty breathing, and weakness. If someone bitten by a black widow spider experiences muscle cramps, emergency medical care may include blood pressure medication, muscle relaxants, and, in rare cases, antivenin — a biologic product created to counteract the effects of a spider’s venom. Serious reactions are rare, but are most common in children or very elderly people.

The Hobo Spider

The hobo spider is not native to the United States. It arrived in the northwest from Europe and is now common in California, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The spider is about one-half inch long and has long legs that allow it to move quickly on the ground. Its upper body is brown and its abdomen is grayish with yellow markings. The hobo likes to live in cracks or holes both inside and outside.

The Hobo Spider Bite

The hobo bite resembles the brown recluse bite, with a central blister that scabs and ulcerates, surrounded by a ring of swollen discoloration. Within an hour after the bite, the hobo spider’s venom can cause a numbing sensation and muscle or joint aches. After about three days, a black scab falls off, leaving an open, slow-healing type of wound.

The Wolf Spider

The wolf spider is common all over the United States. It doesn’t weave webs, and it gets its name from its habit of stalking prey like a wolf. The wolf spider is brown or gray in color and can be 3 to 4 inches across. Because some wolf spiders are large and hairy, they are sometimes mistaken for tarantulas. The female may be identified by a white egg sac that she carries with her. This spider prefers to live outdoors on the ground in loose sand or gravel, but it may wander indoors and be spotted running across the floor.

The Wolf Spider Bite

The wolf spider’s bite can cause pain, redness, and swelling. Its large fangs may tear the skin, which can become infected and cause lymph nodes to swell. Treatment of a wolf spider bite includes cleansing and icing. Swelling and pain can last up to 10 days, but medical attention is usually not necessary unless the victim is a small child or someone who is sick or elderly.

The Camel Spider

Camel spiders are sometimes called wind scorpions or sun spiders, but in reality, they are neither scorpions nor spiders. They belong to a group of desert creatures called solpugids, and they have elongated bodies that make them look more like scorpions than spiders. The name, derived from Latin, means “escape from the sun.” In the United States, camel spiders can be found in the deserts of the southwest. They are light brown in color, can be up to 5 inches long, and can run at about 10 miles per hour — often making a screaming sound while doing so.

The Camel Spider Bite

During the Iraq war, soldiers described huge camel spiders that seemed to run at them in a screaming attack mode. In reality these creatures, though scary in appearance, are not dangerous to humans, and if they run at someone, they are probably just seeking shade in the person’s shadow. They do not have any venom and do not bite except in self-defense. A bite is very unlikely and would not be dangerous to a person if it did happen.

The Banana Spider

The banana spider is found in warm regions of the United States from North Carolina through the Gulf states. It lives in woodlands and forests and produces large, intricate orb webs that glow golden in the sun. The female has a long shape that resembles a banana. She can be about three inches long and has yellow spots on her tan cylindrical body and brown and orange tufts on her legs. The male banana spider is an inconspicuous dark brown and less than an inch long.

The Banana Spider Bite

The banana spider is often confused with the Brazilian wandering spider, which is found among bananas shipped to the United States from South America; neither spider is native to North America. Although the Brazilian spider bite can be dangerous, the banana spider bite is not. Banana spiders will bite only if held or pinched. The bite produces mild stinging and redness (similar to a bee sting) that quickly goes away.

6 dangerous insects: blister beetle, scolopendra and others

Rights and safety while traveling

07/31/20

This summer, many of us will travel to Russia – and for sure it will be an unforgettable experience.

Arina Prokofieva

biologist

At the same time, it would be nice to do without seeking emergency medical help.

We have collected dangerous insects that can greatly spoil the experience of the trip.

How to quickly recognize an insect

To find out the name of a bug, download the Google app (iOS/Android), click on the colored square in the search bar, and point your camera at the insect.

As a result, the system will recognize the insect and display its name. See how it works:

Bug beetle

Latin name. Mylabris quadripunctata.

Special signs. Bright red, yellow and green are more common. The body of an adult beetle is large – about the size of the phalanx of the index finger.

Blisters stay on plants singly or in groups of 2-4 individuals. Source: pavelazarov / Instagram

When you can meet. May – August.

Where you can meet. Distributed in the Southern and North Caucasian districts, in the Krasnodar Territory and Southwestern Siberia. Blisters inhabit mainly steppe regions and savannahs; they can also be found in deserts and semi-deserts.

What is dangerous. A beetle may fall on a person from a tree or collide with him in flight. The beetle has in its blood – its scientific name “hemolymph” – the poison cantharidin is present. When stressed, the blister secretes a small amount of cantharidin.

The poison can damage the skin: a burn in the form of a watery bubble forms at the point of contact. Most often, the hands, neck, and face are affected. If there are wounds or scratches on the skin, the burns will be worse.

If the beetle, and along with it, cantharidin, gets into food, intoxication may develop. During the first 10 minutes after the use of cantharidin, burning of the lips, oral cavity and pharynx begins. Sores may form in the mouth, and the tongue may swell. Then nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are added to this, accompanied by pain in the abdomen.

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How to help the victim. A person who has accidentally eaten a bug needs to wash his stomach: drink several glasses of water and induce vomiting. If cantharidin gets on the skin, disinfect it with chlorhexidine and try not to damage the blisters so as not to bring infection and dirt.

How not to get hurt. Do not pick up blister beetles, and even more so do not crush with your hands and feet: there is a risk of accidentally coming into contact with poison.

Scolopendra

Latin name. Scolopendra cingulata.

Special signs. Scolopendra is a large brown centipede and about 12 centimeters long: about the size of a smartphone or the average human palm.

As a rule, centipedes sleep or hide under rocks or in cracks during the day, and come out at night to hunt insects and small lizards

When available. April – August.

Where you can meet. On the eastern coast of the Crimean peninsula.

What is the danger. Scolopendra is especially dangerous in early spring, when its glands fill with poison. Usually centipedes avoid meeting with a person and bite only if they are picked up. On a scale of pain, a sting is equivalent to 10-15 bee stings.

Bites are not only painful, but also provoke general malaise, and the mucus secreted by insects causes burning, itching and irritation of the skin. The bite site swells, the temperature rises sharply to 38-39degrees, chills and body aches occur. The severity of symptoms depends on the size of the centipede and the amount of poison injected, but one bite will not lead to death.

Symptoms last up to two days, then the temperature begins to subside, and the swelling at the bite site decreases. Scolopendra bites are most difficult for children and adults with allergies.

How to help the victim. Wash the bite site with soap and water and treat the skin with an alcohol antiseptic or hydrogen peroxide to avoid getting infections under the skin: there could be earth particles on the legs of centipede.

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You can smear the wound healing ointment on the bite site. If the skin is swollen, apply a cold compress to it. Over-the-counter antipyretics such as ibuprofen or paracetamol will help relieve pain and bring down the temperature. If an allergic reaction develops – the bitten area swells and hurts – you need to take an antihistamine.

If discomfort persists for more than two days, see a doctor.

How not to get hurt. If you notice a scolopendra on your clothes or body, do not make sudden movements, do not shake it off and do not try to slap it: this will make it angry. It is necessary to contain the panic and let the scolopendra leave on its own, or gently push it off with a stick raised from the ground.

Check things and shoes carefully before putting them on. If you spend the night in nature, inspect the backpack, tent and sleeping bag each time before use.

Asian giant hornet

Latin name. Vespa mandarinia.

Special signs. Can be about half the length of an adult’s index finger. The sting of the giant hornet reaches 6 millimeters. Unlike bees, which leave a sting at the site of the bite, the hornet uses it repeatedly.

Usually hornets use this weapon when attacking bee nests to feed on larvae

When available. May – August.

Where can you meet. In the Primorsky Territory, in the south of the Khabarovsk Territory and in the Jewish Autonomous Region.

What is dangerous. The venom of the giant hornet contains an extremely toxic substance, mandorotoxin. It is most dangerous for those who are allergic to bee or wasp venom: one bite is enough for a fatal outcome.

Severe pain immediately occurs at the site of the lesion. At the point of impact of the sting, a dense white blister of a small size appears. A red spot and swelling quickly spread around. The most dangerous places for a bite are the tongue or the neck area. With swelling of the larynx, the access of oxygen to the respiratory tract is blocked – the victim may suffocate.

The hornet’s body also contains a pheromone that attracts other individuals and makes them act aggressively towards humans. About twenty hornet stings can kill an adult even without an allergy to poison.

How to help the victim. Rinse the bite with cold, clean water and apply an ice pack or cold water to the skin. This will reduce the pain and slow the spread of the poison. If a hornet has stung your wrist or finger, you need to remove all rings and bracelets from your hand: it can swell up a lot.

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The victim should be given water to drink – this will reduce the concentration of poison in the blood.

If the victim gets worse or is known to be allergic, take them to the doctor or call an ambulance immediately. When breathing stops, you need to start doing artificial respiration and continue until a doctor is nearby.

How not to get hurt. If possible, stay away from flowering plants, as wasps and hornets can be found next to them. Also, hornets often fly for sweets, so do not leave drinks and food open.

The only way to escape from the attack of a swarm of hornets is to run for cover: it can be a tent or a car. As a last resort, dive into any body of water. You need to dive into the water with your head, holding your breath, and periodically emerge to inhale. When emerging, create more splashes to scare away the hornets. After a few minutes, the insects will lose interest in you and fly away.

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Water scorpion

Latin name. Nepidae.

Special signs. Actually, it’s a bug. The water scorpion is named so for its external resemblance to a scorpion: its forelimbs are like claws, and behind it is a long tail process. The body of a water scorpion is flat, similar in shape and color to a withered leaf. At the rear end is a breathing tube, which can be mistaken for a sting. In reality, the danger lies ahead.

Water scorpions are 2 centimeters long. They live in stagnant water, lakes or rivers with a very slow flow of water and a large amount of algae and reeds. They lead a rather passive lifestyle, sometimes going down to the depths to hunt

When you can meet. In the bathing season.

Where you can meet. Throughout Russia.

What is dangerous. Grabs the skin very painfully. Having noticed its prey, the scorpion with a swift maneuver exposes the front pair of legs, similar to the jaws, and grabs the prey – a person can play this role. The legs of the insect bend at the joint like a folding knife and can cut the skin to blood.

The scorpion lives along the shore, as coastal plants have insect larvae, tadpoles, and fish fry on which it feeds. But sometimes it can sink to a depth greater than human height. If a scorpion injures a person’s arm or leg while swimming, the limb may cramp – and it will be much more difficult to get to the shore.

What to do if bitten by a tick

What to do if bitten. If you are bitten at depth, scream to get people’s attention. If a cramp appears after a bite, then get out of the water as soon as possible. If it is far from the shore, act like this:

1. Change the position of the body: if you swam on your chest, roll over onto your back, and vice versa. This will reduce the load on the muscles affected by cramps.
2. If the cramp is in the hand, quickly and forcefully clench your hand into a fist, pressing it to yourself, then throw your hand away from you and open your fist. Repeat this action several times until the cramp is gone.
3. If your shin is cramped, try to bend over and grab your foot with your hands, and then pull your foot by the toes towards you, straightening your leg.
4. If your hip is cramped, wrap your arm around your ankle just below the ankle. Then, with force, pull the leg with your hand back towards your back.
5. It is more convenient to perform all these manipulations while lying on the water on your back.
6. After getting out of the water, apply chlorhexidine to the bite and apply ice to relieve pain and swelling.

How not to get hurt. Try not to enter stagnant water that is overgrown with reeds. Don’t swim alone, or at least don’t swim far from shore.

Red wood ant

Latin name. Formica rufa.

Special signs. 7 to 14 millimeters long, red-brown.

Red ants live in anthills of various sizes. They can be found almost anywhere in nature

When can be found. From the second half of May to the middle of September.

Where to meet. In the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and in the forests of the temperate zone of Northern Eurasia.

What is dangerous. Ants carry pathogenic bacteria that can cause various diseases in humans, such as typhoid fever or cholera. During a bite, an ant releases a small dose of acid, which causes a red spot to form in this place, sometimes a small blister.

Pain does not exceed the pain of a mosquito bite. Itching and irritation on the skin usually disappear after 3-5 days.

How to help the victim. Clean the bite with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. To relieve redness and reduce pain, ice wrapped in a cloth can be applied to the skin. In pharmacies, you can buy an antihistamine ointment, such as Fenistil or its analogues. In case of a severe allergic reaction, when swelling and extensive redness the size of a palm develops around the bite, contact a dermatologist or allergist immediately.

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How not to get hurt. Do not leave food or sugary drinks outdoors or in a tent. Ants smell water and sweets and come to dine in large groups.

Check for ants on your feet when you walk in the forest or in places where anthills are found, including underground ones – they look like small holes in the sandy soil. Shake insects off of you to prevent them from biting.

Mosquitoes

Latin name. Culicidae.

Special signs. Mosquitoes can look completely different, and large size does not always mean danger.

Here is a centipede mosquito, it does not bite humans and animals at all, but the townsfolk are more afraid of it than of its blood-sucking relatives. Mosquitoes are especially numerous in the evening near open water bodies, because they need water for reproduction. During the day in sunny weather, they almost do not appear

When you can meet. At the end of May – beginning of September.

Where you can meet. Throughout Russia.

What is dangerous. Female mosquitoes need protein to reproduce, so they suck the blood of animals and humans. Piercing the skin, the mosquito inserts its proboscis into a blood vessel and secretes saliva. The proteins in its composition cause an immune reaction in a person, which is manifested by itching and swelling. Combing the skin after a bite, you can bring an infection into the wound and provoke the development of an abscess.

Mosquitoes also carry parasitic and infectious diseases: malaria, West Nile fever, eastern equine encephalitis, tularemia. They are not often found on the territory of Russia, but such cases do happen.

How to help the victim . To reduce itching, apply a damp cloth or ice wrapped in a cloth to the skin. If discomfort persists, apply calamine zinc oxide lotion to skin.

Medical attention is needed if swelling develops after a bite, blisters appear. Give the victim any over-the-counter antihistamine for allergies, and lubricate the bite site with an anti-inflammatory cream with a glucocorticosteroid. Any one sold in a pharmacy without a prescription will do.

How not to get hurt. In nature, especially in the forest, in the shade, cover open areas of the body, use deterrents: sprays, creams, combustible coils and fumigators.

Red spot on the chest looks like a kidney bite: maybe it’s cancer?

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If you have a red spot on your chest that looks like a kidney or a bug bite, this could be one of them. This area may be the result of an infection, allergic reaction, or other skin irritation.

Most types of breast cancer do not cause red patches on the breasts. There are several species that can, but are rare.

Let’s take a look at these unusual types of breast cancer and other conditions that can cause red spots on your breasts, as well as signs that you should see a doctor.

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Can a red spot be a sign of breast cancer?

This is not common, but sometimes a red spot on the chest can be a sign of breast cancer.

Inflammatory breast cancer (BCC) is rare and affects the eye. 2 to 4 percent of breast cancer cases.

A small red spot that strongly resembles an insect bite or rash may be an early sign of IBV. This type of breast cancer is aggressive. By the time they are diagnosed, they usually involve the lymph nodes.

Another rare type of breast cancer is called Paget’s disease. This makes the eye 1 to 4.3 percent of all breast cancers. In some cases, this can cause a red lesion on the nipple or areola that may look like an insect bite or eczema.

Other symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer

When you think of the signs of breast cancer, you probably think of a tumor. IBC differs from most types of breast cancer in that it usually does not involve a palpable tumor, at least in the early stages.

You may not have any symptoms at all as long as the lymph vessels are not affected. Signs and symptoms of IBC include:

• chest tenderness or pain
• itching
• redness
• swelling
• skin sensitive to touch
• leathery or swollen skin that looks like an orange peel
• skin that looks like a rash, rash or bruise 90 180
• flattening or inversion of the nipples
• swollen lymph nodes in the neck or under the arms
• one or more lumps in the breast

Other symptoms of Paget’s disease of the breast

Paget’s disease begins with lesions of the nipple or areola. It may progress into the surrounding skin. Signs and symptoms of Paget’s disease may include:

• thickening of the lesion
• redness
• itching
• tingling
• bowl nipple inversion or inversion
• yellow or bloody nipple discharge

How to tell bug bites from pimples and cancer

Insect bites may look like pimples or rashes. They appear suddenly and are usually itchy. Here’s how to recognize the bites of some beetles on the chest:

• Flea bites look like small red bumps arranged in three groups.
• Mosquito bites are swollen white-red bumps.
• Bedbug bites are groups of three to five zigzag bites.
• Scabies they look like tiny bumps or blisters that form fine, irregular cracks. Itching worse at night.

Although pimples most often appear on the face, back, shoulders and chest, they can also appear on the chest. Here are a few ways to recognize chest acne:

• White heads appear as protrusions just below the surface of the skin.
• Black dots are darker bumps on the surface of the skin.
• Papules are small pink bumps that may be slightly sore.
• Suspension looks red at the bottom with pus at the top.
• Nodules are large hard bumps that form deep in the skin. They may be painful.
• Cysts are deep bulges filled with pus. They may be painful.

Red spots on the chest due to cancer can occur as follows:

• MBC. Rash with swelling, itching, itching and changes on the nipples.
• Paget’s disease. Thickening of red patches, usually on the nipple or areola. You may also have:
  • scabs
  • scaling
  • nipple discharge
  • other nipple changes

Other possible causes spots on the chest.

Infection

Anyone can develop a breast infection, but most infections tend to occur in breastfeeding women.

Mastitis is an infection of the milk ducts. Usually affects only one breast. Concomitant symptoms may include:

• headache
• high fever
• flu-like symptoms

Rash

Nettle affected 20 people at some point. I can jump anywhere, including on the chest.

These raised red bumps are the result of an allergic reaction. They usually itch and turn white when pressed. Nettles can come and go quickly.

Atopic dermatitis

This condition, also known as eczema, causes redness, swelling and flaking of the skin. Atopic dermatitis can flare up, go into remission, and flare up again.

When to See a Doctor

Acne can be treated with home remedies and over-the-counter skin care products. If this happens again, consider seeing a dermatologist treat.

Many insect bites go away on their own. Others, such as scabies, require treatment.

Whatever the cause, see your doctor if you notice signs of infection or if red spots or bumps remain.

Do not ignore symptoms if:

• have a personal or family history of breast cancer
• increased risk of breast cancer
• suspected breast cancer

Seek immediate medical attention. Early diagnosis and treatment makes cancer treatment easier and usually leads to better outcomes.

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have a red spot on your chest.