How to Identify and Treat Common Insect Bites in Maine

Insect Bites in Maine: How to Identify and Treat Them

Maine's warm summers bring out all types of insects that can bite or sting. While most insect bites are harmless, some can cause reactions or spread disease. Knowing how to identify different insect bites and stings is key to getting proper treatment if needed.

This article will cover how to identify the most common bug bites and stings found in Maine, along with tips on how to avoid them and find relief if you've been bitten. We'll also discuss when to seek medical care for insect bites and stings.

Mosquito Bites

Mosquitoes are one of the most prevalent insects in Maine during the summer. Female mosquitoes bite to get blood for egg production. When they bite, they inject saliva that can trigger an immune system reaction.

Mosquito bites usually appear as small, round, puffy, pink or red bumps. There may be a small dot in the middle where the mosquito pierced the skin. Mosquito bites are very itchy, which is caused by the histamine released by your body in response to the mosquito saliva.

To help avoid mosquito bites in Maine:

• Wear long sleeves and pants when outside during peak mosquito hours (dusk and dawn)
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Limit outdoor time at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active
• Get rid of standing water sources around your home where mosquitoes breed
• Install or repair screens on windows and doors

To treat mosquito bites:

• Apply hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, or baking soda paste to reduce itching and swelling
• Take an oral antihistamine containing diphenhydramine or loratadine to relieve itching
• Apply ice packs to bite areas to reduce swelling
• Avoid scratching bites as this can lead to infection

Tick Bites

Ticks are very common in Maine, especially in wooded, brushy, or grassy habitats. They cling to vegetation and latch onto animals or people brushing by. The two tick species in Maine that most often bite humans are the deer tick and dog tick.

Deer tick bites often go unnoticed since these ticks are very small, about the size of a poppy seed. Their bites do not usually become itchy or swollen. However, deer ticks can transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and other illnesses. Watch for symptoms like fever, chills, fatigue, and rash in the days to weeks following a bite.

Dog ticks are larger and their bites can cause irritation and itching. Usually only adult female dog ticks bite humans looking for a blood meal. Dog ticks are unlikely to transmit disease but can sometimes cause tick paralysis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

To prevent tick bites:

• Wear light colored long pants and sleeves when in grassy, wooded areas
• Tuck pants into socks to keep ticks off your skin
• Use bug spray with DEET or permethrin on skin and clothes
• Do tick checks after being outside
• Shower soon after coming inside to wash off unattached ticks

To remove attached ticks:

• Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
• Pull upward slowly and steadily until the tick releases its grip
• Swab the bite area with alcohol and wash your hands
• Never use petroleum jelly, heat, or other home remedies to try to make a tick detach

Chigger Bites

Chiggers are mites that are found in wooded, grassy areas. They attach to the skin and inject digestive enzymes that break down skin cells. This causes small, red, intensely itchy bumps to develop.

Chigger bites usually occur around the ankles, waistband, armpits, or areas where clothing fits tightly. The itching can be severe and last up to two weeks.

To help prevent chigger bites:

• Avoid sitting or lying in grassy, overgrown areas
• Wear long pants and sleeves when in wooded areas
• Tuck pants into socks
• Shower and change clothes after being outside
• Use bug spray with DEET

To ease itching and irritation from chigger bites:

• Apply hydrocortisone cream or anti-itch calamine lotion
• Take oral antihistamines to reduce itching
• Apply cool compresses to bite areas
• Resist scratching as this can lead to infection

Horse Fly Bites

Horse flies and deer flies are large, aggressive flies most common near woods and marshes. Females bite mammals like humans to get blood to produce eggs. Their bites are extremely painful.

Horse fly bites develop a small, red, swollen welt shortly after being bitten. They usually itch and can remain swollen and tender for days after being bitten. People can also have allergic reactions to the saliva injected by horse flies, causing hives or rashes.

To deter horse flies:

• Avoid open, sunny areas near woods or water where they congregate
• Wear light colors; dark colors attract more flies
• Use repellents with DEET or picaridin and reapply often
• Stay moving - horse flies target stationary targets

To treat horse fly bites:

• Wash the bite area with soap and water
• Apply ice to reduce swelling and itching
• Use anti-itch creams containing pramoxine or hydrocortisone
• Take oral antihistamines if needed for allergic reactions

Spider Bites

Most spiders in Maine are not dangerous to humans. Spider bites generally occur when people unintentionally touch or roll onto a spider, provoking it to bite defensively. Most Maine spider bites cause mild reactions like redness, swelling, and itching.

The brown recluse spider is the only potentially dangerous spider found in Maine. It has a distinctive violin-shaped marking on its head region. Their bites cause pain, redness, blistering, and tissue damage.

To prevent spider bites:

• Carefully inspect or shake out clothing, towels, bedding before use
• Wear gloves, long sleeves and pants when cleaning garage and basements
• Install screens on windows and doors to block spiders
• Remove webs and clutter where spiders may hide

If bitten by a spider:

• Clean the bite area with soap and water
• Apply ice packs to reduce swelling and itching
• Use hydrocortisone cream to ease itching
• Take OTC pain medication if needed for pain relief
• Watch for signs of infection like redness, warmth, swelling

Yellow Jacket and Hornet Stings

Yellow jackets and hornets are stinging insects common around Maine in warmer months. They become aggressive when defending their nests, stinging repeatedly if they feel threatened.

Stings cause immediate burning pain. Redness and swelling develop around the sting area. The site may itch and remain sore for a few days.

Those allergic to stinging insects can have life-threatening reactions to yellow jacket or hornet stings. Seek immediate medical care if you have signs of anaphylaxis like breathing difficulties, dizziness, nausea, or swelling of the face/throat.

To avoid stings from these insects:

• Watch out for nests, usually in holes in the ground or under building eaves
• Remain calm and still if a wasp or hornet approaches
• Wear shoes outside; don't walk barefoot in grass
• Avoid wearing sweet smelling perfumes or lotions
• Wear light colors; bees and wasps see darker colors as threatening

To treat a sting:

• Remove the stinger if it is still in the skin
• Clean the area carefully with soap and water
• Apply a cold pack to reduce swelling and pain
• Use medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain
• Apply sting relief creams to ease itching

Fire Ant Bites

Fire ants are aggressive, stinging insects found in the southern U.S. However, they have also been found in some parts of southern Maine. Fire ants bite and sting simultaneously, causing painful pustules and blisters.

Fire ant bites form red, itchy, swollen bumps, often with a blister on top. The bumps can turn into white pustules within a few days. These bites are very painful and can cause scars.

People allergic to fire ant stings can experience severe reactions and anaphylaxis.

To help avoid fire ant bites:

• Treat lawns and gardens with pesticides to control fire ants
• Seal cracks and crevices where fire ants can enter homes
• Wear shoes and socks and avoid sitting on grass or ground
• Carefully inspect items before touching them outside

If bitten:

• Clean the bite well with soap and warm water
• Use hydrocortisone cream and oral antihistamines to ease itching
• Apply cool packs to reduce swelling
• Watch for signs of infection like spreading redness, swelling, pus

Flea Bites

Fleas thrive during warm and humid weather in Maine. They can bite both pets and humans, causing extremely itchy bumps.

After being bitten by a flea, red bumps form that often have a light-colored center spot. Flea bites turn very red and swollen. The bites are usually located around the ankles and legs.

To help prevent flea bites:

• Treat pets with flea control medications
• Regularly wash pets' bedding in hot water
• Vacuum and clean your home thoroughly and frequently
• Use flea control products indoors if needed

To soothe flea bites:

• Apply anti-itch creams with pramoxine, calamine, or hydrocortisone
• Take antihistamines either orally or applied topically
• Apply hot or cold packs to bite areas for relief
• Resist the urge to scratch

Bed Bug Bites

Bed bugs are wingless, flat, oval-shaped insects that hide in cracks and crevices during the day and come out at night to feed on humans. Their bites can cause itchy welts.

Bed bug bites usually appear as multiple small, red bumps in a line or clustered together. They often occur on exposed skin like arms, neck, and face since bed bugs bite at night.

Getting rid of bed bugs requires professional pest control. But to help avoid bites:

• Inspect hotel rooms carefully and avoid placing luggage on beds or upholstered furniture
• Check secondhand furniture carefully before bringing it home
• Reduce clutter like piles of clothes or linens where bed bugs can hide

To relieve bed bug bite itching and swelling:

• Use OTC hydrocortisone cream
• Apply baking soda paste or calamine lotion
• Take oral antihistamines to reduce itching
• Apply cold packs or cool compresses to bite sites

When to Seek Medical Care for Insect Bites and Stings

Most insect bites and stings can be treated at home with self-care measures. However, it's important to monitor your reaction closely. Seek prompt medical care if you experience:

• Signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) like trouble breathing, throat tightness, wheezing, dizziness, swelling of the lips/face/throat, nausea
• Extensive redness, warmth, swelling or pus at the bite or sting site, indicating possible infection
• Flu-like illness within weeks of a tick bite (could indicate Lyme disease or other tick-borne illness)
• Severe pain that is not relieved by over-the-counter medication
• A large area of redness and swelling that continues to expand from the bite or sting

Those with known severe allergies to insect stings should always carry epinephrine auto-injectors in case of a reaction. Seek emergency medical care immediately if you are stung and have difficulty breathing, feel faint, or experience swelling of the face, lips or throat.

With proper identification and treatment, most insect bites and stings can be managed at home. But call your doctor or seek medical care if signs of infection, allergic reaction, or other concerning symptoms develop after an insect bite or sting.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.