This hot and humid weather has the flying insects in place, from midges to midges and horseflies to wasps.
If there’s one thing that can make trying to sleep in this heat even worse, it is not to scratch your own pesky bites.
Evonne Quinlan, a pharmacist at McCauley Pharmacy in Mahon Point, told Cork Beo that she’s seen a huge surge in people looking for treatments for insect bites in the past few weeks.
“Often times, people can take a bite and don’t notice until the next morning when there’s redness and swelling,” she said.
Horseflies bear a painful bite.
“Most of the time we recommend an antihistamine tablet or cream, then you can add a soothing supplement or a mild steroid as well.”
Evonne added that untreated bites can sometimes lead to cellulite, a skin infection that requires doctor’s attention and the prescription of antibiotics.
To avoid a bite in the first place, the pharmacist recommended the following:
- Keep windows closed at night and in the evening.
- Cover the exposed skin as much as possible.
- Make it easy on yourself with strong scented perfumes and shampoos that can attract insects.
- Apply a product containing deet (insect repellent)
- Be careful where you sit, i.e. away from trash cans
If you are bitten, Evonne recommends washing the area gently, applying a cold compress, and treating it with an antihistamine cream.
“If it’s still very swollen, red, and hot after that, I would take a picture of the bite so you know if it gets better or worse as the day progresses.
“If it just doesn’t get better, it’s time to call your GP,” she added. “Especially if you’ve had cellulite before, as you’ll likely get it again.”
Evonne says tick bites need to be monitored very closely after the tick itself has been completely removed with tweezers and the area cleaned.
“Your doctor will be able to help you with every tick bite, as there is always a risk that it can transmit Lyme disease.”
Insect expert Dr. Fidelma Butler, an entomologist at University College Cork, explained to Cork Beo why we get bitten more often in sunshine.
“To put it simply, the insects are much more active in hot weather. But we’re out more often too, so it’s a bit of both, ”she said.
“They like wetter conditions, which is why you see them in large numbers near lakes. This also means that because of the wet beginning of the year, they have bred in large numbers.”
Mosquitoes are actually found in Ireland and they carry a nasty bite.
When asked why insects like mosquitoes and horseflies want to bite us, Dr. Butler: “They all have different motivations. As much as insects can be a nuisance to us, we can sometimes bother them too.
“So sometimes they bite because you’re in the way or because you’re sitting on it as a defense mechanism,” she added. “The other reason would be that blood-sucking insects are biting for food.”
Dr. Butler acknowledged that sometimes people are simply more attractive to flying insects than others.
“They respond absolutely to chemical cues like our smell, as well as to visual stimuli like colors and shapes.
“Some people are definitely more quickly or instantly attracted to insects by their natural smell.”
