Bug Bites – The Ultimate Guide with Pictures

An unidentified rash of any sort can be cause for concern. Skin rashes and welts can be caused by unusual and rare diseases, parasites, food, or environmental allergies, and of course bug bites. Most of the time, when a bug bites, you know it! You feel the pinch and knock the insect to the ground. However, sometimes, you won’t immediately notice the bug but later notice the bite. This is when the detective work begins. These articles are designed to help you identify what bug bit you and what you can do about it. In addition to detailed descriptions and pictures of bug bites, these articles will describe the habits and characteristics of the insects in question. Circumstantial evidence can sometimes help you identify the bug bite and eliminate the infestation.

There is great variability in how bug bites may appear. Many different insect bites look similar to each other. Bug bites can also look like rashes and environmental allergic reactions. Every person reacts differently to bug bites and an individual’s reaction can change over time. Insect bites are look different on each person, but some common characteristics can help you identify the source of the bite and eliminate the troublesome pests from your home and yard.

Insect bite chart.

Bug Bite Overview

Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on planet Earth. Scientists have identified and named over 900,000 species of insects, with many more still unidentified. Estimating the number of still un-named insects, scientists approximate that there may be between 2 and 30 million distinct insect species. Cumulatively, it is estimated that there are some 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects alive at any given time. With these staggering numbers, it is no small feat that we are not completely inundated with insects and venomous bug bites and stings more common.

The truth is, most bugs would prefer to mind their business and go about their work of building their nest and growing their colony. Very few species of bugs actively prey upon humans. The few insect species that require mammalian blood will bite humans, but most insects survive on nectar or honeydew, vegetation, meat, and other human scraps they find. Bugs that bite and sting people range from flying and creeping insects to arachnids. Some bugs that bite inject venom while others simply pierce the skin and suck your blood. However, most insect bites are because we humans have incurred into their space and most bugs bite because they are protecting their home and nest.

Should I Be Concerned About a Bug Bite

Most reactions to bug bites are minor and require no medical attention. However, some bug bites can cause severe reactions and sometimes even rare and unusual diseases. If you or your child is bitten by a bug, and you are concerned, try to capture the insect. By properly identifying the insect, you will know what signs and symptoms to be on the look-out for. If capturing the insect is impossible, take photographs of the insect, the nest, the location, and the progression of the bite. Most of the time, minor bug bites can be addressed at home with simple first aid remedies, but occasionally a bug bite can have serious consequences.

Most people that experience severe reactions to bug bites have an allergy to the saliva or venom of the bug. Redness, welts, and itchiness are common, but if you experience any swelling, tightness of the throat, or inability to breathe you should seek medical attention immediately. Many people with known allergies carry injectable epinephrine, or an EpiPen, with them at all times. Allergic reactions can result from mosquitoes, bed bugs, bee and wasp stings, and ant bites.

Scratching itchy bites puts you at risk for infection. Children in particular, may have less control over scratching bug bites. When the skin is broken and whitish or yellow pus is oozing from the bite site, the bug bite has likely become infected. To gain control over the infection, this condition should be treated by a medical professional quickly. However, most bites are nothing to be concerned about. Of course, knowing the risk factors associated with the type of insect that bit you, will help you to better manage any short and long-term consequences.

Types of Bugs that Bite

Each species of insect that bites have different characteristics and concerns. Some insects are known to carry and spread disease while others may cause severe allergic reactions. Many insects rarely cause severe reactions, they simply cause irritating red itchy bumps. Below are detailed articles on each insect species that commonly bite humans. If you don’t know what kind of bug bit you, we invite you to explore these articles and review the pictures of the bites. An accurate bug bite identification will allay your fears and allow you to properly treat the bug bite. Nextgen Pest Solutions can help you identify a bug bite, locate the problem pest areas in your home and yard, and treat the bugs that are biting.

Bed Bug Bites

Throughout the centuries, bed bugs have gone by many descriptive names. Scientists refer to bed bugs as Cimex lectularius Linnaeus; Cimex being the Latin word for bug and lectularius the Latin word for couch or bed. The Greeks called bed bugs coris meaning to bite. The Spanish word for bug is chinche, and Spanish speaking people often refer to them as chinche de cama, directly translated to bug of the bed. Aside from multiple curses being thrown their way throughout the years, bed bugs have been referred to as a bed louse, wall louse, wallpaper flounder, night rider, red coat, mahogany flat, and crimson rambler. Whatever name you choose, the bites of these pests can cause many sleepless nights.

Bed Bug Bites on skin (Photo Credit, swap.stanford.edu)

Flea Bites

Best known to pet owners, fleas are a common biting pest that feeds on animal and human blood. Fleas are small – less than 1/10th inch long – making them difficult to spot if they’re in a pet’s fur. They are reddish-brown and have no wings, although they can jump long distances.

In most cases, fleas can come into your home by hitching a ride on your dog or cat, although wildlife pests like rats and squirrels can also introduce fleas. Once on a host or in your home, a flea population can grow quickly. Female fleas lay hundreds of eggs per day around your home in carpet, upholstery, bedding, and in the floor.

Flea bites are often itchy for both pets and humans. If your dog or cat is scratching frequently, it could be a sign of fleas. In rare cases, flea bites can also cause allergic reactions in humans that require immediate medical attention.

Flea bites on skin

Tick Bites

A type of arachnid (loosely related to spiders), ticks are especially risky for their potential to transmit diseases to their hosts. While the appearance of a tick will vary between species and age, ticks are round and small, usually less than ¼” long. They range from medium to dark brown.

In general, ticks live in grass, wooded areas, and in brush, so it is not uncommon to find them in yards. They do not typically travel into homes, but they may bite when you brush by where they are waiting, and as soon as they bite they latch on and do not let go.

Tick attached to human skin.

Mosquito Bites

Allergic reaction to mosquito bites

Spider Bites

Common Appearance of a spider bite. (Source: njaes.rutgers.edu)

Wasp and Bee Stings

Wasp Sting (Source: iastate.edu)

Ant Bites

A biting midge.

Bug Bite Treatment Recommendations

Most bug bites produce minor reactions that can be treated at home with products from your first aid kit. However, seek medical treatment if you experience any of the following:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the lips, throat, or eyes
• Dizziness or light-headed
• Nausea or vomiting
• Rapid heart rate

If you are assisting someone who has any of these symptoms, ask them if they carry an EpiPen. If so, inform emergency medical personnel and follow their advice. Loosen tight clothing and cover the person with a blanket. Do not give them anything to eat or drink. Any person experiencing anaphylactic reactions as described above should be taken to the emergency room as soon as possible.

If a reaction to bug bite is minor, such as a typical mosquito or ant bite, at home treatment is likely appropriate. The first step is to get away from the insect activity to prevent additional bites or stings. If you have stepped in a fire ant mound, get to a safe place, and brush all the ants off of your feet, toes, pant legs, and anywhere else they may have crawled. Once you are safely out of danger, you can begin to treat the bug bites.

• If a stinger is present (a bee sting) remove the stinger with tweezers
• Wash the area with soap and water
• Apply a cool compress, such as a wet cloth or a cloth filled with ice
• Apply hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, or baking soda paste to the bite
• If itching persists, consider taking an antihistamine

Preventing a secondary infection is paramount in treating bug bites. The key to preventing infection is to prevent scratching. Especially in young children, you may need to cover the bites with gauze or band-aides to keep them from scratching the bug bites. In addition to hydrocortisone cream, some natural bug bite remedies may help to alleviate the itch and prevent scratching. One of the most popular home remedies for bug bites is to apply a baking soda paste to the affected area. Combine 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water to create a thick paste. Apply this paste to the bites, pat dry to create a thin film over the bite.

When our body reacts to a bug bite, it produces histamines, which causes the reaction like the red itchy welts. An antihistamine blocks the effects of the histamines, thereby reducing the effect of the bug bite. Antihistamines come in many different formulations, liquid, pill form, nasal spray, and even eye drops, but many people find these drugs make them extremely drowsy. Despite the drowsiness, an antihistamine may be needed to prevent scratching thereby preventing infection.

Generally, mild bug bites are resolved in 3-5 days. If symptoms do not improve and redness or hives begin to spread, seek medical attention.

Pest Control to Prevent Bug Bites

Preventing general household pests around your home and business can keep you from getting bit. If ants, spiders, and mosquitoes are actively being treated and prevented, you are less likely to encounter bug bites. A responsible pest control program not only treats insects in and around your home, but it also implements Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to prevent bugs from getting indoors. Productive use of IPM protocols require modifying the structure and environment to prevent insects from gaining access to our homes and businesses and applying pesticides where appropriate. This environmentally conscious approach to pest control ensures your family is protected from biting bugs. From fire ants to mosquitoes and anything else that stings or bites, Nextgen Pest Solutions has a pest control program to treat whatever bug is biting at your home.

Bed Bug Photos (Rutgers NJAES)

Bed Bugs

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Bed bugs on a ruler. (Photo by Lihua-Lu.)

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One hatched and two unhatched eggs. (Photo by Daniel Jusino.)

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All stages after feeding. (Photo by Lihua-Lu.)

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Bed bugs on a pencil. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Shed skins. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Eggs in a radio cover. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Eggs and nymphs. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Adult bed bug. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Adult bed bug on a ruler. (Photo by Lihua-Lu. )

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Bed bugs on a mattress corner. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Seam of the bed encasement. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Box spring support. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Infested foam pad. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Infested wheelchair. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Underside of an armrest of a sofa. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Underside of an alarm clock. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Toilet seat. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Toilet seat hinges. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Milk crate used to support a bed. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Headboard. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

Monitoring

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An interceptor under a bed leg. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Climbup interceptors under a sofa. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Two weeks after installation. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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An adult bedbug and a first instar nymph in a Climbup interceptor. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Inverted cat feeder for catching bed bugs. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Bed bugs caught in an inverted cat feeder overnight. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

Symptoms

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Bites on neck. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Bites on leg. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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One day after being bitten from bedbugs in a jar. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Three days after being bitten from bedbugs in a jar. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Five days after being bitten from bedbugs in a jar. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Arm, 8 months after being bitten. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Allergic reaction from bed bug bites. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

Treatment

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Treating couch with steam. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Encasement and decluttering. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Applying insecticide dust to an outlet. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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Excessive insecticide dust on the floor. (Photo by Changlu Wang.)

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DDT treatment in 1940s.

what a bug bite looks like on a human body, symptoms of bites

Bedbugs are insects that feed on human blood. Occasionally, they can attack domestic animals, but still human blood is more to their taste. They attack a person at night, biting and leaving itchy swelling in place of the bites. Often they are mistaken for an allergic rash or mosquito bites. If you have suspicions, then clear them up right now…

Bed bugs are insects that feed on human blood. Occasionally, they can attack domestic animals, but still human blood is more to their taste. They attack a person at night, biting and leaving itchy swelling in place of the bites. Often they are mistaken for an allergic rash or mosquito bites. If you have suspicions, then develop them right now and find out from the photo what a bug bite looks like on a human body. We will also talk about the symptoms of bites, show how the bugs themselves look and what to do if you find them in yourself.

What bedbug bites look like on a person. Pictures and symptoms

This is what a very fresh bug bite looks like. This is a small swelling, which over time begins to itch more. The symptoms of a bed bug bite are very similar to those of a mosquito bite. Only finding the first ones is much more difficult.

Two fresh bug bites. Itches!

This photo shows bed bug bites as we find them on our bodies in the morning. These are redness that is often confused with an allergic reaction. If these are red spots scattered over the body in groups or rows, then you definitely need to check the bottom of the sofa for bed bugs. They are also shown in this photo.

You may have an allergic reaction to bed bug bites or a severe skin reaction. In this case, the bites may look like this young man

This is how bedbug bites on a child’s body may look like

Bites already combed by the victim

Photo of bedbug bites on a man’s hand

Girl bitten by bedbugs demonstrates bites on her body

Bed bugs bit a person’s neck 90 003

That’s the danger of sleeping on the bed in an apartment infested with bedbugs

Bed bug bites are often rare because the bug bites several times, choosing the best place to saturate with blood and moving around your body

Fortunately, bed bugs do not spread diseases. But they can ruin your life a lot, depriving you of sleep and self-confidence, sowing these spots on your body.

This is what already healed bed bug bites look like. Reddened spots after their bites are arranged in rows

Girl bitten by bedbugs on the neck

What should I do if I have similar spots on my body?

Check your bed for bed bugs. They most often settle in the folds of upholstered furniture, under the seams of mattresses and in other secluded corners of your apartment. Below we show you photos of bed bug nests so you know what to look for.

Small accumulation of bed bugs in the mattress under the seam. If you find this, then your red spots on the body are not an allergy.

This is what a bed bug looks like, close-up photo

A mattress infested with bed bugs will be covered in dark spots of their excrement and your blood

This is what the bed bugs themselves look like, this photo shows their size well. These are adults who have already drunk a lot of your blood.

This is how a large bed bug nest looks like. Usually these can be found in especially secluded corners of a bed or apartment. The photo shows white bedbug eggs, their discarded skins, excrement and many individuals, both live and barely hatched

What to do if bed bugs are found in the apartment?

You have two options: try to eradicate the bedbugs yourself, or call professional exterminators.

The first path can be long and painful, and the use of chemicals can harm your health. Bedbugs are very cunning insects, hiding in the most inaccessible places, and to destroy them, you need the most effective means, coupled with the experience of breeding them. If you already have experience in dealing with insects, and you only need effective drugs, then we suggest choosing the right one in our online chemistry store. You will also need protective overalls and a special sprayer.

The second way will save your time, money, nerves and health. You simply call an experienced professional who, with a trained eye, immediately sees all the places where bedbugs can hide. The specialist selects the drug for pest control, mixes the drug on the spot and carries out the treatment, after which you forget about bedbugs forever. In severe infestations, up to two treatments may be required. That is how we work.

Dezmission has extensive experience in the extermination of bed bugs. We know the features of drugs and active ingredients in their composition. We will select such a mixture of substances to remove bedbugs specifically in your case. Processing is safe for you, but deadly for bed bugs!

Whatever plan for the destruction of bedbugs you choose, do not delay its implementation. Bedbugs multiply rapidly, and every day they poison your life and rest more and more. Strike back!

How to avoid being bitten by snakes? – Recommendations to the public

Caution is the best way to prevent snake bites.

· Do not walk barefoot in the woods.

· If you are looking for mushrooms or berries, do not push grass and bushes apart with your hands – use a stick for this. A snake disturbed by a stick quickly crawls away.

· Tight jeans, sneakers or boots are sufficient protection against the attack of a venomous snake.

· Do not handle the snake.

It is believed that if a snake is grabbed by the neck, it will not be able to bite. This is a dangerous delusion and such attempts can end in disaster.

The popular belief that snakes are the first to attack a person and jump on him is not true. If you walk past the snake without touching it, it will remain in place or crawl away to the side. But if you step on it or carelessly grab it with your hand, it inflicts a bite.

Being excited and about to bite. The snake curls up in a loop, then with lightning speed throws forward the front part of the body, bites and just as instantly pulls the head back. This rush forward, in the eyes of a frightened person, is represented by the “jump” of the snake.

A snakebite is usually the result of human negligence or an act of self-defense by the snake.

Of course, not all snakes are to be feared. So, out of 2500 species, 270 are poisonous. 10 species of poisonous snakes live on the territory of the former Soviet Union. In Central Asia, these are gyurza, cobra, muzzle. In the steppes of Ukraine, Moldova, the Crimea, the North Caucasus – the steppe viper and muzzle. In the European part of Russia, among the poisonous snakes, the common viper is the most widespread. In the north, it goes beyond the Arctic Circle, and in the south it reaches the Black Sea and Caspian steppes. Inhabiting the forest and forest-steppe zone. The common viper lives in deciduous, mixed forests and swampy areas.

Coloration of snakes varies. More often they are gray or brown, with a dark zigzag stripe on the back. But there are reddish-brown, reddish and completely black, without any stripe. Due to their coloration, reddish and reddish vipers are often confused with copperheads – small non-venomous snakes.

How to tell if a snake is poisonous or harmless?

External signs by which one could immediately recognize a poisonous snake and easily distinguish it from a non-venomous one, in most cases, are absent.

The cardinal difference between them is the presence of 2 poisonous teeth in poisonous snakes, longer than all the others. Inside them or on their surface there are channels for draining the poison, which open outward.

The so-called sting of a snake has nothing to do with a poisonous apparatus. It is a tongue, thin and long, black in color, forked at the end.

When the snake is at rest, it is located in a special place, under the windpipe. A crawling snake constantly sticks out its tongue, examining objects that come across and feeling the prey it has killed from all sides before starting to swallow it.

The bite of a venomous snake can always be recognized by two red dots located at a short distance from one another. These are traces of a puncture of the skin with poisonous teeth. The bite of a non-venomous snake never leaves such spots.

The bite of a venomous snake immediately causes sharp, burning pain, which increases. A bruise, swelling quickly occurs at the site of the bite, and red stripes soon appear along the lymphatic vessels. Almost simultaneously with this, general symptoms of poisoning develop: dry mouth, thirst, drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhea.

According to the effect on the body, snake venoms are divided into neurotoxic and hemopathic.

The neurotoxic poisons characteristic of cobras (asps) predominantly affect the nervous system. In case of poisoning, convulsions, speech and swallowing disorders, and sometimes motor paralysis develop. Death can result from respiratory arrest.

Hemopathic poisons are characteristic of vipers. They disrupt the normal function of the circulatory system by affecting the blood vessels and blood. A characteristic feature of viper poisoning is its two-phase

action on the circulatory system. So, during the first, short phase, there is a sharp increase in blood clotting. The second phase is long, characterized by a sharp decrease or complete loss of blood clotting.

After a bite from a common viper, bleeding sometimes lasts up to 2 weeks.

The victim is experiencing dizziness, weakness, rapid breathing and pulse, and a drop in blood pressure.

When bitten by a venomous snake, the venom enters soft tissues rich in subcutaneous lymphatic vessels. The poison spreads along with lymph – a colorless liquid contained in all human tissues. It is with the flow of lymph, and not blood, that the poison enters the tissues of the body.

It has been established that with a motionless limb, the speed of lymph movement decreases sharply, while during movement it increases many times over.

Hence the first rule of first aid:

The victim should immediately be laid on the ground and the bitten limb immobilized.

After this, the victim must be taken to a hospital or any medical center, where he will be injected with anti-venom serum and other necessary assistance.

The development of various kinds of complications after a bite of poisonous snakes, and sometimes death, depend on the inability to provide first aid and improper treatment.

Methods such as suction, incisions, constrictions, tourniquets, and cauterization are not only useless, but dangerous for snake bites.

They do not delay the absorption of the poison, but sharply worsen the condition of the victim. There are cases when such a “treatment”, and not the bite itself, caused the death of people.

A person who has been bitten by a venomous snake is prescribed strict bed rest, plentiful hot drinks, heating pads are applied to the arms and legs.

Cooling of the body and bitten limbs is strictly contraindicated.

However, it is important to remember that snakes are a source of valuable medicinal products. So, from the venom of the gyurza and the viper, hemostatic drugs are obtained, from the venom of the cobra – drugs that have an analgesic and sedative effect.