What bugs are biting us?

Since a few weeks my girlfriend and I have been harassed by some type of bug. It started in Bentley where we would constantly get bitten during the day, mostly in arms and legs. We moved to White Gum Valley but the bugs keep biting. The marks on my arms and legs are not very large, but my girlfriend's are a lot larger. I already checked for head lice, but haven't found any (also no itchiness on scalp). I don't think they're mosquitoes either, we don't see the bugs that bite us nor hear em. We keep our house clean, tried spraying with insect killer without success.

Does anyone know what bug could be biting us, and how we can bite back?!

Sounds like bedbugs.

You may think your being bitten during the day, however, these crafty bedbugs bite at night, then you notice about 8 hours later during the day and you think you have been bitten during the day.

I would defo check for bedbugs as a process of elimination.

Hmm plausible yes. But we can't see any bugs in our bed..

They are very cheeky buggers, they will hide around the bed frames especially the wooden frames, check the corners of your mattresses. If you rule bedbugs out then I have no idea what else it could be.

Cheers Edna. Checked everywhere with a torch. Didn't see any living crawlers but did see some tiny blood stains. I put plastic tupperware under the legs of the bed and couch and sprayed with insect killer, hopefully trap some of them. Perhaps tomorrow looking for professional help as we really want to get rid of the itchiness and bite marks!

Could simply be mozzies

I doubt they're mozzies. The bite marks go in a sort of trail. We called a professional and he said its bedbugs . Today the house will be gassed and cleaned. Hopefully it will be better afterwards

It could be scabies. You won't see anything biting you. Mainly you get it when a room has been closed up & kept dark. It can easily be passed on to other's living with you. You can buy a special cream at the chemist to rub on your body.

I was thinking scabies too (if it's not bed bugs), they are very contagious so if you're sharing a bed, you'll both get them. Does it itch more in the heat? Get the cream from the chemist, you need to cover your whole bodies with it overnight. Should clear up in a few days to a week.

I doubt they're mozzies. The bite marks go in a sort of trail. We called a professional and he said its bedbugs . Today the house will be gassed and cleaned. Hopefully it will be better afterwards

I knew it!!! Pat in the back for me please.

40 years with no problems, then a family friend stayed with us for a few weeks and it all started. There such a pain to get rid of too. Took me a few weeks. They spread so fast too.

The fact that you were itching at Bentley & still itching at White Gum Valley seem to show that the bugs are on you & not in the house.

Use the cream from the chemist & make sure that you use your own towels.

Okay, so the house has been gassed twice (14-12-2016) now and the bites have returned today for my girlfriend after she took a nap on the bed for 2 hours (I don't have any bites YET as I was out). I read that scabies usually bite between fingers, armpits and elbows.

The bites for my girlfriend are mostly on arms and legs:

Photo 1: Arm bites (14-12-2016)

Photo 2: Leg bites (17-12-2016)

It seems to be some allergic reaction. We still don't know what causes it. I think we go see a doctor for these bites, maybe they know what causes it...

Yeah but it was nowhere near as bad as it is now. Just a few bites now and then. Just now it is everywhere on arms and legs, a lot worse

I went to my doctor when my partner & I were itching, mainly between the fingers, forget the other parts as it was so long ago. He told us it was scabies & we cured it with cream

However, now that I have seen a picture of your bites I doubt that it is scabies. It looks like an allergic reaction to something. I also get that, waking up with itchy lumps in the morning. I take an Antihistamine tablet & it clears up in 1/2hr. But it is strange that you both get it.

You had itchy marks similar to the ones in the pictures and it was scabies? I read a bit about allergic reaction tablets. The bites on my girlfriends knee look like allergic reactions yes, although not all bites give big rashes. And some of them go in a straight line, which indicates bed bugs I think.

Also, only my girlfriend gets marks/bumps. I get no/little visible marks, but I feel a bit itchy sometimes though.

You had itchy marks similar to the ones in the pictures and it was scabies? I read a bit about allergic reaction tablets. The bites on my girlfriends knee look like allergic reactions yes, although not all bites give big rashes. And some of them go in a straight line, which indicates bed bugs I think.

 

Also, only my girlfriend gets marks/bumps. I get no/little visible marks, but I feel a bit itchy sometimes though.

Waking up feeling itchy with large lumps . . . think they are called hives . . . is a allergic reaction. In my case it might be eating citrus fruit but I have not proved that. I take an antihistamine tablet & it goes away after 1/2hr.

i know nothing about bed bugs.

We have Polaramine tablets (dexchlorpheniramine) which helps against the itchiness. However the source of the problem is still there though. Strange how some bites become very large lumps, or hives, and some don't.

Now I also think its not scabies, as the location is not where scabies would be, and it really looks like bite bumps, which I think is also not similar which scabies..

Just checked everywhere in/around the bed and couch. Nothing. I am thinking it might be inside the mattress. It is a foam mattress.

That looks like a bad reaction to mozzie bites. I suffer badly if I get bitten. The bite site swells feels hard a large part of the surrounding area becomes red and inflamed The best thing I found to counter act the itch is believe it or not VICK and yes it works I also take ibuprofen and an anti histamine. My elderly neighbour told me about the VICK I was a bit skeptical but I thought give it a go and yes it works. I even use it as a repellent and yes it works also. If in doubt I would seek advice of a doctor.

Thanks elfie for your response. I doubt its mozzies since she was bitten during her sleep around 3 pm, fully under covers. And waking up around 5 pm to see big marks.

Today the problem continued since there were new visible bites around her ankles and on her arms.

We checked the room again with our landlord, but couldn't find anything that would point us in the right direction. We only have proof of the bites that shows its bedbugs. Also we bought polaramine tablets and DermAid spray against the itchiness.

What is the best thing we could do now? Since the bites keep coming again and I want to find a solution for this problem.

When I kept waking up with round itching lumps I went early to my GP & showed him. He said it was an allergy, probably to something that I eat & to take a Polaramine tablet to stop the itching. I have yet to find out what I am allergic to so I just make sure I have the tablets with me. It happens to me a few mornings in a row & then maybe not for awhile, then it starts again. Sometimes I just itch but no lumps appear. Sounds very much the same as your girl friend.

That does sound very similar to what we are experiencing Anne. But it looks more like bite bumps than actual allergic lumps. But it would explain more about the big rash. The tablets are helping too though. Today we woke up without any new bites or itchiness.

Also, yesterday our landlord sprayed Mortein on/around the bed which might have helped. And we moved the bed away from the wall as well.

We bought Tea Tree Oil and are going to mix it for shampoo and cleaning spray around the house, see how that goes.

How about spraying the matress directly .....

@hersbach any news on your bites?

Any diagnosis and if so what did you use to deal with it?

@hersbach any news on your bites?

Any diagnosis and if so what did you use to deal with it?

Hi Ross, thanks for your message I forgot to make an update here.

Went to see a GP as it kept happening on and off. Doctor said it's and allergic reaction called Hives, also named Urticaria. Which basically is an allergic reaction to foods, insects, sun, cold, plants, medication, stress. So it could be anything.

Started adiary to try to find out what the allergy is. SHe didn't get any marks after stop sitting on the couch and eating Nutella.. also still taking anti histamine on and daily basis. When itchiness would start we use Calamine chilled in the fridge.

I read that acute Urticaria generally takes 6 weeks..? And happens to 20% of people somewhere in their lives!

I hope you find what is causing this. Have you considered consulting a Naturopath and having allergy tests?