	Article Directory		Article Submission Service		Article Marketing Blog		Publishers		Member Log In

Article Directory :: Home & Family Articles

Some Bug Bites that Cause Swelling

By Ben Mester

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 07Nov2010
Word count: 737
Viewed: 193 time(s)

Get Free Content For Your Site

There are many different kinds of bug bites that cause swelling, and no one likes to wake up in the morning to the sight of a bright red lump on their body. The problem with insects and bugs is that they generally are nocturnal, like most other pests such as rats and mice. They become active at night when humans are most susceptible to them.

Bugs and insects generally go in cycles, meaning that there might be lots of a certain type of bug one year, and then you barely ever see them for the next 7 years until they reach their peak again. The perfect example of this is I just heard a report on the news that right now in the region where I'm living, there's been an outbreak of bedbugs. When was the last time anyone has worried about bedbugs? But apparently there are lots of them right now.

But before we talk about which kinds of bug bites that cause swelling, we should discuss a little bit about why bug bites cause swelling. Depending on the level of sensitivity of the skin, it should generally only swell because a foreign chemical is introduced. This is not necessarily a poison. Some bug bites, such as mosquito bites, inject a chemical solution into the area which keeps the blood they're drawing out from coagulating and clotting so that they can process it. This chemical isn't considered a poison, but it causes swelling nonetheless. Many other kinds of bugs bite even though they aren't poisonous, and these bites shouldn't cause swelling, unless the skin is overly sensitive.

If you've gotten a bug bite and aren't sure where it came from, this list should help you determine. It goes from most common to least common.

1. Mosquito Bites. Like we discussed already, mosquito bites cause swelling due to a chemical they inject into the skin in order to keep the blood from clotting. Mosquito bites aren't dangerous unless the mosquito is infected with malaria, which is a blood borne disease that's very dangerous. But in the United States and other modern countries, malaria is very rare. It generally thrives in jungle climates.

2. Spider Bites. Spider bites in general are very common, but the type of spider can be varied. Common household include Daddy-Long-Legs, which don't bite, and Wolf Spiders. Wolf spiders are usually small to medium size, and aren't among the more poisonous of spiders. Their bites will leave a pink or reddish lump on the skin for a couple of days. The size of the lump generally corresponds to the size of the spider.

There are many other kinds of spiders that live nearby homes. These however, are usually more dangerous and leave more than just some simple swelling. These include Black Widows, Brown Recluse, and Funnel Spiders. If you get bit by any of these, you'll know it, and you'll want to seek immediate medical attention. An ordinary household spider bite shouldn't get worse than a small lump. So if yours does, seek medical attention.

3. Bed Bug Bites. Bed bugs are tiny parasites that live in beds. There are different varieties of bugs that could be labeled bed bugs, but the one generally thought of is the one that feeds on human blood. Bed bug bites are very similar to mosquito bites in that the swelling comes from the anti-coagulant chemicals that's injected into the region to keep the blood from clotting. Bed bugs are much less common in urban environments than they once were. They've largely been eradicated in the modern world. Bed bugs are able to feed on their host's blood without waking the host.

4. Ants

5. Bees, Wasps, and Hornets

6. Centipede Bites. Centipede bites are often very painful. The centipede leaves a pair of puncture wounds through two pointed attack claws that inject a non-fatal poison into its victim. Centipedes are generally encountered outdoors, and can attack a victim when a portion of the body is stepped on. If the victim is wearing sandals and steps on a small portion of the body of a large centipede, the rest of the body can swing upward and sting the foot of the victim. A centipede sting will definitely leave swelling, but you'll feel it right away. Centipedes inhabit mostly the southwestern states.

7. Scorpions. Most everything about scorpions is similar to centipedes. The method of attack, the type of poison, and the region are all very similar.

Thanks for stopping by and reading about different bug bites that cause swelling. For more on pests, check out my article on battery powered electronic rat traps

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here