10 Common Bug Bites You Should Know How To Identify

Sep 12, 2018

Have you been bitten recently by an insect but you don’t know what kind it was? It isn’t always easy to identify the insect that bit you, but it is important to learn the difference in bites as many of them carry and transmit diseases. 

We have put together an easy guide for you that will allow you to identify the insect that bit you quickly and easily! 

A hornet bite will feel red, swollen, and very painful. A hornet carries two poisons, histamine and acetylcholine. If you start to feel coldness in your limbs, breathing issues, or your lips and ears go blue, seek medical attention immediately. 

You will feel a burning and severe itch where a bee has stung you. You may also need to take the stinger out of your skin after the bee bites you. As long as you aren’t allergic you will be fine. But if you are allergic to bee poison, you could have breathing issues that require a trip to the doctor. 

A tick attaches to your skin, drinking blood and becoming bigger. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, encephalitis, and other diseases. When you spot the tick in your skin it will need to be removed immediately. If the red spot from the tick continues to grow and won’t go away, see a doctor immediately. 

If you get stung by a wasp, the area will become red and swollen and you will feel a burning, painful sensation. Itching will occur later. You should only be concerned if you are allergic, as there is a risk of anaphylactic shock if you are. 

A mosquito bite will cause the affected skin to become swollen, itchy, and red. A mosquito will bite the area of the body where the skin is thin so that they can get to your blood vessels easier. Mosquito bites are generally harmless. 

A cleg, which looks like a fatter fly, will leave red spots on the area that they bite. Their bite is also very painful. The spot will swell up and begin to itch. A cleg can transmit anthrax and tularemia but they usually only bite cattle and not humans. 

Many people mistake flea bites for mosquito bites or allergies because the spots are swollen or red. But a flea bite is painful and the itching is worse. Flea bites can transmit many types of serious infections and the victim is typically bit on the legs in their sleep. 

A bed bug bite may first look like a mosquito or flea bite or an allergic reaction. Your skin will become red and swollen and will begin to itch. But bed bug bites are always close together and can look like “roads” on your skin. They are also more painful than mosquito bites. 

Most common ants do not present health risks to humans. But a red fire ant can. If you are bitten by one, a pustule will appear and can later scar. A red fire ant has toxins in their poison that can cause an allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock. A thatching ant’s bite will look more like a mosquito bite. You will feel a burning pain when one bites you and it will be itchy for a very long time. 

You may have head lice if you notice little red dots on your neck, head, and behind your ears. Bites are typically just a few inches from one another and your skin will look pierced. Lice can transmit typhoid and trench-fever and are very contagious. 

We hope this article will help you identify any bites you may get! Let us know in the if you have any other tips for bug bites and show this article to your friends and family!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!