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A downside to hot weather is all the bugs that can feast on or sting us. Is there anything you can do to avoid this? And what should you do if you are attacked? Here’s what pharmacists have to say about the best ways to prevent and treat stings and bites.
Know which bugs to be wary of
The British Pest Control Association has warned of a rise in wasp activity due to recent heatwaves. “I am definitely seeing more wasps around at the moment,” says Claire Nevinson, the superintendent pharmacist for Boots UK. “We have seen an increase in people presenting with infected insect bites since April.”
“It is a bit of a shock when you are stung by a wasp,” says Ian Budd, an independent prescribing pharmacist for Chemist4U. “It is painful and, if you’re unlucky, it can trigger an allergic reaction. Hornets and bees are less aggressive. Horsefly bites can cause inflammation and sometimes infection, because it is difficult to stop scratching them. Then there are midges, and we do have mosquitoes in the UK, not the kind that carry malaria but they can still cause issues. And we have ticks, in grassy and wooded areas, some of which carry Lyme disease.”
It is important to be more vigilant when you are in certain environments, says Virginia Chachati, a registered UK pharmacist and public health content creator. “Midges and mosquitoes tend to be in forests and long grasses,” she says, so you need to watch out if you are camping or hiking. Some bugs are drawn to other animals, she adds: “If you’re visiting farm animals and want to pet them, just be aware that they may be carrying ticks.”
Midges and mosquitoes can also be found anywhere there is still water, adds Chachati. “Wherever there’s water, even a puddle that sits for a long time, bugs can lay eggs and then multiply very quickly – in a few hours or days. So make sure you don’t have still water around. Drain paddling pools after use. If the bugs are hungry, they will come and bite you.”
Nevinson says you should take particular precautions if you’re out in the morning or as the sun goes down. “That is when the mosquitoes and midges will be at their worst.”
Cover up with light, loose clothing
“Make sure you wear long sleeves and long trousers, particularly if you’re camping or outdoors a lot,” says Nevinson. Anything not covered could be open to attack. Budd says: “It is quite common to get bitten around the ankles and wrists – anywhere exposed is at risk.” Chachati advises wearing light colours. “Some bugs, especially hornets, can be really attracted to darker colours because they’re trying to hide from predators,” she says. “If you’re walking through long grass and you are wearing white trousers, it is also much easier to see if ticks have latched on to your trousers, and then you can easily pick them off. Definitely wear a hat as well, because some people get bites on their scalp, especially if they don’t have hair.” Keep colours neutral, as “yellow and bright colours can attract wasps”, she says.
Don’t irritate wasps
“Sadly, it is just being in the wrong place at the wrong time with a wasp,” says Nevinson. “Wasps will be particularly attracted if you’re having a picnic. If there is food around, the wasps will hover around it.”
“If you’re waving your hands around,” says Chachati, “those air currents are going to really bother them and knock them out of the air, and they don’t want to be knocked, so they’re going to do whatever they can to defend themselves. Staying really still is a good idea.” This is easier said than done: “If they land on you, you could use a piece of paper to gently slide under it, and put a see-through cup on top. Then take it away and release it.”
Wear repellant
Chachati has worked in travel clinics: “Deet would be the number one thing I recommend, including for children. Use the highest percentage that you can tolerate without it irritating the skin.” In some places, “if you get bitten, you can get diseases like malaria, dengue fever, Zika and tick-borne encephalitis. If you can’t use Deet, there are other repellants such as icaridin and IR3535.”
“Deet is a really effective insect repellant,” says Budd. “But there are questions about whether it is environmentally responsible for it to be used in large quantities. There are alternatives, like some citronella-based insect repellants, which are kinder to the environment. If you are still getting bitten with those, maybe move to the chemical ones.”
“Always put on your sunscreen, then put your insect repellant on top,” says Chachati. “When they land on you, they will be repelled by the insect repellant, because that is the outermost layer you’ve applied on your skin. Deet can lower the sun protection factor of the sunscreen, so you will need to reapply it more often.” It can also transfer ink to your skin, so be careful when handling printed matter while wearing it, says Chachati.
Go fragrance-free
“It is a myth that only dirty people get bitten,” says Budd. “Bugs are drawn to scents, not bad hygiene.”
“Don’t wear perfumes, deodorants or moisturisers that are heavily scented,” says Chachati. “These can attract bugs to you, because you smell like flowers.”
Possibly avoid alcohol
“There was a very small study in 2002 where they tested whether or not drinking beer would make mosquitoes more likely to bite you,” says Chachati. “Out of 13 people, the majority of them did get bites from mosquitoes [after beer ingestion compared with before ingestion]. So avoid drinking beer at barbecues,” which can be challenging, she concedes.
Budd says it is also a myth that drinking gin and tonic is helpful: “Originally, in countries where there was malaria, people would have loads of tonic water because they believed the quinine in the tonic protected them – you’d have to drink a lot of tonic water for it to be effective.”
Clean bites and stings before treating
If you do get a bite or sting, “it is always best to wash the skin with soap and water to try to avoid any bacteria getting inside the wound,” says Chachati. “If you don’t have access to soap and water, you can use antiseptic wipes or cream.”
“In the main, if you just have a simple bite or a sting, it will sort itself out,” says Nevinson. “If there is swelling, cold compresses are really good. If it’s on a limb, keep it raised to prevent that swelling getting any worse.”
“Hydrocortisone cream is really good for inflammation,” says Budd. If you want to try something more natural, lavender or tea-tree oil “may deter the insects, but they’re also natural antiseptics once you’ve been bitten. Aloe vera is cooling and anti-inflammatory.”
Don’t scratch
“Antihistamine creams or tablets can really help with the itching, because scratching that itch makes it worse,” says Budd. “It increases the inflammation and your risk of infection. When you’re scratching the skin, you are interfering with the natural skin barrier, and you can be introducing bacteria into the inflamed area by taking away all the top layers of cells.”
Remove stings and ticks carefully
“When a tick bites, the whole animal is attached to you,” says Budd. “Use fine-tip tweezers, grab it really close to the skin, and pull upwards slowly with a steady and even force. Clean the area afterwards with soap and water.”
Nevinson says: “If a red ring appears around the bite, that is an indication that it could be Lyme disease, and it’s really important you seek medical help. As long as it is treated quickly, it can be easily dealt with.” Chachati recommends keeping the tick to be tested.
“Don’t use tweezers for a bee sting,” says Budd, “because you can push more venom into your skin. Scrape it sideways, either with your [clean] fingernail or a bank card. When you get stung by a bee, the sting continues to pump venom, even when the bee is gone. So you definitely need to remove that. Wasps and hornets do not leave a stinger in the skin after they have stung you, they have retractable stingers.”
Take antimalarials
“Malaria can kill you,” says Chachati. Mosquitoes kill more people than any other creature in the world because of the various diseases they carry and it is essential to take antimalarials if you are going to a region where malaria is carried by mosquitoes. “Look at a malaria map or the Fit for Travel website and always speak to a professional about which antimalarials to take.”
Know when to seek medical help
“Your individual reaction to proteins in the saliva of the bug that has bitten you or the venom from a sting can cause an allergic reaction,” says Budd, “from mild swelling to severe anaphylaxis, where it starts affecting your breathing and your tongue is swelling. This is usually picked up early on in life and you will need to carry an EpiPen. For a mild allergic reaction, an antihistamine or hydrocortisone cream should help. If you are experiencing difficulty breathing, dizziness or swelling of the face, seek emergency help.”
Also see a doctor if, “a couple of days after being bitten or stung, you notice that there is pus, a hot, swollen red area around the bite that is noticeably spreading, or if you develop a fever, as these can be signs of infection,” says Budd.
Disturb the airflow
“Keep the air conditioning or ceiling fan on,” says Chachati, “because that disturbs the airflow, so it stops mosquitoes from being able to land. It also makes the room cool, which they dislike, and disperses carbon dioxide, making it difficult for mosquitoes to detect humans.” Keep windows closed for this to be effective, she says, “and definitely use a mosquito net over your bed and windows”.
Take a shower
“Bugs are attracted to body heat and sweat,” says Budd. “If your skin is warmer, you are more likely to attract bugs. If you have been exercising, there might be more lactic acid in your sweat, and insects are attracted to that, too.”
Some people are just more delicious than others
“There is no specific reason why one person gets bitten more than another,” says Nevinson, “but you often hear people talking about being prone to bites. It is likely to be to do with the skin type and the scent on the skin, which could be a result of a number of different things, diet or hormone-related.”
Budd explains: “Everyone has their own unique skin microbiome and it can make you either less or more attractive to biting insects. Your genetics can influence this. For some reason, people with blood type O may attract more mosquitoes.” He adds: “Being pregnant could make you more attractive to biting insects because your skin temperature can be warmer.”
Chachati says: “It depends on your immune system and how you react to bites. Some people might be more sensitive compared with others. Mosquito bites may be worse in certain parts of the world that you are not used to being in, depending on how your immune system reacts. The first few bites may be quite a difficult experience to go through and then, if you get bitten again later in the holiday, it may not be as bad because your body knows how to handle it better.”
