Stinging flies... How do I treat the bite? (vacation, horse)

[clairegoad]

Was hanging out on a friend's patio (unscreened) last night... got bitten several times on my bare legs by some kind of medium sized biting fly.

These areas are now itching and sensitive, as well as slightly red and swollen. Obviously, I'll be wearing pants tonight.. but is there something to treat these?

I've been down here for two years, but this is a first.

Can anyone help with a treatment? vinegar? baking soda? OTC medicine? Sudafed helped some.

[phonelady61]

Ice and rubbing alcohol . sounds like sandfleas instead of flying bugs .

[clairegoad]

I was shooing them away, looked a bit like a small wasp... but no sting. Then the itching started... The worst is a bite behind my knee.... arghh.. I finally got some bug spray from my host.. then they started biting the backs of my arms..

[Keeper]

Sounds like either yellow flies or horse fly. They both hurt and leave welts

EENY-028/IN155: Deer Flies, Yellow Flies and Horse Flies, Chrysops, Diachlorus, and Tabanus spp. (Insecta: Diptera: Tabanidae)

[annaegel]

Those things are vicious! My friend always get bit by them. She then gets an infection. You don't know you have been bit until they have nibbled on you several times. It itches and stings like crazy. She always puts neosporin on it, but still the bit gets infected. The skin turns deep red and feels hot to the touch.

They are so fast! If you try to swat them, they are long gone!

[Deef1]

I was bitten on the legs a couple years ago at Disney on their putt-putt course and the results were terrible. I thought I was going to end up at the hospital. The bites became inflammed, bruised, and were extremely painful and made my legs actually painful. I could not stand on my legs one night. I can tell you....baking soda and water paste on them is what I did along with cold compresses and followed it with cortizone and neosporine. I also took oral Benadryl as well.

We were there for a weekend vacation. I was determined not to let my daughter down. My efforts paid off, but I have to tell you. I really was close to ending up in the ER. I felt THAT bad and the bites on both legs were so bad that I literally could not walk one night. I watched for red lines from the bites thinking I had to have a blood infection. Luckily,that didn't happen. These insects were black flies, ?? Deer flies?? but at Disneyworld in FLA???? Not sure what they were, but I can tell you...they were vicious!!! They didn't bite my daughter once, however they bit my legs all over and we were playing putt putt together. They sure loved me!

Good luck to you!!! Hope some of my suggestions will help you. Keep a watch for red lines...that is a sure fire sign to GO TO THE DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY!

[vaughanwilliams]

Originally Posted by Deef1

I was bitten on the legs a couple years ago at Disney on their putt-putt course and the results were terrible. I thought I was going to end up at the hospital. The bites became inflammed, bruised, and were extremely painful and made my legs actually painful. I could not stand on my legs one night. I can tell you....baking soda and water paste on them is what I did along with cold compresses and followed it with cortizone and neosporine. I also took oral Benadryl as well.

We were there for a weekend vacation. I was determined not to let my daughter down. My efforts paid off, but I have to tell you. I really was close to ending up in the ER. I felt THAT bad and the bites on both legs were so bad that I literally could not walk one night. I watched for red lines from the bites thinking I had to have a blood infection. Luckily,that didn't happen. These insects were black flies, ?? Deer flies?? but at Disneyworld in FLA???? Not sure what they were, but I can tell you...they were vicious!!! They didn't bite my daughter once, however they bit my legs all over and we were playing putt putt together. They sure loved me!

Good luck to you!!! Hope some of my suggestions will help you. Keep a watch for red lines...that is a sure fire sign to GO TO THE DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY!

Are you sure you weren't stung by a wasp and you're allergic to them? And yes, Disney has bugs.
To the OP; try distilled witch hazel-works for some folks.

[Deef1]

Originally Posted by vaughnwilliams

Are you sure you weren't stung by a wasp and you're allergic to them? And yes, Disney has bugs.
To the OP; try distilled witch hazel-works for some folks.

Yes, NO wasp. They were biting black flies. They were hitting me on the miniature golf course and we kept swatting them away. They were SOME kind of a black fly. Everywhere they bit me was a welt. I bet I had 12 or so on each leg. Odd thing...they didn't go for my arms or body, JUST my bare legs! It was AWFUL!!!

[Lattie]

I just read in a newsletter that crushing up an aspirin, not a tylenol type product but a "real" aspirin like a Bayer and adding just enough water to make a paste ~ apply it to the sting and the pain will subside and the redness will disappear. Hope this helps!
L

[Occifer]

Hydrocortisone cream may be helpful as well.