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With summer fast approaching, people aren't the only ones eager to come out of their winter hiding. Many insects actually hibernate through the winter (others migrate to warmer climates), but come spring they begin to show up in our homes, backyards and even, at times, on our bodies.

But some bugs are more than just unsightly guests--bugs that bite can spur allergies, cause painful welts and even spread disease. Knowing the facts about some of the most common biting bugs will help to keep these inevitable invaders from spoiling your summer fun.


MosquitoWhere They're Found: Mosquitoes can be found all over the world--except in Antarctica! Because they must have standing water to lay eggs, they're often found around ponds, swampy areas, stream edges, drainage areas and other damp, wet areas.

Why They Bite: Mosquitoes bite to feed. After landing on your skin, they insert their sharp, thin mouthpart called a proboscis into you and suck your blood into their abdomen.


How to Avoid and Prevent: If you're going to spend time outdoors, wear long pants, socks and long sleeves. Mosquitoes can bite through thin material, so you may want to spray a chemical-free (look for a non-toxic variety that doesn't contain DEET) insect repellant on the outside of your clothes. You may also want to apply it to exposed skin. One such safe repellant is Lice B Gone--it's a lice shampoo that contains no harmful pesticides or irritating chemicals that doubles as a non-toxic insect repellant. Some people also spray it outside to keep pests away when they're entertaining. Dusk and dawn are peak mosquito hours, so take extra precautions during these times.


Interesting Facts: Only female mosquitoes bite people (males feed on plant juices), and their saliva contains anticoagulant proteins that prevent your blood from clotting and make it easier for them to feed.


HouseflyWhere They're Found: Like mosquitoes, houseflies are found all over the world, except in Antarctica and a few remote islands. They also like to hang out near horse manure, garbage or exposed food.

Why They Bite: Houseflies don't actually bite, but because they like to hover around garbage and sewage they can be one of the riskiest insects to humans. They use a spongy part of their mouth to "sponge" up their food and, because of the way they eat (and the fact that they sit in places crawling with bacteria), they easily transmit diseases when they come in contact with our food.

Risks: Typhus, dysentery, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, cholera, pinworms, hookworms and some tapeworms can all be transmitted by the housefly, often via our food.

How to Avoid and Prevent: Proper sanitation is key to keeping flies at bay. Dispose of garbage and any type of rotting vegetation often, and be sure to keep food stored in covered containers. At social events like picnics, use mesh covers to keep flies from resting on your food, and keep flies out of your home by installing screens in your windows and doors.

Interesting Facts: Deerflies, horseflies and black flies (sometimes called gnats) are the ones that bite (to feed on blood, like mosquitoes), but since more than 98 percent of the flies we catch in our homes are the aptly named houseflies, we decided to include them instead!



Why They Bite: Fleas bite dogs, cats, humans and other animals to feed on their blood. An adult flea feeds on blood more than once a day.


Flea bites themselves are red and very itchy. On humans they typically occur on the ankles and legs. Fortunately, the fleas typically found in homes are "just a nuisance," according to Marcia Larkins, D.V.M., chief of the companion and wildlife drugs branch in the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "They generally cause a lot of itching and scratching. They may also cause some discomfort due to possible allergic flea bite dermatitis."




Interesting Facts: A female flea can eat 15 times her body weight in blood in only one day!


TickWhere They're Found: Ticks are found all over the world and like to live in woods, tall grass, weeds and brush.

Why They Bite: Like fleas, ticks bite animals to feed on their blood.



How to Avoid and Prevent: Since ticks like to live in brush and tall grass, avoid walking through these types of areas. If you do, wear long pants tucked into your socks and long sleeves. After you walk in an area that may contain ticks, inspect pets and family members closely (ticks are most often found near the neck and scalp). Keeping your own yard well maintained, trimmed and mowed will help to keep ticks away.


Interesting Facts: Ticks are not insects, they're arachnids like mites, spiders and scorpions. Some species can go for years without feeding!


LiceWhere They're Found: Lice are found worldwide. They like warm places and live on human scalps. They can also hide in hairbrushes, furniture and bedding.

Why They Bite: Lice bite humans to feed on their blood.

Risks: Lice don't pose any serious risks to humans; however, they do cause an extremely annoying itch that occurs when a person has an allergic reaction to the lice saliva. If a person scratches too hard, a secondary skin infection could develop.


Flea 'n Tick B Gone: The Natural and Safe Way to Beat Fleas, Ticks and Other Pests

Flea n Tick B GoneFlea 'n Tick B Gone is an enzyme-based formula made naturally from plant resources, so it's entirely free of the neurotoxic pesticides that make up conventional flea and tick treatments. Flea 'n Tick B Gone is:

  • 100% Pesticide Free
  • Non-toxic
  • Clinically proven to be highly effective
  • A Great Value! Eliminates the need for collars, bombs, foggers, powders, etc., and is economically priced
  • Reduces vet and medicinal costs
  • Controls other in-home pests
  • Reduces risk of infections, dermatitis and itching
  • Safely removes fleas, ticks, lice and other pests

Read more about Flea n' Tick B Gone Now!

Once a person has lice, the typical treatment is to use a chemical shampoo. However, pesticide-based shampoos are dangerous. "Preparations like Rid and Kwell ... are definitely toxic to people," says Dr. Andrew Weil, MD. That's because they contain pediculicides, which are potent pesticides and insecticides designed to poison lice, but that can be absorbed directly into your child's scalp.




Interesting Facts: Contrary to the popular belief that lice like "dirty hair," lice actually prefer clean, healthy scalps.

Bees, Wasps and Hornets




Where They're Found: These insects live throughout the United States and world. They may establish hives or nests in trees, shrubs, sides of buildings, attics or in the ground.

Why They Bite: These insects bite to defend themselves if they're disturbed or injured. Bees, in particular, are not aggressive and typically don't sting unless they're disturbed (many stings happen when people walking barefoot step on them).

Risks: Most stings result in local swelling, pain, itching and redness. It's possible, but not common, for an infection to also occur. However, for those who are allergic to the venom, a sting can result in a life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause hives, difficulty breathing and swallowing, hoarseness, swelling of the tongue, dizziness and fainting. Emergency care is necessary in these cases. Because the venom of each insect varies, it's possible to be allergic to a bee sting but not to a wasp sting, and so on.



Interesting Facts: If you're stung by a honeybee, which has barbs on its stinger, the stinger will remain in your skin. The stinger is connected to the bee's digestive system, and as the bee flies away it gets torn out of the bee, causing the bee to die soon after. If you're stung by a wasp, hornet or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin, and the insect is not harmed.

Recommended Reading

Lice: A Surprisingly Widespread Problem

Double-Danger: Fleas & Ticks and their Common Treatment Products


How Mosquitoes Work


FDA: Fighting Fleas and Ticks

Wasp and Bee Control



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