Local insects? (Burke, Springfield: live, beaches, eat)

[AG1024]

My family relocated from Delaware to Springfield last week, and spent 3 days exploring Lake Accotink, Burke Lake & Hidden Pond Nature Center since there are SO MANY parks nearby. This morning, I noticed two large scary looking bites on my daughters legs. They are hard, hot, swollen to the size of half-dollars and have a thin white ring around them. I'm curious if this sounds familiar to anyone, or can share some insight on what we need to be wary of when walking through the woods in the parks..

[ghett61]

I am not a doctor or an expert, but it could be a spider bite or just a mosquito bite. I know I got eaten up by mosquitoes over the weekend.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by AG1024

My family relocated from Delaware to Springfield last week, and spent 3 days exploring Lake Accotink, Burke Lake & Hidden Pond Nature Center since there are SO MANY parks nearby. This morning, I noticed two large scary looking bites on my daughters legs. They are hard, hot, swollen to the size of half-dollars and have a thin white ring around them. I'm curious if this sounds familiar to anyone, or can share some insight on what we need to be wary of when walking through the woods in the parks..

The difference in insect life between Delaware to Virginia should be minimal. Now if you were talking Florida, that would be a different story!!

It sounds to me that your daughter might have a sensitivity to bug bites (mosquitos in particular). I've seen this often in people--they just react more strongly to bug bites than other people. My daughter is that way.

Could it be that you were just outside with nature more so than when you are in Delaware?

The only bug bite that you need to be overly considered with is a deer tick bite. the swelling would not happen immediately though and the tell-tale "bulls eye" rash (rings around the bite) wouldn't happen for a few days.

[AG1024]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

Could it be that you were just outside with nature more so than when you are in Delaware?

The only bug bite that you need to be overly considered with is a deer tick bite. the swelling would not happen immediately though and the tell-tale "bulls eye" rash (rings around the bite) wouldn't happen for a few days.

We are absolutely outside with nature more so than we were in Delaware, the parks, nature trails and lakes just do not exist where we came from! I gave her some Benadryl, and am keeping an eye on it. Just wanted to make sure there aren't any crazy little critters we needed to know about around here. You don't know what you don't know, therefore I ask!

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by AG1024

We are absolutely outside with nature more so than we were in Delaware, the parks, nature trails and lakes just do not exist where we came from! I gave her some Benadryl, and am keeping an eye on it. Just wanted to make sure there aren't any crazy little critters we needed to know about around here. You don't know what you don't know, therefore I ask!

Nothing out of the ordinary that I can think of.

I know you didn't ask but I'd probably put some hydrocortisone on it regularly as it sounds like an overreaction and I'd keep an eye on it. The only thing you'd want to really watch out for is that sometimes bug bite can get infected with staph due to staph always being on the skin and kids always scratching at the bite.

[normie]

By any chance, when you were walking near the lake did you see a lot of flies with green heads? If so, it may be a fly bite. It's nothing to worry about, but may take a few days to go away. I'm surprised you weren't bothered by them in Delaware, since we usually encounter them when we go to Bethany or Rehoboth. These particular flies tend to hang out in marshy areas, especially salt marshes (but also places like Burke Lake).

If you're sensitive to flies, here's a good way to ward them off. Fill a baggie with water and 2-3 pennies and put it in a spot where the sun will bounce off the pennies. It drives flies crazy and they will not come anywhere near the baggie.

[AG1024]

We lived in northern Delaware, nowhere near the marshes or beaches (unfortunately!). Did not notice any green-headed flies but the Hidden Pond nature center (I'm pretty sure that's where these bites came from) was so thick with trees and brush that we couldn't really see what was happening around our legs. hydrocortisone and the water/penny baggie trick is useful info, thanks so much! We love the abundance of nature here and will definitely make sure to be better prepared when we check out other parks.

[normie]

Hopefully you'll develop an immunity as the years pass, too. That's what happened to me. When I first moved here I was very sensitive to the mosquitos. But after a year or so they either stopped biting me as much or I became immune to them.

[statecollege]

Originally Posted by normie

If you're sensitive to flies, here's a good way to ward them off. Fill a baggie with water and 2-3 pennies and put it in a spot where the sun will bounce off the pennies. It drives flies crazy and they will not come anywhere near the baggie.

There was--and maybe still is--a TV program that researched urban myths to determine whether true or false. I'd like to see some similar detective work done on this response to flies!

[South Jersey Styx]

As a precaution, you should call your pediatrician and talk to him/her or a nurse. It could be a spider bite or tick bite. Some spiders carry a type of venom that won't kill, but still may require treatment.