One of the most dreaded parts of summer are the insects and pests that seem to come out to enjoy the weather just as much as we do. Along with the sunshine and warmer and longer days, when summer sets in in Arizona, we can expect mosquitos to as well. If you have been lucky enough to never have a mosquito bite, hats off to you; however, most of us are very familiar with the uncomfortable and unenjoyable bites mosquitos tend to inflict on us, and we know that when we have them, we want to stop the bites from itching. How can you do that? Keep reading.
What is a Mosquito?
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we wanted to first become a little more familiar with this irritating biting insect. According to the CDC, mosquitoes are common, flying insects that live in most parts of the world. Over 3,500 types of mosquitoes can be found worldwide. Keep in mind, not all mosquitoes bite, and only female mosquitoes bite people and animals to get a blood meal. Female mosquitoes need a blood meal to produce eggs.
Mosquitoes are members of a group of small flies within the family Culicidae. Mosquitoes have a slender segmented body, one pair of wings, one pair of halteres, three pairs of long hair-like legs, and elongated mouthparts.
What is a Mosquito Bite?
We all know what a bite is, but what really happens when a mosquito bites? When a mosquito bites, their saliva is transferred to the host, and that can create an itchy swelling bite mark or rash, spread disease, or cause the mosquito itself to become infected.
When a mosquito bites you, it pierces the skin using a special mouth part (proboscis) to suck up blood. As mentioned above, as it is feeding on the blood, it injects saliva into your skin. Your body reacts to the saliva resulting in a bump and itching. The reaction to the bite can vary by person. Some people react more severely than others.
Common symptoms of this bite include: red itchy bump, swelling, dark spots that look like bruises, rashes, and more. The reaction can occur immediately after the bite or can take a day or so to appear.
How Can I Stop Mosquito Bites from Itching?
The persistent itch that mosquito bites cause in most people is sometimes unbearable. We have all heard it before, “Don’t scratch it”. This is not just something your parents told you, scratching a bite can cause it to become infected and that can create a whole different set of problems for you. Regardless how miserable you are, keep your fingernails to yourself and try some of the below methods to stop the mosquito bite from itching.
- Wash the Bite: Use soap and water around the bite area to wash off any excess irritants that could impact the itching.
- Use Ice: Ice is commonly used to ease swelling because cold temperatures can reduce inflammation. The cold can also numb the skin, which can give you immediate and short-term relief from the itching.
- Try a Home Remedy: Creating a paste with baking soda and water, applying oatmeal or honey, using aloe vera, amongst many other home remedies are said to help relieve the itch.
- Apply Over-the-Counter Anti-Itch Cream: There are many anti-itch and antihistamine creams that you can use to try and help to relieve some of the itch. Be sure to read the labels and only use the products as intended.
The best way to stop mosquito bites from itching is to prevent them from happening, by keeping mosquitos away from your home in the first place. A Phoenix and Tucson local pest control company, like Bucksworth Home Services, can help.
At Bucksworth Home Services, our goal is to provide quality services for your home, so that you can have peace of mind. We offer pest control, and weed control options to keep you and your family safe and stress-free, so you can focus on the things that really matter. Contact us today.