Signs To Know You Have Suffered A Horsefly Bite
As summer comes round and the weather turns warm, there are several changes that come along with it and one of such changes are seen in the insects that come round with this warm weather. One of these insects is the horsefly.
A horsefly is one insect whose bite is extremely painful in fact a lot more painful than other insect bites and can be rather damaging to the skin. While it is not completely possible to avoid coming in contact with horse flies as they are rather immune to the regular insect and bug repellents, you can, however, learn to identify what a horsefly bite looks like and even how to treat it.
How To Identify A Horsefly Bite
First of all, as earlier mentioned, a horsefly bite is very painful, and the resulting would heal slowly in comparison to bite wounds from other insects. This is mainly because of the way a horsefly bites.
It is important to note that only the female horseflies bite and this is because of the way their mouthparts are structured. They also bite to suck blood, and this is because they need blood during the mating period of the warm seasons in order to support the production of eggs during this period.
When a horsefly bites, the following things can be seen from the bite:
- It would appear not as a puncture like other insect bites but like an actual cut.
- The bite would result in a wound because the horsefly cuts the skin in a scissors-like manner.
- The horsefly would mop up the blood spilled from the cut inflicted on the skin.
- The bite from a horsefly is usually seen as red and is surrounded by a hive or weal.
The physical manifestation is usually the first sign of a horsefly bite. While horsefly bites manifest these physical characteristics and are generally not infectious or harmful, in some cases, it is important to look out for signs of spreading redness, swelling, discharge such as pus and an increased amount of pain as these can all be signs of an infection in the wound.
Some major symptoms of reactions to horsefly bites include:
- Swollen skin
- Wheezing
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
Treatment
When treating a horsefly bite, it is really just the same as treating any other insect bite; however, the main thing here is to be careful with the wound to ensure that it does not get infected as this may be where complications would result from.
These preventive measures include:
- Cleaning the bite with warm water, soap, and a clean cloth
- Using a cold compress to ease the pain and swelling from the bite
- Restraining from scratching the bite so as not to cause an infection or make it worse
- Trying not to make use of other remedies apart from water and normal soap
It should also be noted that the horsefly would not leave behind any mouthparts on the skin of the bitten patient.
It is also important to notify a doctor the minute any changes are noticed on the skin.
