Mysterious bug bites in the night
So my kids are getting bitten every so often while sleeping, and we're not sure what it is that's doing the bitting.
I thought perhaps it might be a spider but we honestly don't know. It's very itchy and nothing seems to help really. Plus they take forever to go away.
And last night I was bitten a few times. I've got some pictures of the bites. If anyone has any suggestions on what they could be and better yet how we can treat them that would be wonderful.
I will be doing some natural bug treatments around the house to help in the meantime.🕷️🐜
Comments
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My daughter is getting them too but she's in NC at a camp. She thinks they're spiders too. I have only seen pictures. They look kind of like the ones you posted. Wish I could be more help! I hope you figure it out. She's asked to have her cabin sprayed. I know it won't be anything natural.
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It's interesting that it's only at night and when sleeping. I've been looking at zappers to use outside for mosquitoes. I never ended up getting one because when I was researching it said they get beneficials as well. But I did see some that can be used indoors while sleeping and many that got good reviews were not that expensive.
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@JennyT Upstate South Carolina what about fleas? Bed bugs leave a lot of red spots, so this might not be the case. But fleas? Do you have cats or dogs? I recently saw a flea on my cat. I have read that bed bugs seem to be an increasing problem in tourism where hikers or pilgrims stay only for one night.
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@annbeck62 I'll look into those thanks for the suggestion.😊
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@jowitt.europe No, we don't have pets inside. Our cats stay outside for the most part unless the kids bring them in for a cuddle.😕
But I'm pretty sure it's spider bites. We have a ton around here. I'm constantly having to get rid of cobwebs inside and outside.
One thing I really need is to find a better ointment to help with after we have the bites.
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My first thought was bedbugs, but looking at the bites I don't think that's the case. Bedbug bites don't itch or swell, they just bleed onto your sheets. Unfortunately bedbugs are much more widespread than people realize.
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Bedbugs can bite in patterns of three. Sometimes they have minor redness and do itch, depending on the individual.
I was exposed to bedbugs while I was on vacation and the welts did not show up until two weeks later, giving me a great fright about whether I had brought any home with me. Luckily, I just had a delayed reaction. My welts looked like your pictures.
A relative was told by a dermatologist that she had allergies, delaying her bedbug diagnosis until a bedbug was seen.
Another possibility is tick bites with a delayed itch reaction. Baby ticks bite and fall off.
Spiders would be an easier problem to fix. Best wishes for a benign culprit.
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@shllnzl I know it's not bedbugs. We've not seen ticks on our bodies in the areas where the bites are showing up.
I'm pretty sure it's spiders. I just need to figure out how to treat the bites now that we have them. I'll need to do some thorough cleaning and figure out what else to deter them from hanging around.
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@JennyT Upstate South Carolina You most likely had a spider hatching that produced hundreds of little ones.
I think peppermint oil repels spiders as well as ants. That smell would be tolerable and non-toxic in the bedrooms.
Again, good luck.
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@shllnzl Oh goodness, I hope not! Not hundreds of little ones.😲🙄 I don't want to have to deal with that many.
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I wouldn't wish bug misery on anyone, but otherwise spiders are solitary creatures.
Multiple bugs attacking could be flying insects, fleas, mites, the infamous bedbugs, ants or ??? All on this list exist in quantity. Animals or birds nesting nearby could distribute parasites, and most of those will not stay on a human host.
I had a swamp cooler that bred mosquitoes, that weren't seen, yet bit me in the night.
Again, good luck.
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@shllnzl I can stand mosquitoes either.
I'm constantly overturning anything outside that has water sitting in it for that very reason. Some of my kids are still young and like to play in the dirt outside so there are constantly "little potions" sitting around that collect water when it rains.😊
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What about using meat tenderizer? I hear it is good for some bug bites.
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Don't know if it's helpful, but this popped up in my feed this morning.
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Thanks for sharing, @Linda Bittle. We are clearly dealing with something that's biting us. But I did find that article intriguing. 😊
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@JennyT Upstate South Carolina Your pictures made me itch!!
My mom had some ants in her recliner---didn't see them during the day, but in the evening she would sometimes fall asleep in her chair and wake up itching and had welts similar to yours! Hers turned out to be ants! Good luck identifying and getting rid of your pesky biters!
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@water2world yes exactly! My husband was bit the night before last and I looked at his bite and sure enough, it was similar to ours. And he knew it was an ant because he turned on the lamp beside the bed and looked for what bit him to kill it.
I know what works for getting rid of those around here so far. So with any luck, we shouldn't have to worry about them anymore.🤞
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@ JennyT Upstate South Carolina Glad your hubby knew an ant had gotten him--so, since you know what works there, maybe nobody will have anymore bites!
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One possibility that rarely shows up in the Carolinas, but does occasionally is kissing bugs.
Kissing Bugs & Bites: What They Look Like & How to Get Rid of Them (webmd.com)
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@JennyT Upstate South Carolina literally just saw this on another thread (https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/847705/essential-oils-as-part-of-your-lifestyle) a few minutes ago:
Lisa K Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have discovered that Tea Tree oil works great on spider bites! It takes away the itch and reduces the swelling.
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Yikes! Glad these are rarely seen around here @judsoncarroll4.😲
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That's great to hear @Merin Porter!😊
Now I know what works best, should we get bit by any spiders.
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@JennyT Upstate South Carolina We always used bay leaves to keep ants out of the house. I might be slipping a few leaves between the mattress and the sheets on each bed.
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I might see about getting some and doing just that. Thanks for the suggestion, @gardneto76.😊
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I got a random bite at nap time yesterday but it itched and today it's gone. Weird.
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I have had the same problem: very itchy bites. So I'll try the peppermint essential oil and tea tree oil and hope that solves my problem.
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I genuinely hope they do help you, @MissPatricia. Those bites are no fun at all. I'd itch mine, and then they'd become all inflamed, hot, and even more itchy.😫
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We have been dealing with something similar. We get bit and all times of the day and night. The bites look almost the same as yours. Ours are very itchy and will itch for a week or more. In my case ticks are not common and have just started being found in Alaska, No bed bugs, No ants have ever been found in our home, Have never seen what insect has been biting me, but have been bitten not just on my own property but in many areas throughout the community.
I had posted in a separate thread, that may have some suggestion you could find useful...
https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/914473#Comment_914473
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@JennyT Upstate South Carolina just checking in -- has anything helped?
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Hey, @Merin Porter. 😊 Yes, a couple of things I did helped. I had purchased an already made salve that contained some of the ingredients mentioned in the above comments and that helped the bites heal. Then I surrounded the house with a protective barrier of Diatomaceous Earth. Of course, when the rain washes some of it away I reapply. 😕 But it does the job.
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