When the temperatures rise in summer and all the plants are in full bloom and splendor, not only sun-hungry people swarm out, but also the smallest insects become active and explore nature. In the process, it quickly happens that the buzzing fellows get in the way. Whether it’s a bee on your picnic basket, ants in your shoes, or mosquitoes at the lake, the insects that can bite and sting are lurking everywhere. It becomes dangerous if you are allergic to the bites and stings of wasps and the like.

But even for people who are not allergic to insect venom, the small wounds can be unpleasant, so you should know how to identify the insect bites just in case. Because only then you can make sure that you treat the sting or bite properly. The following list presents the most common insect bites and stings and explains what the risks are and when you should go to the doctor.

  • Tick

You can recognize a tick bite by the fact that a red spot forms on the affected area shortly after the bite. The special thing about ticks is that they bite into their “victims” and suck blood until they are removed or fall off once they have drunk enough blood. The dangerous thing is that up to 50 percent of ticks in USA transmit diseases, such as Lyme disease or the pathogens for meningitis. Therefore, after removing the tick, you must keep an eye on the wound and go to the doctor if it does not disappear after a few days, but instead a so-called yard, also called wandering redness, forms around it. This is when a large, sometimes swollen red spot develops around the bite wound.

  • Brake

Brakes are usually identified as such only when it is already too late. This is because these insects look quite similar to their harmless relatives, the flies. Unfortunately, unlike the latter, they can sting and suck blood. In most cases, they infest livestock rather than humans. If they do occur, they can transmit diseases such as tularemia and anthrax. When bitten by a gadfly, individual reddening’s of the skin first appear around the wound, which then spread to form a large patch and cause intense itching.

  • Wasp

After a wasp has drilled its stinger into a person, the affected area of skin begins to turn red and swell. The burning pain is accompanied by severe itching, and there may even be bleeding from the wound. Allergy sufferers should immediately use their emergency kit or go to the doctor, as there is a risk of anaphylactic shock. If you can rule out an allergy, the advice is to cool and wait for the swelling to go down. There is no risk of contracting a disease from a wasp sting. To prevent further stings, there are also some tricks to keep wasps at bay.

  • Bed bug

At first, the bites of bed bugs resemble those of mosquitoes or fleas. Sometimes they are also thought to be an allergic reaction of the skin. To rule out the other causes, take a closer look at the skin. Bed bugs leave bite marks close together, like little “roads” down the body. Especially if these marks appear in the morning, this indicates bedbugs, as they go “hunting” at night.

  • Ant

Ant bites are unpleasant, but in most cases harmless. Usually, pink burn marks form and you have the feeling that boiling water has been poured on the affected area. The bite of a red fire ant, on the other hand, can trigger an allergic shock. However, the all-clear can be given here, because this specimen can only cross one’s path on vacation in the USA, Australia and some Asian countries.

  • Mosquito

Mosquitoes also prey on people’s blood and bite in particularly sensitive places: namely, where the skin is thinnest. When they bite, they inject their saliva into the wound to thin the blood. As a result, the area becomes red, itchy and sometimes even swollen.

In USA, the bites of the native mosquito species are harmless, but there is a risk of infection with diseases, especially in hot and humid countries. It is best to find out about possible vaccinations or protective measures for countries where dengue fever and malaria are widespread before traveling.

  • Bee

Similar to a wasp sting, after a bee sting a red spot form that hurts and itches. First of all, it is important to remove the sting of the bee. Unlike wasps, striped insects can only sting once and lose their sting before they die. Furthermore, immediate action must also be taken if the affected person has an allergic reaction to bee stings, as respiratory problems may occur.

  • Flea

Fleas usually pounce on their victims at night and bite several times. They can be distinguished from mosquito bites by the close proximity of the bites. Also, flea bites feel much more pain than ordinary mosquito bites. Extreme caution is required with fleas, because they often serve as intermediate hosts for tapeworms and can transmit infectious diseases such as spotted fever. For this reason, it is best to also have your blood tested by a doctor after treating the bites.

  • Hornet

Hornet stings make themselves felt on the body similar to wasp and bee stings: Again, the affected area becomes red and swells. The sting of a hornet is, contrary to popular myth, less dangerous than that of a wasp. Although due to its size it releases more venom through its sting, this is less aggressive than that of, for example, a bee. After being stung by a hornet, one should still observe the wound and other symptoms. As soon as you feel cold and your ears and lips turn blue, you should see a doctor. Even if you are not allergic to hornet venom, you may still experience breathing difficulties in some cases.

  • Louse

If you notice small bites on the head or other, possibly hairy parts of the body, you may have caught lice. The bites are a few inches apart and the skin in these areas looks as if it has been punctured. This is accompanied by severe itching. Lice can transmit diseases such as five-day fever or typhoid fever through their bites. Even if you can quickly get rid of the lice with a lice comb and special shampoo, it is advisable to be examined by a doctor to rule out infections.

In general, insect bites should not be taken lightly. However, if you can identify them quickly enough and accordingly take the right measures in an emergency, nothing will stand in the way of your next trip to the countryside. To prevent a sting, you can a