Avoiding Bites and Stings
- Avoid places that attract stinging pests. Orchards, outdoor toilets and marshy areas are like bug magnets
- Do not apply perfume, hair spray or use heavily scented bath soaps before you go outdoors. .
- Avoid wearing shiny jewelry. .
- Apply insect repellent to your clothing and not on your skin. .
- Wear light colored clothing instead of dark or heavily patterned. .
- Do not got barefoot or wear sandals in long grass. .
- Even when temperatures are high, wear loose fitting, lightweight pants and long sleeved shirts instead of shorts and a short sleeved shirt. .
- Avoid sitting directly on the ground. Always sit on a towel or blanket. .
- Place mosquito netting over an infants, crib, playpen, carriage etc...
- Warn children not to swat at bees or wasps. .
- When your car is parked, make sure that all windows are up
- Always be sure to check your vehicle for wasps/ bees before you begin driving.
Treating Bites and Stings
- Remove the stinger. This must be done carefully so that more venom does not into the wound. .
- To avoid venom from getting into the blood stream as quickly, apply ice immediately. This also helps to prevent swelling. .
- Applying Calamine lotion will ease the itch of a sting or bite.
Ticks
Although not as much of an everyday pest as bees, wasps or mosquitos, ticks can be dangerous. Ticks attach themselves to humans by burrowing their heads under the skin and becoming engorged with blood.. They are small, flat, brown creatures that are most likely to be found in sand dunes, areas with tall grass, in trees and at the edges of wooded areas .
Tick bites are not overly painful, but there is always the slim chance of contracting Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from the bite.
- Symptoms of Lyme Disease: Blotchy rash, pain in the joints and flu-like symptoms.
- Symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Fever, red spots, head and backache.
Removing a Tick
- Completely cover the tick with a heavy oil. ( vegetable oil or mineral oil) This causes the tick`s breathing pores to become clogged and it will pull out.
- Always make sure that the entire tick has been removed. Infection could occur if the head is left under the skin.
Killer Bees
Not everyone who has an allergy to bee stings is aware of it, and the consequences can be deadly to some. Some symptoms of an allergic reaction to bees include hives, rash, severe itching, wheezing, swelling and redness around the mouth and eyes, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and possible collapse.
If you see someone experiencing these symptoms after a bee sting, get them medical help immediately.
While waiting for medical attention:
- Have the victim lie still, and keep the bite lower than the heart
- Apply ice to the bite to slow the flow of venom from entering the circulatory system.
Tip
Bee kits are available for self injecting an antidote to bee and insect toxins. People with these allergies should ask their about getting and using one.
