Bug Bites and Stings: Pictures, Identification, Treatment

Nobody likes bug bites. They are often itchy, irritating, and painful. But despite the annoyance, most insect bites, as well as stings, are relatively harmless and easy to treat.

Most of the time, anti-itch creams and pain relievers can help you refrain from scratching and allow the bite or sting to heal on its own. In some cases, however, indoor infestations may also require you to clean or exterminate your home to prevent further insect run-ins.

Here's what you should know about the most common types of bug bites, how you can tell them apart, and the best way to treat them and stop the itch.

Warning: This article contains images of bug bites as well as fleas, bed bugs, spiders, ticks, and other insects on humans.

Bed bugs are small insects that commonly live in the creases or seams of mattresses or upholstery. It's rare to actually spot a bed bug — they're about the size of an apple seed — but their bites will be very itchy. You may also notice red or rusty colored stains on your sheets, which will be the markings of squashed bed bugs.

Appearance: Bed bug bites can look like small red marks on light skin, or dark spots on darker skin, and often appear as clusters of 3 to 5 bites in a zig-zag or line pattern. Bed bug bites often occur at night as you're sleeping, and they tend to present on your upper body, such as the abdomen or arms.

Treatment: To treat bed bug bites, you'll want to apply an anti-itch cream like cortisone, or try taking oral antihistamines. It's also important to call an exterminator and take measures to get rid of bed bugs, as they will keep biting you if the infestation isn't addressed.

Fleas are flightless insects that commonly bite dogs or cats. If you have a pet, you may be more likely to deal with these pests, but fleas can still bite humans even if you don't have an animal in your home.

Appearance: Flea bites appear as red itchy bumps, and like bed bug bites, they will often be grouped together in clusters of three or four, and may form a line pattern. They are most commonly found on your lower body, such as the ankles or feet, as fleas tend to live on the ground in tall grass or wood piles.

Treatment: To treat flea bites, you'll want to refrain from scratching, and apply anti-itch creams or take oral antihistamines. If you have a pet, you'll also want to see a veterinarian about flea treatments, and thoroughly clean and vacuum your home to get rid of fleas.

Mosquitos are one of the most annoying parts of summer. Mosquitoes are most active around dusk and at night. They usually congregate near water, because this is where mosquito larvae thrive.

Appearance: Mosquito bites appear as red or pink raised bumps, and will often occur at dusk or night time when temperatures are hot and humid. If you're allergic to mosquito bites — sometimes known as skeeter syndrome — you may have red, swollen lesions or a low-grade fever.

Treatment: To get rid of mosquito bites and help them heal quickly, it's important not to scratch the bites. Scratching will only exacerbate the itch, and can also increase your risk of infection. The best way to treat mosquito bites is by applying hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion, to soothe the skin and reduce the itch. Home remedies for mosquito bites can also include a cold compress, aloe vera lotion, or an oatmeal bath.

Though perhaps the most fear-inducing of all insect bites, spider bites are very rare. In fact, only about 500 of the 40,000 types of spiders around the world actually bite humans, and just 12 of those deliver enough venom per bite to be considered dangerous to humans.

Note: In the US, only two types of spiders inject enough venom capable of causing serious harm to humans — the brown recluse spider and the black widow spider.

Appearance: Brown recluse spider bites are characterized by pain, redness, and swelling. They can cause local necrosis, or when the skin tissues are destroyed. Black widow spider bites produce a sharp pricking sensation, which develops into a dull ache or numbness. Two red fang marks may also be visible.

Treatment: If you're concerned about your spider bite, you should call a poison control helpline and try to get to an emergency room as soon as possible. However, most spider bites do not require medical treatment, and you can reduce any itch or pain with the same over-the-counter methods for other bug bites.

Lice are tiny parasites that often live on human scalps. It's most common for children to get lice, and they mainly spread through head-to-head contact, such as:

Appearance: While you may not be able to see their bites under your hair, you can see the lice and their eggs. Lice can appear as tiny white or yellow specks in hair — they may look like dandruff — and they are extremely itchy.

Treatment: To treat head lice, you can use a special comb that physically removes lice. You can also try over-the-counter or prescription topical and oral medications.

We test and recommend the best products to get rid of lice, including combs, sprays, and shampoos.

Ticks are small, blood-sucking parasites that attach to your skin when they bite. You may pick up a tick by spending time in tall grass or wooded areas, such as when you're hiking. Tick bites are usually harmless, but in some cases, ticks can spread illnesses like Lyme disease. However, ticks need to have bitten and fed on you for at least 24 hours to transmit disease.

Appearance: In some cases, the tick will still be attached in the area where it bit you. However, if it goes unnoticed, it will eventually fall off. There may be itching, redness, and swelling in the area. You'll need to keep an eye out for symptoms of Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses, which can include fever and muscle or joint aches. The most noticeable sign of Lyme disease is often a red, circular rash that resembles a bullseye.

Treatment: You'll need to remove the tick if you find one buried in your skin. Then wash the area with soap and water and treat any mild allergic symptoms with an OTC antihistamine.

Chiggers are a type of mite that are nearly impossible to see without a magnifying glass. Only baby chiggers bite humans, and they can grasp on to you when you're outdoors around tall grass in hot and humid environments.

Appearance: Chigger bites look like small red, raised marks that may resemble a pimple. They are extremely itchy, and the bites can sometimes appear in groups that grow bigger and itchier over several days.

Treatment: To treat chigger bites, you'll use the same treatment methods as with other common bites. Try not to scratch, use an anti-itch cream, or take oral antihistamines — and they should resolve on their own within a few days.

Bees do not bite — but they sting. A bee or wasp sting can leave a red, painful, itchy bump that may swell and grow larger within a few hours.

Most bees are not aggressive, and only sting when they feel threatened. Honey bees die after they sting you, leaving their stinger in your skin. Wasps, on the other hand, are aggressive and can sting you multiple times, since their stingers stay intact.

Appearance: A bee or wasp sting usually appears as a raised bump with a small puncture where the stinger entered. The area can become swollen and painful.

Treatment: To treat a bee sting, you should remove the stinger if it's still there, and apply ice or a cold compress to reduce swelling and inflammation. Taking Advil or Tylenol may also help relieve pain. And, an antihistamine can help with itching. The treatment process for a wasp sting is similar to a bee sting. If you have multiple wasp stings on your leg, for example, you may want to elevate it on a pillow to further reduce swelling.

If you have an allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting, you should seek medical attention immediately. The symptoms of an allergic reaction to an insect sting or bite can include:

Scabies mites are too small to see with the human eye. They burrow into skin and cause intense itching and a rash. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, they are usually spread through skin-to-skin contact, but they can also spread through bedding or furniture that becomes infested.

Appearance: The first time someone gets scabies, it can take several weeks for a rash to develop. The rash will usually show up on areas of the body where the mites like to burrow: between the fingers, on the arms, inside the elbows and wrists, and on parts of the body covered by clothing, such as around the genitals. The rash is often made up of small bumps that may appear in a line. Scabies can also cause scaly patches. Itching is usually worse at night.

Treatment: If you think you have scabies, a doctor will examine your skin and may take a sample to check for the mites. They'll prescribe a topical treatment, such as permethrin, which you'll apply nightly. People who live in the same household, as well as any sexual partners, will also need to undergo treatment.

Horseflies are large flies (they can be around an inch long) that bite mammals, such as dogs, humans, and — yes — horses. When they bite, they cut the skin with their sharp mouths and cause a painful sensation as they feed on the blood.

Appearance: A horsefly bite will become red and raised, and can cause reactions like swelling or pus-filled blisters.

Treatment: Because horseflies lacerate the skin, the bite is at risk of becoming infected. After getting a horsefly bite, wash it with soap and water. To soothe the pain, itching, and swelling, apply a cold compress or ice pack to the area. Use over-the-counter ointments and pain medications to help with uncomfortable symptoms and healing. If the bite does become infected, you should visit a medical professional.

Important: In rare cases, a horsefly bite can cause an allergic reaction, causing difficulty breathing, dizziness, and swelling in the face or mouth. If you start having any of these symptoms, get medical help immediately.

Triatomine bugs — known as kissing bugs — are nocturnal, blood-sucking insects that carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease. They are known to bite areas on the face, such as the eye or lips, hence the name "kissing bugs." They pass the parasite to humans through their feces, which they sometimes leave on the skin during a bite. If you accidentally rub the feces into the bite or openings like the eye or mouth, the parasite can enter your body.

Appearance: The bites are usually painless and can present as a small bump. Some people who contract Chagas disease will have swelling around the bite. In some cases, if the parasite enters through the eye, it can cause swelling around one eye — a sign of the acute stage of the disease.

Note: Some people who contract Chagas will present with symptoms such as fever and body aches. However, some people will show no symptoms at all.

Treatment: If you think you were bit by a kissing bug, wash the area with soap and water. You can talk to your doctor about getting a blood test to check for the parasite that causes Chagas disease. If it's caught in the acute stage, your doctor can treat it with an antiparasitic medication like benznidazole, according to the CDC.

If you're looking to prevent bug bites, you'll want a bug spray that contains DEET, which is a safe and effective insect repellent. Make sure you aren't using an expired bug spray, as it will likely be less effective.

Since most bug bites occur outdoors, you may want to wear long clothing that covers exposed body parts where bugs tend to bite, like your ankles or arms. This can be especially important if you're going hiking in wooded areas or walking through tall grass.

To prevent indoor infestations, like bed bugs or fleas, you should frequently clean your living space by vacuuming surfaces, washing your bedding, and keeping your bedroom tidy.

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Bug bites can be itchy and annoying. When trying to treat these symptoms, it's helpful to know what bit you in the first place.

Many bites and stings will show up as a raised, red bump on your skin. If it's a spider bite, you'll be able to see two puncture marks where the fangs pierced the skin. With stings, you'll see one small puncture where the stinger entered, or the stinger will still be stuck in the skin.

For some parasitic bugs, like lice and ticks, you might be able to tell they've bitten you because they're still present on your body. Other parasitic bugs, like scabies, are very small and can be identified by a doctor.

Many bug bites and stings can be treated at home with anti-itch creams and OTC antihistamines and pain relievers. However, if you start to have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, you should seek medical care immediately.

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