How to prevent bug bites

蜘蛛和昆虫的叮咬会让你的户外娱乐活动失去乐趣. Activities like 去野营, cooking food on an 户外烧烤 or 游泳 can all lead to bug bites. Before you head outside, consider the following.

How to avoid bug bites

Here are some ideas to help prevent bug and insect bites:

• Wear protective clothing. Lightweight pants, a long-sleeved shirt, 一顶帽子, 手套, 高袜和闭趾鞋可以在工作或休息时提供保护 playing outside露营，甚至在爬行空间或出没区域工作时.
• Remove wasp nests. 请专业人士清除你家或其他生活区附近的马蜂窝.
• 安装屏幕. 安装严密的门窗纱窗，防止昆虫进入家中.
• 使用蚊帐. If sleeping outdoors, 你可以在睡觉的地方挂一个用拟除虫菊酯杀虫剂处理过的蚊帐，以帮助减少蚊子的相互作用.
• 使用排斥的. According to label directions, it’s recommended to apply insect repellent to your clothing and skin before going outside. 天然和精油可以用作驱虫剂，帮助你避免接触化学物质. 薰衣草, 柠檬草和百里香是养恙虫的其他选择, 跳蚤, mosquitos and ticks away. 罗勒、丁香、桉树、薰衣草和薄荷也有助于赶走苍蝇.
• Eliminate standing water. 蚊子 can breed in tiny amounts of water, so try to regularly dump or drain tires, 排水沟, 水盆, 手推车, 玩具, pots and planters.
• Grow plants that repel insects. 某些植物包括万寿菊、菊花、薰衣草和牙线花，都能帮助抵御虫子. 同样，罗勒、薄荷和迷迭香等草本植物也有助于驱除各种昆虫.
• Use candles or burn herbs. Citronella smoke repels mosquitoes and other insects. 此外，在煤上燃烧鼠尾草或迷迭香可以帮助驱蚊.
• Add a bat house to your yard or home. One small brown bat can eat hundreds of mosquitoes.
• Limit fragrances. 臭虫可能会被你的香水、古龙水或乳液的气味吸引.

bug的类型

常见的错误

These may not seem like dangerous insects at first glance, but they can transmit disease, trigger allergies or become nuisances, so read on to understand what you’re up against.

• 蚊子 are well known for their itchy bites, 但更严重的后果可能包括感染寨卡病毒等疾病和病毒, malaria and the dengue virus.
• 蜜蜂 如果你有过敏反应，就会有轻微的疼痛，但更令人担忧的相互作用. If you’re unsure if you’re allergic, stay alert after a sting for symptoms like 荨麻疹, 瘙痒, swelling or difficulty breathing.
  
• 蜱虫 无翅的棕色或红褐色节肢动物通常生活在草丛、灌木丛或树林中吗. 它们可能携带莱姆病，引起过敏反应或增加你感染的风险.
  

Dangerous bugs that bite or sting

Steer clear of insects with bright, contrasting patterns like black and yellow, 红色或橙色, as these colors often reveal them as venomous or poisonous. Here are a few to watch out for.

• Brown recluse spiders 能长1 / 4到3 / 4英寸，身上有小提琴形状的斑纹吗.
• Black widow spiders 体长约1.5英寸，腹部有红色沙漏状斑纹.
• 黄蜂, which include yellow jackets and hornets, 可以通过黑黄或棕红的颜色图案来识别吗.
• Africanized honey bees 看起来像普通的蜜蜂，但倾向于用数百个螫针围住它们的目标.
• 红火蚁 are less than ¼ inch long and red-brown in color. 如果它们的种群受到威胁，它们会反复咬人.

Bug bite treatment

观察 allergic reactions and treating bites and stings immediately is important. 许多咬伤会自己消失，但这里有一些方法可以帮助你 对待他们.

• Move to a safe area. 尽量远离事发地点，以帮助减少再次被咬伤或蜇伤的风险.
• Remove the stinger. 如果可能的话，一些黄蜂和蜜蜂蜇伤需要从该区域取出毒刺. 用指甲刮皮肤通常足以去除毒刺.
• Cleanse thoroughly. Wash spider and mosquito bites with soap and water, 用消毒剂(如外用酒精)清洗蜱虫感染的部位.
• Elevate the area. 如果手臂或腿部受到影响，抬高该区域可以帮助减少肿胀.
• Apply a cool compress. 用冷敷或冰敷叮咬处也可以帮助减轻肿胀和瘙痒.
• Apply a cream or other treatment. 一些止痛药和乳液，如氢化可的松乳膏, calamine lotion or a baking soda paste may help. An antihistamine might also help reduce 瘙痒.
• Seek immediate medical care if allergic. 即使你的反应很轻微，也要考虑联系你的医生. 如果症状包括呼吸困难，请拨打911或当地的急救电话, swelling of lips, eyelids or throat, 头晕, 心跳加速, 荨麻疹, nausea or seizures.
• Call Poison 帮助 if issues persist. 如果你怀疑咬伤或刺痛可能是有毒的，或者没有过敏，并且正在经历不寻常的症状，如头晕, 荨麻疹, trouble breathing or swelling around the eyes and mouth, it's crucial to take action. 拨打“解毒帮助”(1-800-222-1222)与当地的解毒中心联系.

Dealing with a slightly larger pest? Check out some of our DIY tips for pest management and wildlife control.