scared to ask

[little nell]

We recently stayed in a two bedroom at VWL. Newlywed son and DIL slept in living room on fold out. Both of them were covered from the knees down in bites and welts that itched intensely.When they didn't seem to get any better after the second night(only worse) I called housekeeping and reported something seemed to be biting them. Next came head of housekeeping and grounds keeping man. They pulled off sheets checked behind pictures on walls and inspected the huge bites on sons legs. Conclusion was they probably both got into a fire ant nest, --HUH? they offered to clean and change all linen in the whole place. My husband (who was in the shower when they came ) said fire ants schmantz there was no way the two of them would not know they had been bitten by fireants. I am afraid to ask what you all think

 

[janette]

If they were in the bed the bites would not have been from the knees down. I usually feel it when ants bite but I've known people who don't notice the bites. Chiggers and other insects can also be in the grass. Did they go walking anywhere?

 

[Terry S]

Could have been no-seeums. If they were out the evening before at all, they could have gotten bit by the no-seeums (which you don't feel biting or see biting) and not have noticed until the next morning when they woke up. The bites look as you described and itch bad.

 

[NCRedding]

On our honeymoon, I had the same thing happen to me in Amsterdam-I know it wasn't in the grass, because there was none. Funny thing was my husband didn't get a single bite. mine was also just from the knees down. If you find out what it was, I'd really like to know.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Could it have been fleas? I know we have pets and occasionally in the past the fleas have got out of control. They bite me but not my wife (go figure). I know the bites hurt like heck.

 

[LisaR]

There is actually a thread out there somewhere on these boards about rashes, bites, itching etc while in Florida. Maybe someone can find the link and post it. Sorry, I am not that computer literate! lol
Every time we go, I get a rash on the back side of my legs from the knee down. This has been going on for a couple years. I do get bites/bumps of some sort but they come and go. They are very obvious if I itch them. However, my legs are never covered in welts like your sons were. I have tried to figure out what they could be from. I guess I have never figured out why something would only go after the backs of my lower legs everytime we are at Disney?!

Lisa

 

[chris1gill]

YES! There is a thread on the resort board about this very thing!! Seaspray replied to a question by LisaR (both DVC'ers), anyways, Seaspray says "its from the chemicals they use to spray down the streets and sidewalks and walkways INSIDE the parks. " Apparently there are two important threads here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44641&highlight=disney+rash

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=74118&highlight=disney+rash

The latest thread that Seaspray & LisaR replied to are found here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=209316&perpage=15&highlight=rash&pagenumber=2

 

[DiznEeyore]

Dh and I were at OKW last month. On our first night, we were at MK 'til about 11:30. The next morning, I woke up covered in itchy, red welts from my knees down. The pharmacist we saw said fire ants, but I guess they could've been no-seeums as well. I had over a dozen bites; the one on my right knee was so bad that it covered my entire kneecap and literally pulsated in time with my heartbeat.

That week, I went through a bottle and a half of Benadryl and half a tube of Cortisone cream. I still have vague marks on my legs in a couple of the places -- they look like vague bruises.

I'm confident the VWL had nothing to do w/your son & dil's bites. So sorry that happened to them -- it's miserable!!

 

[Jenn]

Sounds like the no-see-ums to me. They stay near the ground so you often will only have bites on your lower legs. They are prevalent in the hotter weather and in sandy or grassy areas. For example, if your son and DIL went for a walk at night, especially on the sand of the beach at WL - this would make perfect sense. I was eaten alive at the campfire at Vero Beach - literally over 100 bites on my legs and they itched like crazy.

As the name suggests - you can't see these bugs and you usually don't feel them biting you.

 

[Muushka]

If you have ever been bitten by a fire and, believe me, you know it. You cannot believe how much those things sting, hence the name "fire and"

There is an OTC medication called BAND-AID ANTI-ITCH GEL.
(It used to be called RHULI GEL). The stuff is great. If you put it on quickly, the effects of the sting/bite are not as great, it cuts down on the body's response/reaction. We keep ours in the refrigerator, makes it more soothing!

 

[Hilary]

This sounds just like the reaction eldest DD and I both have to no-see-ums. DH and youngest DD don't get troubled, even though we go to the same places .

They must like our sweet nature that much better

 

[DVC-Don]

Yep, no-see-ums, not the room. That's Florida (and a lot of the Southeast)

 

[Shadeaux]

As Muushka said, if you were bitten by even one fire ant, you'd know it. My husband, who has no allergies, found out he is allergic to fire ant bites. He ended up in the ER the one time he was bit by a fire ant. This happened 25 years ago, but ever since, he's VERY cautious about where he's walking. He's said he's never seen a fire ant mound anywhere at OKW or WDW.

We did notice a lot more "no-see-ums" this year than ever before, especially at night when out on the balcony at OKW.

 

[LisaR]

Because I have been having problems with this rash/bites year after year, I have tried using Avon's skin so soft and I still get it. I even got this rash one time when we went in December and it was FREEZING out. I had jeans on during the entire trip. It wasn't warm enough for no see ums and with the long pants on, why would I still have a problem. Also, I have never figured out why I only get this from the knees down. And that is what everyone else that gets this says, too. Our bugs in Michigan never just bite from the knees down. They love arms, necks, ears, legs. Maybe the bugs in Florida are pickier! lol

Lisa

 

[SamanthaL]

Yep, I agree. You will feel the fire ant bite, kind of reminds me of the green fly bites. They HURT when they bite. The no-see-ums bite below the knee and you don't feel it until the next day. I spent the evening at OKW on our balcony and the next morning I had 3 the size of quarters. They were in the shape of a hidden Mickey! The itch is intense and the bite lasted at least 10 days. Sounds like that is what they had. Not a room issue,but a nature issue.

 

[slc224]

I would have to agree that it was no-see-ums. I just returned from Old Key West where I was 'attacked' on a second floor balcony one evening. It was a pleasant night so I sat out for 30 minutes from 10:30 - 11:00 pm. The next morning I had 20 bites on my legs, mostly below the knees and did they itch!