Insect bites and stings
Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or cause a serious allergic reaction.
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On this page
- Symptoms of an insect bite or sting
- If you're not sure it's an insect bite or sting
- How to treat an insect bite or sting
- Removing stingers, ticks or caterpillars
- Easing your symptoms
- Do
- Don’t
- See a pharmacist if:
- See a GP if:
- Call 112 if:
- Overview Insect bites and stings
- Symptoms of an insect bite or sting
- How to treat an insect bite or sting
- See a pharmacist if:
- See a GP if:
- Call 112 if:
Medicines commonly prescribed for Insect bites and stings
For informational purposes only. Always consult a doctor before using any medicine.
Dosage form: INJECTABLE, 8 mg/mLActive substance: somatropinManufacturer: Merck S.L.Prescription requiredDosage form: INJECTABLE, 15 mg/1.5 mlActive substance: somatropinManufacturer: Novo Nordisk A/SPrescription requiredDosage form: INJECTABLE, 5 mgActive substance: somatropinManufacturer: Sandoz GmbhPrescription required
Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or cause a serious allergic reaction.
Bites from some insects can also cause illnesses, such as Lyme disease from ticks, scabies from mites, and malaria from mosquitoes in certain parts of the world.
Symptoms of an insect bite or sting
The main symptoms of an insect bite or sting are:
- pain where you were bitten or stung
- a small, swollen lump on the skin
The lump may look red. It may be more difficult to see on black or brown skin, but you should be able to feel it.
Pictures of common insect bites, stings and rashes
If you're not sure it's an insect bite or sting
How to treat an insect bite or sting
You can often treat an insect bite or sting without seeing a GP.
Removing stingers, ticks or caterpillars
If anything is left on or in your skin, the first thing you need to do is remove it carefully.
How to remove a bee, wasp or hornet stinger
- Brush or scrape the stinger sideways with your fingernail or the edge of a bank card.
- Do not use tweezers to pull out a stinger as you could squeeze poison out of it.
- Wash the area with soap and water.
How to remove a tick
- Using fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool (if you have one), grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze the tick or leave any of its mouth in your skin. Dispose of it when you've removed it.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
How to remove caterpillar hairs
- Gently remove the caterpillar using tweezers or a pen. Try not to disturb it as it'll release more hairs.
- Rinse your skin with running water and allow it to air dry.
- Use sticky tape on the skin to pick up any remaining hairs.
- Take off any jewellery in case your skin becomes swollen.
- Take off your clothes and wash them at a high temperature.
Easing your symptoms
If there's nothing in your skin, or you've removed it, wash your skin with soap and water to help lower the chance of infection.
The bite or sting should get better in a few days. There are some things you can do to ease your symptoms.
Do
- put an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, or a clean cloth soaked in cold water, on the bite or sting for at least 20 minutes, if it's swollen
- keep the area raised if you can
- take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if the sting is painful
- use antihistamines to relieve any itching (but do not use antihistamine cream if you had caterpillar hairs on your skin)
- use a hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching and swelling
Consult with a doctor about Insect bites and stings
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps with a doctor online.
Don’t
- do not scratch the bite or sting, as it could get infected
- do not use home remedies such as bicarbonate of soda to treat the bite or sting
See a pharmacist if:
You or your child aged 1 year or older has an insect bite or sting and:
- skin around it feels hot when you touch it or looks red – redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin
- it's painful
- the area looks swollen
- there's pus or fluid coming out of the bite or sting
A pharmacist can recommend treatments, such as antihistamines and steroid creams, and give the same antibiotics as a GP if the bite or sting is infected. They can also give advice or direct you to other medical help if you need it.
See a GP if:
- a child under 1 year old has an insect bite or sting
- you think you or your child have been bitten by a tick and have flu-like symptoms, or a round or oval rash that may look like a bullseye
Call 112 if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised or itchy.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Overview Insect bites and stings
Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or cause a serious allergic reaction.
Bites from some insects can also cause illnesses, such as Lyme disease from ticks, scabies from mites, and malaria from mosquitoes in certain parts of the world.
Symptoms of an insect bite or sting
The main symptoms of an insect bite or sting are:
- pain where you were bitten or stung
- a small, swollen lump on the skin
The lump may look red. It may be more difficult to see on black or brown skin, but you should be able to feel it.
Pictures of common insect bites, stings and rashes
If you're not sure it's an insect bite or sting
How to treat an insect bite or sting
You can often treat an insect bite or sting without seeing a GP.
Removing stingers, ticks or caterpillars
If anything is left on or in your skin, the first thing you need to do is remove it carefully.
How to remove a bee, wasp or hornet stinger
- Brush or scrape the stinger sideways with your fingernail or the edge of a bank card.
- Do not use tweezers to pull out a stinger as you could squeeze poison out of it.
- Wash the area with soap and water.
How to remove a tick
- Using fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool (if you have one), grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze the tick or leave any of its mouth in your skin. Dispose of it when you've removed it.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
How to remove caterpillar hairs
- Gently remove the caterpillar using tweezers or a pen. Try not to disturb it as it'll release more hairs.
- Rinse your skin with running water and allow it to air dry.
- Use sticky tape on the skin to pick up any remaining hairs.
- Take off any jewellery in case your skin becomes swollen.
- Take off your clothes and wash them at a high temperature.
Easing your symptoms
If there's nothing in your skin, or you've removed it, wash your skin with soap and water to help lower the chance of infection.
The bite or sting should get better in a few days. There are some things you can do to ease your symptoms.
Do
- put an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, or a clean cloth soaked in cold water, on the bite or sting for at least 20 minutes, if it's swollen
- keep the area raised if you can
- take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if the sting is painful
- use antihistamines to relieve any itching (but do not use antihistamine cream if you had caterpillar hairs on your skin)
- use a hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching and swelling
Don’t
- do not scratch the bite or sting, as it could get infected
- do not use home remedies such as bicarbonate of soda to treat the bite or sting
See a pharmacist if:
You or your child aged 1 year or older has an insect bite or sting and:
- skin around it feels hot when you touch it or looks red – redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin
- it's painful
- the area looks swollen
- there's pus or fluid coming out of the bite or sting
A pharmacist can recommend treatments, such as antihistamines and steroid creams, and give the same antibiotics as a GP if the bite or sting is infected. They can also give advice or direct you to other medical help if you need it.
See a GP if:
- a child under 1 year old has an insect bite or sting
- you think you or your child have been bitten by a tick and have flu-like symptoms, or a round or oval rash that may look like a bullseye
Call 112 if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised or itchy.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Online doctors for Insect bites and stings
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps for Insect bites and stings with a doctor online.
