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You are here: Home / Bedbugs – Bites, Stings and Itches / Introduction / Symptoms

Symptoms

In many cases, the biting or stinging insect has not been seen. They may be operating in the dark or are so small that they are hard to spot, and it would be nice if the symptoms alone could determine which species did the biting or stinging. Unfortunately it is not that simple. The itchy bumps of the type that most of us know from mosquito or flea bites are an allergic reaction, and each person responds very differently. This also applies to people in the same family. Some may not respond to bites of a certain type, while others swell up violently. It may add to the confusion, that the time it takes for the skin to reaction can vary from person to person. Some people respond immediately, while others respond after a few days after being bitten or stung.

It is common that there is an immediate reaction to a sting or a bite; however, often this reaction wears off within an hour. Several hours later – up to a day – at the same place, as a delayed reaction, the typical itchy “mosquito bites” appears and can itch for several days or weeks.

Finally, the old bite or sting can suddenly, for reasons unknown, start to itch again several weeks after it has settled .It is practically impossible to distinguish between bites of, for example, bedbugs, mosquitoes and fleas, however, the location of the bites may be an indication. Bed bugs and mosquitoes do not like to crawl under clothing or blankets. Their bite is therefore mainly seen on the parts of the body that is uncovered at night. Fleas on the other hand preferably bite the lower legs, under tight clothing and similar places. Flea bites are usually in groups of 2-3 bites right next to each other.

Itching is a nonspecific symptom that is sometimes caused by small animals. When experiencing itchy scalp hair, it is natural to look for lice. Itching between fingers and wrist may be the work of itch mites, handling mite infected goods or something else entirely. When the pubic hair itches, pubic lice are definitely an option.
Things that are inhaled may cause asthma and rhinitis. Of the animals mentioned in this book, dust mites and storage mites are known for causing these symptoms but there are many other options.

The blood-sucking animals can infect humans with bacteria, viruses, fungal spores and unicellular animals. From what we know so far, the caster bean tick is the only transmitter of infectious agents in Denmark. In the other Scandinavian countries mosquitoes are suspected of passing summer flu virus, etc. on to humans. The problem is that although these viruses can be found in mosquitoes, there is a lack of evidence that mosquitoes actually transmit the infection.

Bedbugs – Bites, Stings and Itches
Introduction
Unease about small animals
Frequency
Where?
The active substances, venom, poison and saliva
Symptoms
Dealing with the problem
Bed bugs
Where does it come from?
A bit of history
How do they look?
Food consumption
Disease transmission
Can you recognize a bed bug bite?
Mating
Egg-laying
Development of adult bed bugs
Temperature dependence
Bed bugs stick together
How do you get bed bugs?
Prevention
Pesticides and methods
Physical methods
Who will take care of the problem.
Lice
The head louse
Occurrence
Life cycle
Lice bites
Suspicion of head lice
Detection
Spreading of head lice
Lice control
Collective lice control
The body louse
The crab louse
Biology
Occurrence
Crab louse bites
Spreading of crab lice
Detection
Control
Lice in dogs
Lice in cats
Thrips
Life cycle
Bites and irritation
Prevention and eradication
Bugs
Bed bugs in animals
The masked hunter
The debris bug
The common flower bug
Water bugs
Butterflies and beetles
Butterflies
Butterfly scales
Butterfly larvae hair
Beetles
Larder beetle larvae hairs.
Mosquitoes and flies
Mosquitoes
Life cycle
Mosquito bites
Transmission of disease
Control
Prevention and protection
Biting midges
Bites
Prevention and control
Black flies
Life cycle
Black fly bites
Prevention and control
The stable fly
Life cycle
Stable fly bites
Control
Horse-flies
Horse-fly bites
Life cycle
Prevention and control
Louse flies
Life cycle
Prevention and control
Bees, wasps and ants
The honey bee
Life cycle
Bee stings
Prevention and control
Bumblebees
Bumblebee stings
Control
Solitary bees
Hornets (actual wasps)
Life cycle
Hornet stings
Prevention
Control
Other wasps
Ants
Fleas
The adult flea
Eggs and larvae
Flea bites
General treatment
Many kinds of fleas
Human fleas
Hedgehog fleas
Bird fleas
Bird flea control
Dog fleas and cat fleas
Cat flea biology
Cat fleas bite people
Flea bite allergies
Detection
Control
Control on the host animal
Flea control in the surrounding environment
Prevention of dog- and cat fleas
Ticks
The castor bean tick
Life cycle
Biting locations
The castor bean tick bite
Tick removal
Detection
Control
Prevention
The brown dog tick
Life cycle
Suspected brown dog tick infestation
Brown dog tick control
The european pigeon tick
Biology
Detection
European pigeon tick bites
If the European pigeon ticks are not controlled
Control
Small mites
Itch mites
Appearance
Biology
Symptoms
Process
Mode of transmission between humans
Control
Scabies from animals
Scabies in animals
Follicle mites
Follicle mites in humans
The canine follicle mite
Ear mites
Ear mites on dogs
The canine nasal mite
Fur mites
Three kinds of fur mites
Life cycle
Fur mite bites
People’s reaction to the bite
Host animal’s reactions to the bite
Infection and the spreading between animals
Detection
Control
Prevention
Water mites
An unusual family
Bird mites
Biology
Control
The harvest mite
Occurrence
Life cycle
Trombiculosis
Control
House dust mites
Storage mites
Other animals
Stinging jellyfish
Cercariae
Leeches
Centipedes
Scorpions
Spiders
Tarantulas
Greater weevers
The european adder
Animals that do not exist
Suspected delusional parasitosis
What to do
Possibilities of confusion
Ectoparasites
Index

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