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Author Topic: What were these bites?  (Read 3786 times)
britmom
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« on: May 17, 2011, 07:43:15 AM »
The thread on spider bites has reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask.

I'm British, but regularly visit the southern states of the US to do research during the summer months. On every single visit I've ended up with bites on my legs that are raised in the centre surrounded by redness and swelling. The redness/swelling is usually about 4cms across. After a couple of days it turns into a black/purple/yellow/green bruise which eventually disappears after a week or so. I invariably have at least 4 of these bites on my legs. They itch like mad, but otherwise don't affect me. They don't occur anywhere else on my body, and my husband has never suffered from them. They look to me like giant mosquito bites (and mozzies over here seem very partial to my blood, but I've never had a reaction like this whilst at home). If so, it's evidently true that the US does everything bigger and, erm, better. Any ideas?
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prytania3
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« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2011, 07:54:14 AM »
Mosquito bites. Or chiggers. Or chickweed.
« Last Edit: May 17, 2011, 07:56:25 AM by prytania3 » Logged
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marigolds
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« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2011, 09:30:27 AM »
I think chiggers too.  Especially if they're hard and not sort of squishy, like a mosquito bite (which is more like a pimple.) 

Sounds like you might be allergic to whatever it is, though.  4 cm across sounds large, and mine don't turn into bruises after.  Could the bruising be from too-hard scratching?
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tenured_feminist
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« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2011, 09:46:32 AM »
Sounds like chiggers to me, though when I get bitten by a chigger, it feels like a poke with a hot needle.
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glowdart
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« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2011, 10:03:54 AM »
As others have said, it also could be chiggers or biting sandflies, depending on where you are - the legs only aspect makes me wonder about chiggers.  That said, I react very differently to mosquitoes around the world, and what you're describing sounds like what southern European mosquitoes do to me (although the wheal is 8-10 centimeters at its largest and it takes more than a week for the bruise to go away.)  For comparison, US mosquitoes cause a mildly itchy spot for 6 hours max and then slowly disappear into little pink spots.  

Are you using bug spray?  Might be time to step up to stronger stuff, if you are.  
« Last Edit: May 17, 2011, 10:04:25 AM by glowdart » Logged
britmom
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« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2011, 01:55:17 PM »
I'd never heard of chiggers before: eugh! However, this has always happened in urban areas (Mississippi, North Carolina, Louisiana...), which seems to rule them out? Thinking about it, this didn't happen to me last time I was in the US, but on the West coast.

Quote from: glowdart on May 17, 2011, 10:03:54 AM
...  That said, I react very differently to mosquitoes around the world, and what you're describing sounds like what southern European mosquitoes do to me (although the wheal is 8-10 centimeters at its largest and it takes more than a week for the bruise to go away.)  For comparison, US mosquitoes cause a mildly itchy spot for 6 hours max and then slowly disappear into little pink spots. 

That's interesting. The bite you get from mosquitoes in the US is how I react to bites in the UK. I think that mozzies are the most likely culprit.

Quote from: glowdart on May 17, 2011, 10:03:54 AM

Are you using bug spray?  Might be time to step up to stronger stuff, if you are. 


<<<head smack>>> Why didn't I think of that?! No, really, I've never tried it. It's not something I've ever needed before. I get bitten by a mozzie perhaps once or twice a year at most so it's never been an issue.
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bookishone
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« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2011, 04:15:42 PM »
Quote from: britmom on May 17, 2011, 07:43:15 AM
I'm British, but regularly visit the southern states of the US to do research during the summer months.

This is what strikes me about the situation. Are you crazy??! The solution is clearly to spend your summers in a more hospitable location, research be damned!
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