Summer vacation typically kicks off the outdoor season for Portland-area families, but humans aren’t the only critters that thrive this time of year. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we also see an uptick in pest populations – including those that view humans as a prime host.
Also, more time spent outdoors increases the risk of accidentally disturbing the nests or hives of insects like bees, wasps, or hornets that prefer to keep their distance from humans but become defensive when their lives – or homes – are threatened.
4 Common Summer Pests & What to Do When You’re the Target
When it comes to summertime safety tips, we want parents and kids to be informed about the peskiest pests in our region so they know what to look out for and how to treat any unpleasant encounters.
Safety First: The pediatricians at PANW recommend that families keep well-stocked first-aid kits in their backpacks and the trunk of the car. This can come in handy if you encounter any of the biting or stinging pests on our list. The American Red Cross’s post on how to make a well-stocked first aid kit is a great place to start. We recommend adding Benadryl or cetirizine, and an over-the-counter bite/sting ointment to round it out for this time of year.
1. Ticks
According to the Oregon Health Authority, the most common ticks here in the Pacific Northwest are:
- Western black-legged tick (most likely to transmit Lyme disease).
- Rocky Mountain wood tick.
- American dog tick.
A variety of changes in our climate and in common tick host/predator populations have made tick populations more prevalent than ever. As a result, we’re seeing a slight rise in the number of Lyme disease cases (seven last year). It’s worth taking proactive precautions to protect your outdoor-loving family.
Female ticks are parasites, and their sole source of nourishment is blood. Once they land on you, after you’ve brushed past them in grasses, shrubs, or tree branches, they can crawl around for hours seeking out a preferred feeding area.
After secreting a numbing agent (which is why you don’t typically feel them when they “bite”), ticks burrow their head into the top layer of the skin. They remain in place until they are full, which can last several days.
You are most likely to find ticks on or around:
- The scalp and hairline
- Armpits
- Behind the knees
- Groin and waistline
Despite growing media attention, tick-borne diseases are still quite rare here in Oregon. Only about 1 to 2 out of every 1 million people develop one after a tick bite.
Best practices to avoid tick bites
The best way to avoid tick bites is:
- Keep the grass on your property cut low.
- Talk to your vet about flea/tick preventatives for your dogs/cats.
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellent when you’re out hiking or playing in tick-friendly geography.
- Perform routine tick inspections when you come back from hiking or spending time in areas where ticks are known to be present.
What to do if you find a tick on you or one of your children
There is a direct correlation between the length of time a tick is embedded in the skin and catching a tick-borne illness. Experts say it’s best to remove ticks within the first 48 hours after they latch on.
Read the Johns Hopkins Medicine Lyme Disease Research Center’s page on What to Do After a Tick Bite for instructions on how to remove a tick safely.
2. The Stingers: Bees, wasps, and hornets
Bees, wasps, and hornets are often lumped together in the same group, but they’re actually different insects. Some are more aggressive than others, but all can pack a very painful sting. While they can be found just about anywhere in nature, it’s not uncommon for children to be stung while at the local pool or in the shallows of lakes, rivers, and streams, as these insects need water, too.
Bees are typically the least likely to sting because doing so can cost them their lives. Unless you happen to be very close to a hive, you’re most likely to get stung by accidentally stepping, sitting, or setting your hand/arm down on a bee.
Wasps and hornets, on the other hand, can sting repeatedly without immediate consequences, which makes them bolder. If you disturb a wasp/hornet nest, irritate one by trying to wave it away, or get in the way of it and its meal (very often, the same one you’re eating at your picnic or campsite), a sting is likely.
What to do if you’re stung by a bee, hornet, or wasp
If you or your child is stung by a bee, wasp, or hornet:
- Be prepared for a very painful, fiery sting that can last quite a while. Be patient with your child because odds are they are going to scream, yell, and wail – and understandably so. Sometimes, using something like a popsicle for them to suck on or getting a favorite stuffy for them to cuddle provides comfort and distraction as you tend to the sting site.
- Move to safety. You want to move to an area away from the scene of the sting so you don’t attract more bees/wasps/hornets that sense the alarm and come to the aid of their hive mate.
- Remove the stinger. If it’s a bee sting, the stinger may be left behind. If so, use a fingernail or credit card to scrape it parallel with the skin and out of the sting site. Do not use tweezers, as squeezing the stinger can release more venom.
- Gently clean the site with soap and water.
- Apply ice or an ice pack to reduce and relieve inflammation.
- Take an antihistamine and/or pain reliever. Depending on the victim’s experience, this may not be necessary. However, if it’s your/their first time being stung, we recommend taking an antihistamine as you carefully monitor the situation.
- Carefully monitor the sting site. General redness, swelling, heat, pain, and itching are 100% normal. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if you notice swelling spreading well beyond the sting site.
If there are signs of an allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling in the lips, face, or neck, or nausea/vomiting, call 911.
3. Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are found almost all around the world, preferring warm, moist climates where their eggs and larvae thrive. While you can be bitten at any time of day, mosquitoes are most active during the early/late mornings and at dusk.
Like ticks, mosquitoes are known disease vectors. Fortunately, here in the Pacific Northwest, we don’t have to worry about that. However, their bites can be viciously uncomfortable – especially if you receive multiple attacks in a short time.
Best practices to minimize mosquito bites
The best ways to avoid or minimize mosquito bites are to:
- Remove standing water on your property (and encourage your neighbors to do the same!).
- Inspect and repair screens if you open your windows at night.
- Use mosquito dunks in bird baths or other areas with still water to kill larvae.
- Burn citronella candles when you’re outside during active mosquito hours.
- Use fans to keep air moving. Mosquitoes are known fliers, so even something as simple as putting a box fan on your porch can keep them from getting in.
- Cover up with lightweight long pants, socks, a long-sleeved shirt, etc., to minimize their ability to access your skin.
- Use an EPA-registered repellent.
How to treat mosquito bites
Most mosquito bites settle down within hours or a couple of days at most. However, the more you scratch, the more they itch – and the greater the risk of infection because you scratch the scab off, leaving an open wound.
The best way to minimize the annoying itching and inflammation (and to avoid potential infection).
- Keep bites clean by gently washing with soap and water.
- Use an ice pack to reduce inflammation and itching.
- Try a home remedy such as making a paste with baking soda and a little water and apply it to the bite, dab some aloe vera on and around the site, or use a small dab of honey.
- If home remedies aren’t enough, you can apply a topical anti-itch cream to take the edge off.
4. Bed Bugs
The phrase “sleep tight; don’t let the bed bugs bite” has been passed through generations of bedtime routines without most of us giving it much thought. However, bed bugs are absolutely real, and summertime travel to other bedrooms – family, friends, vacation rentals, hotels – is the most likely way to experience them. Bed bugs can also travel from one packed bag to another at train/bus stations, airports, luggage compartments, and so on.
The good news is that while their bites are itchy, bed bugs do not transmit diseases. Even so, here are tips for preventing the spread of bed bugs:
- Consider packing clothes in extra-large zip-top bags or travel-specific vacuum-sealed bags. This keeps migrants from getting into your luggage.
- Pack a flashlight, lint roller, and magnifying glass for inspections.
- Place luggage/bags in a bathtub while you do a quick bed bug inspection.
Visit Oregon.gov’s publication on Bed Bugs for more information on how to perform a bed bug inspection, identify signs of bed bugs, and what to do if you find them.
Have a Bite or Sting Gone Bad? Contact PANW For Immediate Answers
Always call 911 if anyone in your family shows signs of an allergic reaction, such as excessive swelling, swelling around the face or lips, nausea, or vomiting. However, even without a serious allergic reaction, some kids have more severe reactions to pest bites or stings than others.
If your child experiences a bite or sting that seems more serious than normal, don’t hesitate to contact PANW’s 24-hour nurse advice line, where you’ll have immediate access to expert nurse advice and next steps. We’ll let you know how to treat the bite at home or whether we feel it’s best to schedule a same-day urgent care appointment, which families have access to 7 days a week (yes, holidays and weekends too!).
