Gnats are the bothersome insects. They can ruin your picnics, pool parties or backyard barbecue plans. You can also find these insects swarming in your homes, flying or buzzing over your face while watching television. You can also find gnats in bathrooms as well as kitchens. Other than this, do the gnats bite? Yes, they do and the biting gnats are such a nuisance for the humans. Before we go further, let’s have a look at what are the gnats?
WHAT ARE GNATS?
These are the flying insects which are very small. Most of the gnats are categorized as flies. These gnats feed on the insects or the decaying plants. The gnats that bite on humans include the stable flies, buffalo gnats, biting midges, deer flies and sand flies.
DO THE GNATS BITE THE HUMANS?
Yes! The gnats do bite the humans. The gnats which have the biting habits, love to feed over the human blood along with other mammals whereas the non-biting gnats do not feed on humans. The female species of the gnats are usually in search of the blood meal prior to laying down the eggs. However, the male gnats feed over the flower nectar along with plant juices.
WHY DO THE FEMALE GNATS BITE?
The female gnats bite because they need blood for highly effective reproductive cycle. The protein is required for laying down the viable eggs. This protein need is fulfilled by biting over the humans or other mammal species.
HOW DO THE GNATS BITE?
The gnats do not penetrate the skin similar to fleas or mosquitos. They make use of cutters which are present within the mouth to cut open the skin. This slicing effect allows the gnats to feed onto the human blood and survive easily. The gnats release the anti-clotting agent within the blood which prevents the rapid clotting of the wound. It allows the gnats to feed continuously.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF THE GNAT BITES?
The gnat bites are apparently smaller and seem like a pinprick point. A tiny reddish spot is most frequently spotted when the gnats bite. Swelling is also seen around the wound area which results in skin irritation.
What Do Gnats Eat?
There are some foods you have to secure at your home to prevent these insects. They like vegetables, fruits, garbage, disposable things etc.
Sometimes, you need to find the foods which are more attractive for the gnats. If you can attract these gnats by using any trick then you can also fight against them with different types of chemicals on the food.
You should also know that why these insects attract towards humans. The answer is really simple. They attract towards the scents. A lot of people use the scents with the smells of vegetables and fruits or flowers in their routine life. So, these insects fly towards the smell of scents.
The question can be raised that what things can attract the gnats inside your home. So, there can be a lot of interesting things for gnats inside your home. Fruits, Fungus, Fresh Flowers, houseplants etc. So, if you find the gnat inside your home, you just need to cover these things properly or put them outside of your home.
So, I hope you have understood the foods of Gnats. I have also discussed the attractive things for the gnats as well the attraction of gnats towards the human. Now, I am just going to discuss the gnat bites will help you to prevent, cure and avoid these gnats. Just stay with me!
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS LINKED WITH GNAT BITES?
The gnat bite is comparatively more painful than the mosquito bite. It most often occurs over the areas of the skin which are uncovered. These include the forearms, neck, head, legs, and hands. The symptoms linked with the gnat bites varies from person to person. You can either appreciate a small red spot or a pinprick over the affected bite area. After the red spot, pinching sensation appears, the gnat bite then starts to itch. Swelling can also develop over the affected area along with intense itching.
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The gnats release the anti-coagulant within the wound because of which burning sensation or skin irritation occurs. Some people also experience fever after the gnats bite. 2% of people also experience the allergic reaction when the gnats bite and find difficulty during breathing.
If you scratch the bite area frequently, it can result in higher chances of infection. If infection occurs over the gnat bite area it can lead to worse swelling and pus. Some humans also show an allergic reaction to the gnat bite. The symptoms of the gnat bite might persist if they do you need to consult the doctor.
DO THE GNAT BITES RESULT IN ITCHING?
The gnat bites do result in itching along with the painful sensation. Once the gnat bite area starts to swell, it results in intense itching sensation. It becomes impossible to refrain yourself from itching the affected area because they might result in infection. Scratching the wound area results in swelling and requires the doctor’s consultation.
HOW LONG DOES THE GNAT BITE LAST?
The gnat bites last for around 2 to 7 days. It all depends on the number of the gnat bites along with the reaction of an individual against the gnat bites. In case of an allergic reaction towards the gnat bites, the healing period of the wound can last for a long time.
PREVENTION AGAINST THE GNAT BITES:
The clothing repellent or the insect skin is highly effective for reducing the gnat bites. Wear clothing that completely covers your body so that the gnats can’t bite you.
GNAT BITES TREATMENT:
Follow these simple steps to treat the gnat bites:
- The essential step in treating the gnat bite is to disinfect the affected area. Use soap water to clean the bite area. You can also use the vinegar-based or alcohol-based disinfectant in order to clean the area.
- You can also clean the area with natural home solutions like rosemary oil or diluted lavender.
- Dab the antiseptic solution over the bite area. It helps in faster healing of the wound. Iodine and hydrogen peroxide are the convenient antiseptic solutions. The application of antiseptic solution prevents the infection over the wound area.
- You can also minimize the inflammation and swelling over the wound area with natural treatment options:
- Apple cider vinegar is an anti-inflammatory agent that helps in relieving the wound. It is an antiseptic solution.
- Icing over the wound offers the cooling sensation to the wound. It helps in minimizing the swelling and alleviates the itching.
- Anti-itch creams like cortisone are also effective for soothing the skin after the gnat bite. Calamine lotion is also effective over the counter lotion for minimizing the itching.
- Essential oils are also effective for treating the insect bite. It helps in relieving the swelling as well as the itching linked with gnat bite.
- If you suffer from severe pain after the gnat bites then consult the doctor and consume the painkillers or antihistamines which helps in recovering the condition.
- Visit the doctor, if you have breathing issues, if you observe a swollen wound area, swelling of the chest, mouth or throat. You must also visit the doctor if the wound drains the green or yellow fluid in case of emergency.
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