There is a reason I don’t spend an enormous amount of time outside. The bugs love me and I am allergic to the biting bugs.
My skin is extremely sensitive. 9 out of 10 times, I can feel the mosquito bite me. It swells up to about the size of a dime and it itches.
When I was about 12 I got stung on my thigh by two yellow jackets. I had a hard, hot, itchy spot the size of a pancake on my thigh….for weeks. When I was 17, I stepped barefooted on a bee’s nest. The arch of my foot swelled so much that I actually needed crutches to walk because my arch is what I was walking on. The last time I got stung by a bee it felt like someone took a red-hot needle and slowly pushed it into my toe, it brought instant tears to my eyes. I went to the Dr after three weeks and got some steroids to make it go away.
Because of my sensitivity/allergy to biting insects you will normally find me walking my dogs in long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a ball cap. Even in the very hot, humid days of June, July and August.
Still the bugs love me. As soon as I step onto the path, the first bug buzzes me. Then he takes up the cry, “She’s here!” “Dinnertime” “Come and get it while it’s hot.” It is like the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor. They swarm at me, buzz me and actually do fly bys.
I use insect repellent (Off, Cutters, Bugoff, Skin so Soft) I wear a bug band. Once I even used two bug bands and hung them from my glasses.
And yet, most days still finds me removing my hat and fanning it back and forth to ward off the bugs. You can imagine with my limited coordination how this looks, not to mention the many times I have smacked myself in the face being a little too zealous with the hat.
Yesterday I got bit. On my arm. By what I think was a horsefly. Through my long-sleeved shirt. I felt it, in fact I looked down and said, “You bit me you f*&%*&r!” Within minutes I had a welt.
It hurt, I mean it really hurt. I didn’t have any ice, but I had cold water in the dog’s bottle so I put some cold water on it. I kept my eye on it because I have never been bitten by a horsefly. I know how I react to bee stings on my lower extremities, but I’ve never been bitten (knock on wood) by anything other than a mosquito on my upper half.
After about 20 minutes, the welt had subsided and I had a little bit of a red mark. This is what it looked like when I got home.
I washed it, iced it and put some Benadryl cream on it. I also took a Benadryl.
This is what it looked like after 24 hours.
It is itchy as all get out! I just took another Benadryl and put a salt paste on it, because I remember when I had the stings on my foot that the salt water of the ocean helped it. I also put some Benadryl cream on it and I think I might ice it again.
So tell me, what do you use to protect yourself against bugs? I’m actually considering getting one of those portable electric bug zappers that look like a small tennis racket.
Picture courtesy of Gottahaveitforless.com
Hey it beats waving my hat and smacking myself in the face.
Oh my that is horrible! Have you ever heard of a “Bug Out Suit”? It is a zippered top, pants, and a head covering that is mesh and you wear it over your clothes. I have actually worn them and they work. Any hunter’s supply has them. Some may be camo, but you would probably just want the net one. If you want to walk in the woods, it may be something worth considering. Yes you may feel odd at first, but it isn’t so bad. You may also be able to buy the pieces separately, such as the top or head net, if your jeans are sufficient protection.
Thanks 2browndawgs! You always have the best advice. I will check it out.
Then you can hit yourself in the face with the tennis racket! LMAO Love you mommy
I would have waffle marks on my face. LOL
Yikes! That sounds horrible. Kudos to you for haning in there and still taking pups our for their walks even if it just about kills you. Wow! I think 2browndawgs has a great idea! You may like wearing the suit better than the waffle marks on your face. : ) Getting face smacked…not a good idea, getting stung…worse idea…cool looking bug fighting suit? Priceless!
I love walking and I love doing it with the pups. I did check out the suit (online at Cabella’s) and I think at the very least I am going to get the head net and the shirt. I hope the heavy jeans will deter those pesky varments. 🙂 Of course, I will need to take a picture. LOL
One thing that will help with black flies and the other bugs that bite (not sting): Stop eating bananas during the summer… entirely. And start taking vitamin B. There is something in bananas that makes your blood either more tasty, or at least more noticeable. There is something about vitamin B that makes you less appetizing. I know i’m not sounding very scientific about this, but I can’t remember the specifics, only that it works. When i was working up north, I’d stop eating bananas in may or so, and start taking Vitamin B, and I definitely noticed a difference – i still got a few mosquito bites, but the black flies and deerflies and horseflies left me alone, and those are the ones I really react to.
Also, I’ve got the bug-mesh hat (a baseball cap with the mesh you can pull down around it), and it really helps a lot.
Thanks Lexy! I rarely eat bananas but I can increase my B vitamin. I am thinking of getting one of those hats, where did you get yours?
I think I got it at an outdoor goods store. However, the only ones that seem likely to have been where I found it are Canadian Tire and Mountain Equipment Coop… two Canadian stores. you can get more basic versions at most camp stores (at campgrounds), and I’m guessing anywhere that sells camping equipment or hunting equipment.
Thanks, I can check online too!
I have one of those bug killer rackets, it’s fun but a little dangerous, I haven’t experiemented to see if it would hurt alot, but my guess is, Yes it would hurt a lot to hit yourself with it! Anyway, I got it at Ocean State, they usually sell them at a great discount every summer.
That’s a nasty welt! you could also try a baking soda paste on it. And vodka, lots of vodka, to dull the itch. Not on the welt, down the hatch instead. 🙂
I like the vodka idea Kathy!
Yikes! That’s horrible. While I have a few bites on my body, my husband seems to attract the insects a lot more than I do. All I have to do is stand near him and they leave me alone. His blood must be much tastier than mine. I feel bad for him, of course…
I don’t know what I’d do if my reactions were as bad as yours. That looks really painful. I have used the rackt zappers before and they are quite effective at killing but you have to catch them first.
I also want to second Sassykassy’s vodka comment. Rum works too. 😉
Thanks Kristine, I like both rum and vodka, right now though I am more concerned with stopping the itching!
I think I might have to go with some netting, or else spend the rest of my life inside. LOL