What causes insect bites?
Bites or stings from the Hymenoptera family or species of insects, may cause serious reactions in people who are allergic to them even though they differ in how they inflict injury. In fact, death from bee stings is 3-4 times more common than death from snake bites.

Stinging insects include:

• bumblebees
• honeybees
• hornets
• fire ants
• wasps (yellow jackets)

Biting and bloodsucking insects include:

• bedbugs
• fleas
• flies (e.g., black flies, sand flies, deer flies, horse flies)
• lice
• mosquitoes
• spiders
• ticks

Risk factors
You are more likely to be bitten by an insect if you work outdoors or regularly take part in outdoor activities such as camping or hiking. If large areas of your skin are exposed, such as on your arms or legs, these areas are more are more vulnerable to being bitten by an insect. Risk factors for insect bites and stings include:

• dark clothing
• eating outside
• exposure to hives or nests
• floral perfume
• loose clothing
• participating in outdoor recreation
• working outside

Symptoms associated with insect bites may, at first, appear to be obvious. However, they can range from mild to life threatening. To better understand the symptoms and potential impact of insect bites, continue reading the next section on insect bite symptoms and insect bite appearance now.