Mosquitoes, bugs, spiders… Several insects rage at night and bite the skin. Which ? How do you know what you’ve been bitten by? What to do to avoid it?
“We get bitten at night because that’s when insects, especially mosquitoes, smell our body odor the best“, explains Françoise Couic Marinier, doctor of pharmacy and expert in aromatherapy.
What insects bite at night?
Several insects can bite at night. The main ones are:
- The female Anopheles mosquito which bites at nightfall to feed its young, unlike the tiger mosquito which bites all day. Mosquito pimples are red, blistered, and itchy.
- Bed bugs: this parasite feeds on human blood at night. The sting is often painlessthe symptoms, which are mainly itchy and red marks, usually appear within two hours. Three to four bites are visible in the same place.
- Spiders : they are likely to sting (or rather bite) at night. The bites look like redness, itching and swelling of the skin. Depending on the species involved, the sting can cause an allergic reaction.
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish by what one was bitten at night because certain cutaneous signs are common to several insects. “The mosquito bite East red, circular, and causes itching. It is mainly located on exposed areas of the body such as the arms and legs. Bed bug bites are more numerous, several small pimples appear side by side. The area is red, swollen and itchy. The spider bite is manifested by redness, itching and swelling of the skin.says the doctor of pharmacy and expert in aromatherapy.
What to do to avoid being bitten at night?
“It is possible to prevent nighttime bites by depositing a few drops of lemon eucalyptus essential oil around his bed or in a diffuser. It is both repellent and curative. In the event of a bite, it acts as an anti-inflammatory and will help to deflate. It can be used alone or combined with a vegetable oil“, recommends the specialist.
Thanks to Françoise Couic Marinier, doctor of pharmacy and expert in aromatherapy