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Insects, Mites & Spiders That Bite & Sting

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Summary: Use the links below to find information about insects and related arthropods that bite or sting. Some of these critters are of public health concern because they spread disease but most only deliver an irritating bite or painful sting.

Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
yellowjacket

Yellowjacket wasps are medium-large stinging wasps. Most yellowjackets are yellow with black markings, some are all black with white markings. Wasps are not clothed in fine hairs as are honey bees.

head louse

Head lice are small, wingless insects that bite in order to draw a blood meal. Bites result in itchy lesions. Head lice occur mainly on the scalp.

Pubic lice ("pubic crabs") also bite but occur mainly on courser hair on the chest and pubic area.

feeding flea

Fleas are small, wingless insects that bite people and pets in order to draw a blood meal. New medications make flea control relatively easy.

yellow fever mosquito

Mosquitoes are small, delicate flies. Female mosquitoes need a blood meal in order to successfully lay eggs. A number of important diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes.

hard tick

Ticks are eight legged, wingless arthropods. Ticks are a type of mite that bite to get a blood meal. Ticks can transmit diseases like Lyme disease.

bee beard

Delusions & Phobias are serious but under-reported mental health conditions. Insects, spiders, and mites are often the subject of these conditions.

<== Yes, those are live bees covering this student!

hard tick

Bed bugs are wingless biting insects that feed at night. Often associated with bedrooms and motel/hotel rooms. Infested rooms often have a distinctive odor..

bee beard

Spiders are related to ticks and mites. While most spiders are harmless and even beneficial a few can delivery a venomous bite.

Death Valley Nat. Park

Dust mites are tiny mites that inhabit the dust in our homes and may cause allergies.

<== Death Valley Nat. Park (lots of "dust" but no mites!) Photo copyright 2004 www.calyphoto.com

Black Blow Fly Larva

Forensic entomology is the study of using insects to solve crimes.

<== Black blow fly larva.

Insects and the law - only a few are really important.

Other biting & stinging pests

Africanized "killer" bees are a highly aggressive strain of honey bee that has moved into the southern states (US). Great care should be taken when these dangerous insects are encountered.

Bird mites (rodent/nest mites) are tiny mites that live in the nests of their animal hosts. These mites occasionally invade homes and bite people as well.

Biting midges are tiny, biting flies sometimes called "no-see-ums" or "punkies". These midges breed in salt marshes, mud flats, and shallow freshwater. Bites can be extremely irritating. Insect repellents containing DEET are effective. Sweet-itch in horses is caused by the bite of a midge.

Black flies are small, biting flies whose larvae are aquatic, found in shallow, fast-flowing streams. These flies bite during daylight hours. Repellents containing DEET are effective.

Camel spiders & urban legends. These desert arachnids are the subject of an active urban legend among Iraq War service personnel.

Centipedes are medium to large arthropods with many pairs of legs, one pair per body segment. Like their spider relatives, centipedes are predators, whereas millipedes, with two legs per segment, are mainly scavengers. Centipedes may bite producing a painful but localized reaction. Centipedes are rarely a problem, however.

Chigger mites are tiny, extremely annoying biting mites. They produce an intensely itchy bite that can drive gardeners from their gardens.

European paper wasp (Polistes dominulus) has become a pest in many parts of the US in recent years.

Fire ants (Solenopsis spp.) inflict extremely painful stings with any encounter. Currently, there is a highly invasive species (Solenopsis invicta) making inroads in the southern US and Australia.

Horse & deer flies are large, biting flies. These flies breed in moist areas around ponds, ditches, etc. and can be very persistent and annoying. Their large, dark or multi-color eyes make these flies easy to identify.

Mange is a conditon in dogs, cats and other mammals caused by tiny mites. Sarcoptic mange is closely related to human scabies.

Scabies mites are tiny mites that burrow into the skin causing a condition called scabies.

Scorpions are desert-dwelling arthropods related to spiders and ticks. Some are deadly venomous while others are not particularly dangerous.

Unknown or mysterious bug bites can sometimes be traced to real insects or mites but often have another explanation.

Related Articles

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Mission: To provide accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information for solving common insect and mite problems around your home, business and landscape using least-toxic methods.

Jack DeAngelis, Ph.D.

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