Summertime may bring with it some fun and sun, but warm weather also brings some unwanted guests -- bugs! Bugs and their bites have been paining humans worldwide for centuries, and while most bugs in North America are harmless and by no means poisonous, the allergic reactions, itchiness and general discomfort their bites may bring are a pain in the ass (pun fully intended). With that in mind, AM has compiled a list of some pesky buggers and their bites to look out for this summer.

The culprits

Not all bugs bite, but the usual suspects are still less than friendly:


  • Ticks: Small bloodsucking mites that attach themselves to humans by physical contact (by brushing against tall grasses, for example) and may carry diseases such as Lyme disease;
  • Flies: Black flies, sand flies, horse flies and deer flies;
  • Bed bugs: Small bloodsucking insects that feed on humans mainly at night;
  • Chiggers: Small six-legged mites found in tall grasses and weeds that feed on fluid in human skin cells causing intense itching;
  • Spiders: Only two venomous spiders are of medical significance in North America: the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow.
If you’re unfamiliar with any of these, you may want to hit up some online research to get some good visuals and to find out exactly which culprits are relevant for where you live. After all, helping identify the culprit is a necessary piece to solving the crime (read: treating the bite).

Prevent the bug bite

The first key to prevention is awareness. Bugs are everywhere and preventing all bites is impossible. OK, got that? Good. Now on to something useful:

  • Try to avoid brightly colored clothing and strong perfumes (including scented soaps);
  • Bug repellents are useful, but keep in mind that the various active ingredients (such as DEET) and their concentrations can vary, so become familiar with some online repellent guides (generally speaking, higher concentrations are needed when you're outdoors for longer periods of time);
  • Wear long-sleeve shirts, pants and socks when in deep woods or tall grass;
  • To prevent bugs from invading your home, keep on top of household cleanliness and close off any unwanted entry points (such as broken window screens);
  • After camping or hiking, do daily tick checks on your body and clothing;
  • Have your dog or cat treated for fleas and ticks regularly.
Learn to identify bug bites and how to treat them...

Guess that bite

Guessing which suspect fits the crime is not always necessary. Most insect bites are mild and don’t require treatment. If you really want to know, there are some cool slideshows available online to help you get your guy. But really, some general knowledge should suffice:

  • Black flies tend to leave bites around the head, neck and ears, and they usually bleed;
  • Fleas often bite repeatedly around the feet and lower legs;
  • Bedbugs tend to leave lines of bites, usually on the torso;
  • Chiggers tend to bite around the waist, ankles or mostly in warm skin folds and can cause severe itching;
  • Ticks cause no symptoms when biting (the only way to find them is to examine your skin closely).
Unfortunately, when it comes to spiders, identifying a spider bite (even a poisonous one) can be a challenge (unless obvious fang marks are present). In most cases, an unknown bite is no cause for concern unless the local reaction continues to get worse for more than 24 hours. Look for redness spreading away from the bite, drainage from the bite, increase in pain, numbness/tingling, or a discoloration around the bite that looks like a halo or bull’s-eye. Any effect in muscle contraction or nerve function or any other body-wide effects such as fever, chills or general aches should not be taken lightly and you should seek medical attention immediately.

Aside from a toxic reaction, anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) is also a medical emergency. Victims of bites who experience hives, shortness of breath, wheezing, and/or weakness should seek help immediately.

Bug bite treatment

Treatment in most cases is not necessary and when given, is usually meant to reduce symptoms. Unless there's a medical emergency, first clean the area around the bite with mild soap and water. Try and refrain from scratching. Then, treat the swelling and itching using ice cubes, over-the-counter pain killers, antihistamines, corticosteroid creams, and/or calamine lotion. Those with risk of anaphylactic reaction (anyone who has had severe reactions in the past) should likely carry an epinephrine syringe in case of future reaction. For severe reactions (as listed above), seek medical attention right away.

don’t let the bad bugs bite

Just reading about bugs and their bites is enough to give anyone the itches, but try to keep things in perspective. Most bites are mild. Almost none are poisonous. And you’re probably going to get bitten anyway, so relax and enjoy some fun in the sun.