Ouch!
Bug Bites: Not Just a Nuisance

It only took a few painless moments.  But now you have itchy bug bites everywhere.  What do you do now?  If it’s really uncomfortable you may reach for the calamine lotion, but most people don’t think much about it after that.  That is until weeks later when they come down with the “symptoms!”   The problem is that weeks later you don’t remember the bite and now the doctor is performing all types of tests on you.

Our intentions aren’t to provide you the skills to self-diagnose yourself but rather give you some potentially life-saving information.  For example, you a have a bull’s-eye shaped rash, the doctor might prescribe you some skin ointment until you point at that one week ago you removed a deer tick from that exact area.  Now the doctor’s action plan changes.  Knowledge is power.  And it’s time for you to get empowered!  Learn more about lyme disease here!

Technically, all mosquitoes are harmless.  Technically.  Mosquitoes spread the viruses and parasites that actually do the damage.  No matter which way you look at it this little pest are dangerous!  According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), each year there are more than 500 million worldwide cases of malaria with 1 million deaths related to the disease.  The life cycle of this disease causing parasites and others like it are quite complex.  This makes attempts to control and prevent outbreaks quite problematic.  Learn more about malaria here!

In addition, new insect-borne diseases continue to emerge.  In 1999, West Nile virus was first recorded in New York.  The virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, caused a serious outbreak (7 deaths) and was a warning to the potential for similar outbreaks in the Western Hemisphere.  Pesticides have been used to prevent vector-borne diseases as part of an integrated pest management approach.  Track the spread of West Nile virus in the US here!

Identifying bites of insects and spiders based on the immediate bump that develops is pretty difficult.  What you can do is figure out the bite based on the bodies response.  For example, look what happens with certain spider bites here!  Flea bites aren’t as gross but can sure leave their marks.  While you’re at it check out bee stings and the allergic reactions they sometimes invoke.

Bed Bug Bites are such a problem that we’ve devoted a separate section just on their history and life-cycle.

Not all insect bites are bad and cause allergic reactions. 
Fly maggots are used in modern medicine to actually help wounds heal.  Also, learn how an bug bites used in forensic science!  In fact there is a whole field of forensic entomology devoted to using insects to solve crimes.  See what we’re talking about here!  

Finished learning about bug bites? Return home and keep exploring.