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Bug Bite Identification Help
Use the pictures and information below to help you identify bug bites and stings.
Ant Bites
Ants
Sting Appearance: Redness & swelling
Sting Symptoms: Moderate pain. Allergic reactions: sneezing, wheezing, hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sudden anxiety, dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, itching or swelling of the face.
Notes: While not always the case, a person who is highly allergic to wasp and bee stings may be highly allergic to ant stings. This is a general overview of ant stings & bites. See also carpenter ants, fire ants, and harvester ants.
Bed Bug Bite
Bed Bugs
Bite Appearance: Red welts (small, flat or raised), swelling, red rash, or bites can appear in tight lines of multiple, small, red marks.
Bite Symptoms: Initial burning sensation, itching, it is possible to have no reactions, and bite goes unseen.
Notes: May go unnoticed for a few days. One bug may bite multiple times. Read more about bed bug bites.
Blister Beetle
Blister Beetle Bite
Bite Appearance: Blisters or welts caused by a chemical called cantharidin.
Bite Symptoms: Occurs within a few hours of contact and no lasting skin damage.
Notes: Do not crush blister beetles on skin, instead gently remove them. Read more about blister beetle bites.
Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Brown Recluse Spiders
Bite Appearance: Reddening, swelling, and blister may appear at the bite site.
Bite Symptoms: Mild skin irritation or itching, skin lesions, fever, convulsions, nausea and muscle pain.
Notes: Fatalities have never been verified. Deep scarring can occur if left untreated. Read more about brown recluse bites.
Fire Ant Bite
Fire Ants
Sting Appearance: Red welts or lumps, semi circular pattern for multiple stings, and becomes a blister.
Sting Symptoms: Burning, stinging sensation.
Notes: One ant may sting multiple times. Read more about fire ant stings.
Fleas
Flea Bite
Bite Appearance: Red spots surrounded by reddened halos, often found on legs and feet.
Bite Symptoms: Very itchy.
Notes: Contact doctor immediately if bite wounds excrete pus. Read more about flea bites.
Horsefly Bite
Horseflies
Bite Appearance: Bleeding (horsefly feeds on the blood) and reddish bump.
Bite Symptoms: Painful bites, soreness, and itchiness.
Notes: Aggressive biters. Possibility of infection if not treated with antibacterial medications. Read more about horsefly bites.
Lice
Lice Bites
Bite Appearance: Bites in pubic hair, armpit, or eyebrow. Bluish-grey skin reactions sores and a small red bump.
Bite Symptoms: Itching that often gets worse at night. Tiny white eggs called nits may be found in hair
Notes: Itching may start soon after getting bitten or it may not start for up to 2-4 weeks after contact. Read more about lice bites, including head lice and body lice.
Mosquito Bite
Mosquitoes
Bite Appearance: Hard bumps, bumps can be puffy with a red dot in the middle, and bites may appear as small as blisters instead of bumps.
Bite Symptoms: Itching.
Notes: For children, large swelling or low grade fever may accompany bites. Read more about mosquito bites.
Scabies Bite
Scabies
Appearance: Pimple-like rashes usually on the wrist, elbow, armpit, nipple, waist, belt-line, buttocks, and between the fingers. Small, raised lines on the surface of the skin.
Symptoms: Intense itching that worsens in the evening and numbness, tingling and swelling around the sting site.
Notes: Caused by the itch mite that does not actually bite or sting, but burrows and eats human skin. Read more about scabies.
Spider Bite
Spiders
Bite Appearance: Two puncture marks close together.
Bite Symptoms: Widow spiders: muscle cramps and pain, increased blood pressure, sweating, skin rash. Violin spiders: anemia, blood in the urine, fever, rash, nausea, vomiting and even coma (rare).
Notes: This is a general overview of spider bites. Read more about spider bites. See also black widow, brown recluse, hobo, tarantula, wolf, and yellow sac.
Ticks
Tick Bites
Bite Appearance
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“Bulls-eye” rash can be signs that a tick had Lyme Disease
Bite Symptoms
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Initial sign is redness around the bite area
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Itchiness
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Burning sensation
Notes: Fever, headache and fatigue are early signs of Lyme Disease.
