Yearning for a breath of fresh air? The great outdoors are an inviting, hospitable environment for all to enjoy more natural surroundings, but they’re not without hazards. As you head outside, keep in mind the potential harm caused by some insects, arachnids, and plants — and what to do if you encounter them.
Stinging & Biting Insects
Mosquitoes
One of the most common biting insects, mosquitoes are generally regarded as a mild nuisance, usually causing irritation in the form of a swollen, itchy bump where they bite, though some people may have more severe reactions like a low-grade fever, hives, or swollen lymph nodes based on factors like age and autoimmune disorders. In some cases, however, mosquitoes can cause serious illness; these tiny insects have been known to carry diseases like malaria and West Nile virus. To prevent bites:
- Use bug spray
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved T-shirts and pants
- Buy clothing and gear treated with permethrin, or treat your clothing and gear yourself
- Contact a pest control company to eliminate mosquitoes around your home
To treat mosquito bites, wash the bite and surrounding area with soap and water. Apply ice to reduce swelling and use a mixture of baking soda and water — 1 tablespoon of baking soda and enough water to create a paste — or use an over-the-counter anti-itch or antihistamine to reduce itching
Spiders
Generally, spider species in Illinois get an undeservedly bad reputation; they often look scarier than they actually are. However, two species — the brown recluse and the black widow — can be harmful to humans.
Brown recluse spiders are typically found outdoors in secluded, dark, dry, sheltered areas (e.g., under debris, woodpiles, rocks, and logs) from March to October, though they may be found year-round in warm, indoor areas. Though the bite itself is usually painless, it’s usually followed by redness, swelling, burning, and localized pain within an hour. Redness may enlarge over the next eight hours with a small, white blister over the bite. Within 24 hours, the wound becomes a hardened lump about 2 inches in diameter with a scab forming. The bite may be accompanied by necrosis, which displays as a purple hue in the skin within four days. The wound takes about eight weeks to heal. If bitten, apply first aid by washing with soap and warm water, applying a cold compress and antihistamine cream, and elevating and immobilizing the bitten extremity. Seek medical attention for signs of necrosis and consult a physician for tetanus.
The black widow spider is usually found in dry, dark, protected locations as well as warm locations in winter. It may prefer undisturbed, cluttered areas in basements and crawl spaces in winter. The bite is accompanied by a sharp, pinprick feeling followed by redness, pain, and swelling at the site of the bite. Severe symptoms may include:
- Severe pain and muscle cramps around the bite and progressing to the abdomen
- Nausea, vomiting, sweating, tremors, trouble breathing, restlessness, increased blood pressure, and fever
Symptoms begin anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after the bite and may persist for several days. If bitten, apply first aid by washing with soap and warm water, applying a cold compress and antihistamine cream, elevating and immobilizing the extremity, and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever and oral antihistamine. Seek immediate medical attention for severe symptoms or signs of infection and consult a physician for signs of tetanus. Patients with a heart condition may require hospitalization.
Ticks
Most active in forested areas or tall grass from spring to fall, tick bites can transmit numerous diseases — most infamously Lyme disease, which is identifiable by its trademark bull’s-eye rash, though this may be absent in 20-30% of cases. When hiking, stay on trails and avoid tall grass or brush, but if you must move through these areas, give yourself frequent visual exams afterward and flick off any loose ticks. Check clothes and gear before getting back in your vehicle. Use repellant or wear light-colored clothing, long pants, and high-top shoes or boots. If you’ve been bitten, use a pair of tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upwards slowly. Flush the tick down the toilet or submerge it in isopropyl alcohol, or place the tick in a plastic bag or container and freeze to kill it; save it in case a medical professional requests a species identification. Treatment can vary, ranging from antibiotics to hospitalization in extreme cases. Contact a physician if you experience the following symptoms:
- Fever and chills
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite
- Aches and pains
- Rash
- Necrotic lesions
- Tick paralysis
Bees, Wasps, & Hornets
Usually, being stung by bees, wasps, and hornets can certainly be painful, but are not deadly unless an allergy is present. About 1% of the U.S. population is allergic to such stings, and about 50-100 people die each year from a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can range from a red welt and swelling to severe skin reactions, swelling, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and unconsciousness. Be mindful of your surroundings — avoid hives, nests, and anywhere bees and wasps may be found, like flowering plants. If you encounter a bee, wasp, or hornet, do not aggravate it — stay calm and move away. Avoid wearing bright colors and floral prints.
If someone with a severe allergy has been stung, call 911 immediately and ask if they have an epinephrine injector (e.g., an EpiPen). Lay the person on their left side and gently remove the stinger by scraping it out with a fingernail, the edge of a credit card, or the dull edge of a knife; do not use tweezers as this can squeeze more venom into the bloodstream. Loosen any tight clothing and cover them with a blanket. Do not give them anything to drink in case their airways swell. If trained, begin CPR if they show no signs of breathing, coughing, or movement.
If an allergy is not present, simply remove the stinger, wash with soap and water, and apply a cold compress. Itching can be treated with an over-the-counter antihistamine.
Poisonous Plants
Bug bites aren’t the only concern in nature. Some species of plants can cause severe reactions — sometimes just by touch. One of the most common poisonous plants in Illinois, poison ivy can be identified by leaflets with three pointed leaves, sometimes accompanied with a cluster of white berries. Poison ivy grows in woods and along streams. The oil covering the plant can cause blistering, redness, itching, and rash simply by touching it. If contacted, wash the area with lukewarm, soapy water and wash everything else that may have touched the plant, including clothes and tools. Do not scratch the rash as this can cause an infection and leave the blisters alone. Treat itching and swelling with calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, cool compresses, and antihistamines.
Other wild poisonous plants in Illinois include poison oak, poison sumac, giant hogweed, jimsonweed, nightshade, poison hemlock, and pokeweed, though the latter two are only toxic if eaten, and only the roots, berries, and mature leaves and stems of pokeweed are toxic. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing or swallowing
- Rash around eyes or mouth
- Facial swelling
- Worsening itching
- Rash covering most of the body
- Fever
Immediate help is here when you need it. If you’re bitten, stung, or contact a poisonous plant, visit our Walk-in Clinic and get the quickest care available — no appointment needed. For life-threatening allergic reactions, don’t wait — call 911.
