The Bugs

It can be nerve-wracking thinking about all the creepy crawlers or bloodsucking mini vampires flying around you as you try and explore a new hobby. However, not everything in nature sets out to disrupt your experience, but there are a few bugs that are worth mentioning keeping an eye on.

  • Flying insects, such as, bees, hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets can be an annoyance, but they do not actively seek to harm. Regardless of their intent, they should still be respected and avoided if you have an allergy.

    How do you reduce the chances of getting stung?

    • Avoid their hives: yellow jackets can build their nests underground and bees, hornets and wasps tend to build nests in trees, buildings, or other stationary structures. My brother, as a kid, found a yellow jacket nest in a railroad tie. They were not happy with him…

    • Don’t wear bright clothing or flowery sweet scents. They may be attracted to you because they think you’re a flower.

    • Avoid leaving sugary drinks and food out.

    • What if they’re swarming? Stay calm (do not swat, yell or panic), start running away from the swarm, and get inside. Don’t try to play dead or jump under water.

    But, what do you do if you are unlucky and get stung by one of these spicy sky raisins? If you have an allergy to stinging insects, make sure to have an EpiPen with you at all times. Follow the use directions and seek medical attention.

    If you don’t have an allergy, you may still experience site inflammation, itching, pain, and if you receive a lot of stings, you may need to seek medical attention.

    If you’re stung:

    • Stay calm. Try your best to avoid getting worked up to keep your heart rate low.

    • Remove the stinger if it’s stuck in you with either tweezers, fingers, credit cards or anything you can get your hands on.

    • You’ll want to control the swelling, so apply cold water or ice if available.

    • Control itching with antihistamines (if you’re struggling, try your best not to scratch or rub or you could wind up with a scar).

  • Ticks, mosquitos, chiggers, oh my! Unlike our stinger section, these critters do seek out a heartbeat.

    Ticks

    Ticks like wooded, grassy areas where they can climb to the very edge of the foliage, stick their creepy little legs out and wait for an unsuspecting passerby to latch onto. I’ve also seen them drop out of trees…So, how do you avoid them?

    Mosquitoes

    Biting Flies

  • Content coming soon.

  • Content coming soon.