Don’t Bug Me! How to Be Prepared for Biting and Stinging Insects

Are you ready to deal with biting and stinging “bugs” you might encounter on a hike, at camp or just when you’re outside? Here’s info about some of them, including how to avoid them.

Ticks and Chiggers

What they are: Ticks aren’t technically insects — they are arachnids (like spiders). They feed on blood, usually over hours to days. No matter what you’ve heard, ticks don’t fly or drop from trees onto you. Most sit patiently on a plant, waiting for their next meal to walk close enough to latch onto.

Chiggers are mites that are closely related to ticks.

What to do: Some ticks can cause serious disease like Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Lyme disease.

Walk in the middle of trails, since ticks are more likely to be in the dense vegetation alongside them. Tuck your pants into your socks, and frequently check yourself for ticks.

If you find one, don’t twist, jerk, burn or smother it. Instead, grab it with tweezers as close to its head as possible and steadily pull upward. Wash the bite area with soap and water, and then apply antibiotic cream and an ice pack. Seek medical help if you become ill. As with mosquitoes, certain repellents are effective in keeping ticks away.

Repellents can also be effective with chiggers. They tend to bite in areas where clothing is tight against skin. These very small bugs are usually long gone by the time you start itching.

Mosquitoes

What they are: These insects are a type of blood-feeding fly. Although it’s not well-understood why certain people get bitten more than others, it likely has to do with factors like diet, genetics and the chemicals your body naturally releases.

What to do: Not only do their bites itch, but some mosquitoes can also spread disease, like the West Nile and Zika viruses.

Mosquitoes need standing water to complete their life cycle. If you’ve ever seen worm-like creatures wiggling around in a bird bath or bucket of water, they were likely immature mosquitoes. Dumping this water is the best way to fight mosquitoes.

To protect yourself from bites, wear pants and long sleeves, and use a repellent containing DEET (at 20%-30% concentration) or picaridin (20% concentration).

Centipedes and Millipedes

What they are: Centipedes and millipedes are related to insects and arachnids. You can easily tell centipedes (which might bite) from millipedes (which won’t) by their legs. Centipedes have one pair/segment, and millipedes have two pairs/segments. Millipedes don’t sting, but the first pair of legs on a centipede can inject venom, causing a painful sting.

What to do: Although their venom is not considered very dangerous, it’s best not to touch centipedes. If you’re camping in an area with them, keep your tent closed, shake out your boots and use your flashlight at night.

If you’re stung, clean the bite with soap and water, and then apply antibiotic cream and an ice pack. Seek medical attention if you have an allergic reaction.

Wasps/Bees/Hornets/Yellowjackets

What they are: Most flying insects that sting live in nests that can be hidden in a log, in a bush, underground or even high in a tree. They tend to be very defensive of their nests and are willing to sting to protect their homes.

What to do: Stings can really hurt, and they also can pose a significant threat to people who are allergic.

It’s important that you recognize their nests or signs of a nest (for example, yellowjackets flying out of a hole) and steer clear. Wasps, yellowjackets and hornets have a smooth, barbless stinger that doesn’t get stuck and pull off, which allows them to sting multiple times.

Honeybees do leave stingers behind, so scrape out the stinger with the edge of a knife blade or credit card (never squeeze the stinger out).

With all stings, clean the area with soap and water, and then apply antibiotic cream and an ice pack. If you’re allergic, get medical help immediately.

Spiders

What they are: Technically, almost all spiders are venomous, but the vast majority of these arachnids in the U.S. don’t usually pose a serious threat.

• Tarantulas are found primarily in the Southwest, and their bite can be painful.
• Black widows are often found under rocks and stumps and are easily identified by their shiny black color and a red hourglass on their underside. Their venom attacks the nervous system, causing pain and muscle spasms.
• The brown recluse or “fiddleback” spider, mainly in the South and Midwest, has a fiddle or violin shape on its back and is brown with long legs. Outside, they’re usually under bark and in rock piles. Their venom breaks down cells, often causing large wounds requiring medical care.

What to do: Wear gloves when working in places (like woodpiles) where spiders might be. Avoid putting your hands in dark places where you cannot see. When camping, shake out boots and clothing before putting them on. If you’re bitten, wash the area with warm, soapy water, and apply antibiotic cream and a cold compress. If the bite is from a black widow or brown recluse — or you experience an allergic reaction or severe symptoms to any bite — get medical help immediately.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Portugal is an assistant extension professor of urban entomology at Mississippi State University and a former Scout. He and his son Cameron are part of Cub Scout Pack 45 in Starkville, Miss.