|
Spider bites while engaging in simple hiking are rare. However, camping and rock climbing can present a different scenario. Spiders are generally still, waiting for their prey in a nest of some sort, whether that be a web or a pile of wood. Campers commonly hunt for kindling for their fire and this can present the most likely opportunity to get bitten. Leaving a tent unzipped at any time can allow spiders to enter and hide in your sleeping bag. If all you are doing is hiking along a trail, the chances of getting bitten by a spider is rare. If you stop to rest, simply be careful where you sit. Sitting on the bare ground is safer from an insect or reptile perspective than sitting on a log or rock. Sitting in water is probably the safest if you want to avoid spiders!
Most insect bites that affect Texas hikers are either mosquitos, bees or wasps. Snake bites generally occur when you knowingly pick up a snake with your bare hands. If you want to know how a person got bit by a snake make note of the location of the bite. If on the hand, then the person was probably picking up the snake or picking up the snake's hiding place (a log.) If on the leg, then the person was probably walking off trail shortly before a storm when snakes are most active chasing prey that are running for cover from the impending rain. Snakes know the smell of human and run like the dickens to get away. Dogs are rarely bitten but when they are, it is because they are chasing a snake or threatening it in some way. If your dog is a snake chaser, it is best to make sure you always walk your dog on lead or at least tether it to your waist so it can stray into the woods without you.
The following bite chart can help you determine what has bitten you by examining the bite.
INSECT BITE SYMPTOM CHART
| Spider |
Leaves a small red bump with a blister in the middle 1/4 inch in size. |
Never pop the blister. This can cause a nasty scar and a necrotic ulceration requiring medical treatment. May itch. Allow to heal naturally. Cover with a bandaid if you can't resist scratching. Take Vitamin C if you are having an allergic reaction |
| Mosquito |
Leaves a small red bump 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. |
Mosquito bites are generally harmless. If you have other symptoms, which are systemic, such as nausea, headache or vomiting, seek emergency medical treatment for West Nile Virus. The best preventative is oral Vitamin C taken according to the bowel tolerance test. Vitamin C can also make the bite go away faster and reduce itchin over the next 48 hours.. |
| Bee |
Leaves a small red, extremely painful bump with a single bite mark. |
Bee stings can be anywhere but are usually on the foot/leg or on the face. Remove the stinger with tweezers a.s.a.p. to prevent systemic reactions such as restriction of breating, redness and itching all over body. Take Vitamin C immediately according to weight, height, and age. Use epinephrine from an emergency field kit if facial swelling occurs or breathing is restricted (available by prescription only from an allergist or military installation.) Seek emergency medical treatment if no epinephrine is available. Never swat at bees or wave arms. If being chased by a swarm run for your life and don't stop for at least a mile (swarms are usually killer or hybridized bees, which can be fatal.) Do not hide in water since they will wait for you above the surface. Running is your best defense. Most bee stings will go away in a couple days.
|
| Wasp |
Leaves a small red, extremely painful bump with a single bite mark. |
Wasps do not leave a stinger and generally don't sting unless bothered, swatted at or stepped on. Wasp bites are usually on the feet from being stepped on. Wasp bites are painful, but usually go away by the next day. In case of anaphylactic or systemic reaction, use an Epinephrine subcutaneous injection. |
| Snake |
Leaves two punture wounds. Ulceration may occur. |
Never cut a snake bite or suck blood from the wound. This puts the rescuer's life at risk. The threat of infection is very likely because of bacteria present in the snake's mouth. Immediately elevate the wound above the heart level and bathe the wound with iodine, colloidal silver, peroxide, or alcohol, or use triple antibiotic ointment. The vaseline in the ointment will allow the wound to stay open and bleed, allowing venom and bacteria to escape. Always take Vitamin C in high doses accordiong to the bowel tolerance test. In the field, rub approximately 2,000 mg of Vitamin C powder (ester C) on the gums to prevent systemic reaction. Immediately seek the company of other humans so that your vital signs can be monitored such as fever. Seek emergency treatment if the wound ulcerates, oozes yellow or green pus or if circulation to the limb is affected. Gangrene is a potentially fatal condition where a green or black streak extends up from the bite wound, indicating that infection has entered the blood stream. Anti-venon should never be accepted unless you can't breath or are experiencing systemic reaction. Anti-venom is fatal and requires hospital monitoring and sometimes use of electrical shock paddles. Vitamin C should always be your first line of defense with Epinephrine as the second.
Rattlesnake victims must seek immediate hospitialization, within hours of being bitten. The best preventative for snake bite reactions is to take high doses of Vitamin C on a daily basis for two weeks before a field trip.
|
| Scorpion |
Leaves one or more sting wounds |
Scorpions are venomous and can sting one or more times. Their sting is similar to |
| Tick |
Generally leaves no bite wound because a tick remains attached. |
Ticks rarely leave bite marks as you will find them still attached weeks after they bite. They do not back out by themselves and must be very carefully removed with special tweezers. Ticks are not harmful unless they are not removed within 24 hours and a bullseye mark develops (about 4 or 5 inches in diameter.) This indicates the presense of Lyme disease. Lyme generally does not affect healthy people, but rather those with Vitamin C deficiency. Those who do not eat fruit on a regular basis or those with other illnesses such as aids or cancer are susceptible. Be extremely suspicious of a diagnosis of Lyme if no tick is found. Ticks simply do not walk away from their victims until they are noticeably bloated and filled with blood, about the size of a red grape. In the field, and in the absence of tweezers, one single drop of Frontline Plus (a dog tick treament) placed about six inches above the tick can be used to make the tick back out. It may take several hours for the tick to move. If too much is used, this will cause the death of the tick. This is bad because when the tick dies while attached, it vomits. Vomit transmits disease into the blood system such as Lyme. This is another reason why a Lyme diagnosis in the absense of finding a tick is highly suspicious. Lyme is transmitted by death of the tick, making it impossible for the tick to back out by itself. Lyme is very rare in Texas. Ticks can be brought back in camping gear and tents from other states, particularly the northeast such as New York or New Jersey. The best preventative is to take along tick tweezers on camping trips, which can be purchased from a pet store. They can be safely used on people or pets. |
Never pop the blister on a spider bite. This will lead to an ulcerative wound, which can leave a nasty scar.
Last update : 09-08-2008 18:10
|
|
|
48°F 
42°F 
53°F 
(0 vote)