What bug has bitten me? These are the differences in insect bites – Diario de Sevilla

One summer night you find yourself on a terrace with friends enjoying the sea breeze and a nice dinner. However, despite the idyllic setting, not-so-pleasant companions begin to arrive: flies, mosquitoes, spiders, wasps…; all of them are recurring visitors during this season, and you will not get rid of them since you will find them on the beach, the mountains, the pool and even inside your own home. Some of their bites may go unnoticed and harmless, but others can become infected, cause an allergic reaction, or even spread disease, such as malaria or Lyme disease. Often, the body’s immediate response simply includes redness and swelling at the site of the bite. However, toxic substances act locally or systemically, depending on the type of insect, the amount of toxic substance and the response of our body. To know how to act and that this does not lead to a major problem, in this article we compile the symptoms of the most common insect bites and we explain how to differentiate them in order to remedy them. DIFFERENCES In summer, these bites are part of our daily life. Also the buzzing of the mosquitoes that cause it, especially when you are about to fall asleep. At first, it is not worrying, since the only symptom it produces is itching and inflammation in the area of ​​​​the bite (generally in the extremities). It may become more irritated and a small blister-shaped rash or hive may appear. The bites disappear after a few days, although they itch until then. The most common solutions are to apply cold, wash it with soap and water, or apply baking soda. There are also antihistamine creams. These tiny beings normally feed on the blood of other animals, including our pets. Therefore, it is common that they also jump to humans. They usually act in groups, so small red bumps usually appear, in groups of three or four, in a straight line. It is usual that they also produce a lot of itching. It should be added that fleas can cause allergic skin reactions, such as urticaria, but papuloerythematous lesions are more common. You can wash them with soap and water, apply calamine lotion or anti-itch cream. Both bites are a summer classic. Experts in making us nervous and hanging around our tables. Unlike the inconspicuous and silent mosquito bites, the sting of both species causes intense pain. We will also notice redness, heat and significant swelling in the area for one or two days. The inflamed area is crowned by a small central dot and a white mark that indicates where the stinger has pierced the skin. The difference between bees and wasps is that the former can only sting once. These bites, which are not stings as is thought, are the most difficult to differentiate from those caused by mosquitoes, especially in the early stages. Its bite differs from other stings because it has two puncture marks, from the fangs, and the reaction is manifested by a single raised papule, pustule or wheal followed by redness and tenderness. We refer to common spiders, which do not pose a risk to humans. However, there are certain types of spiders (the black widow, the hobo spider, the funnel web spider (Australia), the wandering spider (South America), the tarantula or the wolf spider) whose bites can be more serious and even become life-threatening. Ticks are critters that can attach to you as you walk through bushes, plants, and grass. Once attached, ticks often travel to warm, moist places on the body, such as the armpits, groin, and hair. When they attach to our skin, they do so very tightly and begin to suck our blood. Most tick bites are painless and cause only minor signs and symptoms, such as a change in skin color, swelling, or a skin sore. They also cause a larger reddened circle around the original bite. On the other hand, some ticks transmit disease-causing bacteria, including Lyme disease, tularemia, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.