Bug Bites,

[irregularjoe]

... How are these for some insect controllers ...

So far the birds are doing a good (enough) job in the yard. Every morning they're out there pick'n at the lawn. I used to think, "That's a sure indication I've got a bug problem" and the next time I fertilized I used one with insect control. Duh ... It's a sure indication Nature's taking CARE OF the bug problem, so this year no insecticide.

On the other hand, there's a dark corner formed where the house meets the garage and there's often an insect problem there, so today I sprayed that corner (looked like ants ... but I didn't wanna get close enough to be certain -- I hope they were ants).

Sounds like you need one of these.

[JDoors]

I had NO idea what a "Myrmecophaga tridactyla" was so I was a bit leery of clicking the link. I do not need to be freaked out by another picture of something creepy. Now you know, I trust you.

Back to the original bug bite: I told a co-worker what happened and she said that's how she's ALWAYS reacted to mosquito bites. She actually volunteered several symptoms I had that I hadn't yet told her about and they were identical to what I had gone through. So if I get bit again we'll see if I'm more reactive than I used to be (ie. "allergic," I hate to even use the word since I'm not "reactive" to any other common irritants), or if this was just a one/two time thing.

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Edited June 20, 2008 by JDoors

[JDoors]

OK, this is just weird. I was schmoozing a customer last night and she was scratching her arm. She told me she got bit by a "mosquito" but it was bad, then she proceeded to tell me EXACTLY the same symptoms I had and that co-worker I previously mentioned had. Her arm was swollen over a section about the size of her hand, it itched like crazy, and it was HOT to the touch! Like me, she'd never experienced a bug bite like this before (she's a few years younger than I am).

How is it we can go our whole lives, getting mosquito bites like anyone else without experiencing anything out of the ordinary, then the same year we both get this? She said she "saw" the mosquito, so I guess it's not something else (or something weird & scary), but still ...

(Though it took a while for mine to go away, it did, without any apparent effects.)

[Pete_C]

OK, this is just weird. I was schmoozing a customer last night and she was scratching her arm. She told me she got bit by a "mosquito" but it was bad, then she proceeded to tell me EXACTLY the same symptoms I had and that co-worker I previously mentioned had. Her arm was swollen over a section about the size of her hand, it itched like crazy, and it was HOT to the touch! Like me, she'd never experienced a bug bite like this before (she's a few years younger than I am).

How is it we can go our whole lives, getting mosquito bites like anyone else without experiencing anything out of the ordinary, then the same year we both get this? She said she "saw" the mosquito, so I guess it's not something else (or something weird & scary), but still ...

(Though it took a while for mine to go away, it did, without any apparent effects.)

Sounds like the Mosquito was carrying an infectious disease, you know they carry a lot of things, Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever........

At a minimum cellulitis of the arm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/im...llsize/8743.jpg

Also, while many become less sensitive the more often they get bitten; others develope hypersensitive allergic reactions

http://www.drgreene.com/21_60.html

Edited July 27, 2008 by Pete_C

[bobbynichols]

I dislike bugs intensely.

A few of my recent experiences with buggy creatures:

Friday I'm working on my mother-in-law's computer, it's slow and prolly full of buggies for me to purge, and as soon as the OS finishes loading the power goes out (what the heck?).

Sooooo, I wander outside, there's still daylight, and my wife is like totally freaking out.

She was in our laundry room and heard a pop, or something, and went in the direction of the noise and watched as a fork of an oak tree was falling toward her tearing through the power line that feeds to my in-law's home and my daughter's home (21 acres w/ three separate mobile homes). It almost bit her but was short by about 10 feet. Today as we're bucking up the two trees (we had to fall another tree to get the rest of the before-mentioned tree down safely) we can see where termites are still munching away.

This evening, while dining alfresco, swatting yellow jackets and gnats all the time, I feel a 'plop' on the nape of my neck. Thinking it's a gnat ready to dine I grab the bugger and display it to my eye... it's a bloody spotted tick that fell/jumped from the oaks that are shading the outdoor deck... sheeeeeeesh ! I immediately put it to harm with a fork while my wife tells me she's now going to have to bleach the utensil (not that she did).

My wife's prize Arabian sud horse may have died due to West Nile virus a couple of weeks ago that is borne by mosquitoes... even now while I'm typing a skeeter is buzzing about... gahhhhhhhhhhhh!

9-months ago? (I'm fuzzy on how long ago) I develop cellulitis on my back from who knows what. It hurt so much that just the brushing of my clothing put me into agony... sleeping was nearly impossible for a week. By the time I had the practitioner look at it it had grown huge and had to be treated with antibiotics ($4.00 at Walmart). My practitioner told me if I had waited any longer it would have started attacking other bodily systems and could have had mortal consequences. A week later, back at the practitioner's, I'm subjected to a scalpel attack to expunge the goop from the sore... more agony. The moral to this last story is to see a doctor quickly.

6-weeks ago a member of my church was hospitalized for nearly a week with cellulitis on his leg that was severely swollen. His severity of illness had him on intravenous drips and brought about nausea to upchucking quite often. Bugs ?

Did I say I dislike bugs.

[JDoors]

I'm with ya (though I can't quite go so far as saying I wish there were NO bugs, what would the wittle birdies eat?). I think I posted here about my Nephew's bug bite but I'm not reading it all again so, since I visited with them last night the subject came up and I was reminded he also had that swollen, hot, bug bite thingy that's going around this year (and that I've never in all my 53 years had heard of before). He had it treated and the docs had NO explanation other than "it's some kind of staph infection" and a round of anti-biotics (but then, doctors prescribe anti-biotics for viral infections).

That it can get as bad as you describe is NOT helping ...

[garmanma]

My practitioner told me if I had waited any longer it would have started attacking other bodily systems and could have had mortal consequences

That's what happened to me. After my hospital stay for my legs, I assumed it was all gone. It went all the way into my lungs. Which are crap anyways, from all the years of smoking. Almost didn't make it

[Pete_C]

My practitioner told me if I had waited any longer it would have started attacking other bodily systems and could have had mortal consequences

That's what happened to me. After my hospital stay for my legs, I assumed it was all gone. It went all the way into my lungs. Which are crap anyways, from all the years of smoking. Almost didn't make it

Not sure if it is the hot dry weather of because earlier this spring I mixed up some BT (Bacillus Thurengensis) with Ortho concentrate (and a couple tablespoons of soap concentrate too) and used my Pressure washer to spray the trees and yards and walls of the house down; but the mosquitos and fleas are basically non existant and there have not been any more webworms in my trees.

Haven't had ticks in about twenty years; since the first time I took to using a pressure washer to apply pesticide up into my trees when I treat the yards in the spring.

[sultan_emerr]

My practitioner told me if I had waited any longer it would have started attacking other bodily systems and could have had mortal consequences

That's what happened to me. After my hospital stay for my legs, I assumed it was all gone. It went all the way into my lungs. Which are crap anyways, from all the years of smoking. Almost didn't make it

Glad you all made it.