With the arrival of summer, the risks associated with insects and arachnids return. What are the most dangerous? How to recognize their stings? How to defend yourself? Find out the answers in the lines below.
Some live in nature, others hide in our homes, some react only in defense, others “hunt” us as prey for a juicy meal, and have in common only the small size, which can be inversely proportional to their danger. We are talking about insects, arachnids and all those tiny creatures that, especially during the summer, increase the contacts, often unpleasant, with the human being, giving rise to consequences, in some cases tragic.
There are tens of thousands of different species of insects in Romania, but only a very small percentage can be considered potentially dangerous to humans. Experts warn us that any bite from any animal must be well disinfected. Many common bites from insects, spiders or animals have negative consequences not because of the poison, but because the affected part has been poorly disinfected. Even wild animals have a very important bacterial flora in their mouths, so even the most seemingly harmless bite can then lead to an infection.
Bees and wasps: the risk of anaphylactic shock
Bees, as pollinators, and wasps, as defenders of harmful species, are very important insects in nature, which have no interest in attacking humans, except as a form of defense. However, they remain among the animals that kill the most people each year, because they can cause anaphylactic shock in people with allergies.
To avoid such inconveniences, avoid interaction with these insects, respect them and keep in mind that they attack only to defend themselves. In case of a sting, it is important to ask for help, especially if you notice that the swelling begins to grow. Allergists, on the other hand, should always have adrenaline injections on them, to be used in extreme cases. However, it is a medicine that must be kept at a certain temperature and with an expiration date, which is why it is not easy to always have it at hand.
Mosquitoes, the enemy no. 1 of the summer
Mosquitoes are annoying insects, but also dangerous, because they cause most deaths due to the diseases they transmit: from dengue to chikungunya, Nile fever. The thing that differentiates mosquitoes and bees is the motivation that pushes them to attack us. Mosquitoes hunt us because we are their prey, because they try to suck our blood, obviously in very small doses. Other potentially dangerous animals, such as spiders, vipers or even bees and wasps, do so only in response to a form of danger. There are no more or less dangerous species of mosquitoes, because every mosquito can carry diseases. It all depends on the reaction of the immune system.
There are people who are not often bitten by mosquitoes, but others are always on the “menu” of mosquitoes, and there are criteria by which these insects choose their prey. First of all, mosquitoes locate us for warmth and color. It is no coincidence that tropical clothes are often used in tropical countries, also to avoid attracting mosquitoes. Then, of course, there is our smell, given by sweat, but it does not matter how much we sweat but what: some studies have shown that the presence of alcohol is a component that can attract mosquitoes. In addition, while night mosquitoes bite us while we sleep, movement is also important for day mosquitoes.
The spider violin and the European black widow
Of the thousands of species of spiders present in our country, only two can be considered potentially dangerous, the European black widow and the violin spider. The bites of both are poisonous, but there is one detail that makes the violin spider so dreaded. In addition to poison, this spider has many bacteria in its mouth that it uses as a weapon against prey. If the bite is not disinfected immediately, these bacteria can lead to gangrene and sepsis. The problem is that the bite of the violin spider is painless, so there is a risk of noticing the sting late, when the infection is already ongoing.
Fortunately, there is a way to find out if we have a violin spider in front of us. This species has a peculiarity: it does not make spider webs. So if you see a spider in the house or in the garden with its cloth, remember that it is harmless and indeed, it is careful to “hunt” other annoying insects, such as mosquitoes. The violin spider makes tiny spider webs and hides in cracks and pipes in hard to reach places.
Watch out for ticks
Ticks are “related” to spiders, but share their favorite prey with mosquitoes: humans. However, if it weren’t for the diseases it brings, the tick bite could be almost harmless. The problem is what it puts in our body, ie a number of diseases, different from those of mosquitoes, such as encephalitis or borreliosis (Lyme disease). For the former there is a vaccine, while for the latter it is not.
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