Bug Bites?

[ZoZo]

Have two friends who went to WDW last month. Both had quite a few very itchy bug bites, and we're trying to figure out what kind of bug was the cause.

They had bites on exposed skin, but also skin that was covered by clothing, so I don't think they were mosquitoes (they didn't see any mosquitoes, at least).

They did move from Shades of Green to the Beach Club mid-week, so it's probably unlikely that they were bedbugs, since they stayed at two different hotels. (But you never know!)

I need your help - what kind of bugs do you think these might have been?? [We're going next year and want to be more prepared with bug spray and anti-itch stuff.]

Thanks!

 

[robertchance]

could it have been bed bugs?

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I'm thinking bed beds, too ... or maybe fleas? Even hotels that don't allow pets can sometimes get fleas, since they come in with the luggage of pet owners.

Usually flea bites will appear around ankles if they're just living in the carpet and not on an animal.

Another thought is rat mites. I suffered for a year with little red bites -- usually four or five on my body at a time -- and they only appeared where I would have clothing. We didn't even realize we had a rat problem in our attic, but we live close to water and bamboo ... rats are attracted to areas with bamboo. The rats were easy enough to get rid of once we realized we had a problem, and, bam, the little bites were gone, too. Nasty, nasty bites. Soooo itchy, and they'd last about a month. I thought they were red bug or "chigger" bites initially, but soon I realized I wasn't getting bit by multiple red bugs for months and months.

I'm just trying to think of what I've dealt with as a Floridian, and WDW does a pretty good job at keeping bugs at bay in the parks (wish they could do something about the love bugs!). However, even the nicest hotels can have a short-lived flea or bed bug problem.

A wonderful tip from my trusty pharmacist while I was living through my year of little red bites was plain old Listerine. Just dab a little on the bites, and the itchiness was gone for about 12 hours. This was better than the multiple creams I spent hundreds on prescribed by my doctor.

 

[cbrfan]

No see-ums. Nasty little critters.

 

[dana1003]

bed bugs. google it and see if the bites match up w/the ones on your friend....gross.