How to treat the bites and stings of summer

Summer sun typically means lots of leisure time spent outdoors—but summer isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, it also comes with insect stings and bites. Unfortunately, pleasant picnics are crashed all too often by bees, fire ants, or mosquitoes. While most of the time bites and stings are simply a nuisance, they can be dangerous. 

“In some, bug bites may trigger a severe allergic reaction, marked by dizziness, throat closing, swelling, and/or diffuse body itching,” says Lili Barksy, MD, an urgent care physician at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should visit the emergency room.

You may be able to treat all other bites at home—but it’s important to know what you’re working with.

Common bug bites and how to treat them

It’s likely you know the usual suspects in your area, like mosquitoes or red ants, but if you’re somewhere new, it’s good to know what to watch out for. Here, learn about common summer critters, how to prevent them from biting you, and how to treat a sting if you get nipped.

Bees and wasps

To put identification simply, bees are furry and wasps are not. Some of the more common wasp species include the yellowjacket and the hornet. Yellowjackets nest underground while hornets can be found in paper-like nests that are attached to trees.

The biggest difference between these fliers is bees only sting once (and will leave their stinger embedded where they stung) and wasps can sting many times. After getting a wasp or bee sting, you’re likely to encounter a local or allergic reaction.

• A local reaction includes symptoms of immediate pain, redness, swelling at the site of the sting, and itching around the sting site. Treatment for a localized reaction typically only requires wound care like cleaning and possibly an antihistamine or anti-itch cream to help with itching, redness, and swelling. Before treating, make sure the stinger is removed from your skin if it was a bee.
• An allergic reaction includes difficulty breathing, red itchy rashes spreading to areas beyond the sting, swelling of the face and throat area, anxiety, rapid pulse, and dizziness. To treat an allergic reaction, you can take Benadryl or get an injection of epinephrine depending on the severity. If you don’t have an EpiPen on you at the time of an allergy attack, seek emergency medical help immediately.

Mosquitoes

Fun fact: Only female mosquitoes bite, and they can be hard to avoid in the summer. Mosquito bites itch so much because when mosquito saliva enters through the skin, our body recognizes it as a foreign substance triggering a histamine response that leads to itching. While it can be annoying, a mosquito bite is fairly harmless, says Niket Sonpal, MD, a New York-based internist and an adjunct professor at Touro College. You’ll likely see a small red bump from the bite, itchiness at the site, and swelling around the area. “Just keep the affected area clean, and with an anti-itch cream or antibiotic ointment,” Dr. Sonpal says. You could also try a soothing ointment like aloe vera or diphenhydramine topical cream for mosquito bite relief.

RELATED: How to prevent malaria when traveling abroad

Fire ants

Fire ants can be either red or black and are found within a building’s walls or mounds of soft soil. But beware if you find them! Disturbing a fire ant’s nest will most likely provoke the insects to retaliate in an aggressive swarm.

Symptoms of a fire ant bite include: 

• A burning sensation 
• White blisters on the skin
• Immediate pain
• Itching lasting several days

You can treat fire ant bites with home remedies or medications that help with itching, such as hydrocortisone cream. Some people have allergic reactions to fire ants. “You should get medical help if you start feeling dizzy [or have] unbearable pain or difficulty breathing,” Dr. Sonpal explains.

Ticks

Typically found outdoors or near animals, ticks are common in the United States. Bites can lead to more serious conditions if the tick is a carrier of a variety of diseases depending on the location. These conditions include Lyme disease, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia. In cases of Lyme disease bacterium, the ticks must be attached 36-48 hours or more before transmission—which is why it’s important to treat a tick bite right away. To remove a tick, use tweezers and pull in an upward motion.

Symptoms of a tick bite are typically minimal, including a red spot, sore, or minor swelling where the tick was located. Symptoms of a tick-borne illness are more severe and may include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache or neck stiffness
• Muscle or joint pain
• Distinctive rash

If you develop any of the symptoms of a tick-borne illness, it is important to seek medical attention.

RELATED: How to avoid tick bites

Fleas

Fleas can be a year-round problem for pet owners, but they cause an even bigger problem in summer as their reproduction cycle is faster in the warmer months. Flea infestations can happen when fleas live in the carpet or yard, sometimes even without a pet. Fleas jump around and are a nuisance to pets and humans alike.

Symptoms of a flea bite include:

• Small, red bites found in clusters 
• A small red ring around the bite
• Bites appear most commonly around armpits, ankles, knees, and skin folds
• Itchy skin that can become sore or painful

Anti-itch creams like Benadryl itch stopping cream can help alleviate any itching associated with the bites. It is important not to scratch flea bites because this will increase their chances of becoming infected.

To avoid an infection near bites, Dr. Sonpal says to “clean the site and cover the bite with antibiotic ointment.”

Spiders

Spiders are another critter more frequently seen in the summer months. While most spiders found in the U.S. are not poisonous, they can still leave painful bites. The two poisonous spiders to watch out for in the United States are the brown recluse and the black widow. 

Symptoms of a spider bite vary between the type of spider but can include:

• Pain, itching, or rash at the site
• Purple or red color blister at the site
• Fever or chills
• Muscle pain and cramping
• Headaches
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sweating
• Difficulty breathing

Treatment for a non-venomous spider bite will be to clean the area with soap and water, elevate the area, and use an ice pack or a cool, damp cloth to reduce pain and swelling. If itching is present, use a cream or take an antihistamine such as Benadryl. If the bite does not improve and it begins to swell, seek medical attention.

Chiggers

Chiggers, or scientifically, trombiculid mites, are small critters from the arachnid family that enjoy living in grassy areas. Typically, chigger bites happen in the lower body where clothing hits, like at the ankles when wearing socks or around the waistband of pants.

Symptoms of chigger bites include:

• Bites in clusters 
• Intense itching 
• Red, bumpy skin
• Hive-like rash

Chigger bites will heal after a week or two, but you may want to use anti-itch cream. If men are bitten in the groin region, they can get summer penile syndrome. This causes difficulty urinating but will also subside after a couple of weeks.

7 home remedies for bug bite relief

Many bug bites can be treated at home since treatment is mostly to help alleviate itchiness or inflammation. Here are a few methods to try:

1. Ice packs or ice, used as a cold compress, can help decrease inflammation or swelling of the bug bite.
2. Aloe vera—from a plant or bought at the drugstore—will help soothe and decrease itchiness and irritation when applied to the bug bite. 
3. Honey, while it may not soothe the skin, will help relieve inflammation and help keep infection at bay. 
4. Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to decrease irritation and itchiness. Make it into a paste with water or try an oatmeal bath to combat itchy bug bites. 
5. Vinegar has anti-infective properties. You can swipe some on the bites with a cotton ball if you’re concerned about potential infection. But keep in mind this will likely burn.
6. Calamine lotion can help soothe skin and provide itch relief. You can purchase it over the counter at the pharmacy or find a DIY recipe online using a baking soda paste to make a homemade version.
7. Essential oils can soothe bug bites as well. Tea tree oil and lemongrass oil can help clean and reduce swelling. Lavender can relieve pain and basil essential oil helps prevent infections. Additionally, peppermint and menthol oils soothe stings and burns and have antimicrobial properties that reduce the risk of infection, which is why toothpaste is a popular home remedy for bug bites.

For all bug bites, it’s important to keep itching at bay. “Insect bites/stings may become super-infected, especially with excessive scratching for itchiness,” Dr. Barsky says. “Signs to look for include increasing redness or swelling spreading from the original bite, discharge from the wound and/or fever.”

If infection does occur, it is important to visit your healthcare provider as you may need antibiotics.

How to prevent bug bites

There are several ways you can avoid bugs’ attention altogether before getting bit or stung. David Samadi, MD, of St. Francis Hospital in Long Island, suggests the following tips:

• Before heading outdoors, always put on an insect repellent that contains 20% to 30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing. This should repel mosquitos and ticks along with other bugs.
• Any exposed skin should be covered if hiking in a wooded area or going out at night. Long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks, and closed-toe shoes (no sandals) create a barrier between your skin and bugs.
• Try to wear white or beige clothing as stinging insects are attracted to bright colors.
• Avoid wearing cologne, perfume, or hair spray—mosquitoes will think you’re a flower and want to land on you.
• Once you come back indoors, check your body for ticks or signs of bug bites; remove ticks immediately and treat bug bites as necessary.

“Keep in mind, too, that generally stinging insects will only go after you if you bother them or their nests or hives,” Dr. Samadi says. “If you don’t bother them, they will not bother you.”

If you’re concerned about bug bites while sleeping, try a mosquito net and use an air conditioner as many bugs do not like the cold.

If you get bitten this summer, especially if you have an allergy, get the right prescriptions at reduced costs with SingleCare’s savings card.