Dealing with Insect Bites: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

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What is an insect bite or sting?

Insect bites – also known as bug bites – are small skin wounds or punctures caused by an insect’s mouth. They aren’t the same as insect stings – these happen when an insect punctures your skin with a special ‘stinger’ on the back of its body and injects a poison (called venom) into your skin.

What insects bite and Sting you?

Wasps, bees, ants, mosquitoes and fleas are among the most common biting or stinging insects, but most insects and spiders can bite or sting you. What do insect bites and stings look like?

Are insect bites and stings serious?

Most bites and stings aren’t serious, but if you’re allergic to a specific type of bite or sting, they may trigger a life-threatening reaction that needs immediate treatment. Wasps, bees, ants, mosquitoes and fleas are among the most common biting or stinging insects, but most insects and spiders can bite or sting you.

What happens if you get bitten by an insect?

An insect bite will leave a puncture wound in the skin. The type of insect that you are bitten by can determine what type of reaction you will have. Insect bites will usually clear up in a day or two without any further treatment. See this biters infographic about the most common biting insects and how to prevent being bitten.

Are insect bites poisonous?

Most insect bites and stings are not poisonous, and are usually caused by mosquitoes, flies, fleas, spiders, ticks, wasps, bees and beetles. In Australia, it is rare for insects to transmit diseases to people. When this does happen, it tends to be in remote parts of the country.

Do insect bites cause allergic reactions?

As a rule, the size of a reaction from repeated insect bites (such as mosquitos) is larger in early childhood then slowly reduces as the child gets older. All insect bites may cause allergic reactions. The size of the reaction also depends on the degree of allergy your child has.

What Is Insect Bites

1. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/insect-bites-and-stings
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/bug-bites
3. https://www.prevention.com/health/g33011148/common-bug-bite-pictures/
4. https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Insect-Bites
5. https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/bites-insect
6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174229
7. https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-insect-bites/basics/art-20056593
8. https://www.poisonsinfo.health.qld.gov.au/bites-and-stings/insect-bites-and-stings
9. https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Insect_bites_and_stings/
10. https://www.health.com/condition/skin-conditions/insect-bites

Insect Bites Information

1. https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au/Factsheets/Bites-and-Stings-Factsheet.aspx
2. https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/insect-bites-stings
3. https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-au/home/injuries-and-poisoning/bites-and-stings/insect-bites