On this page
What bit you? At a glance Identifying bites Infections from bites By season What helps Removing a tick or sting Prevention When to see a doctor When to get in-person care Can an online doctor help? Health tools Conditions How Mobi Doctor works Frequently asked questions Sources
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, for most. Of the 25 bite and sting conditions on Mobi Doctor, 21 are usually treated or managed by video, 3 partly, and one, rabies, is assessed online and treated in person.
- Most bites: cause redness, swelling and itching that can last up to 10 days. Most bites and stings never need antibiotics.
- Infection: a bite that gets hotter, more swollen and more painful over the following days, or leaks pus, needs a doctor.
- Ticks: remove a tick promptly with fine-tipped tweezers, then watch for a spreading rash for up to 3 months.
- Emergency: call 112 for swelling of the lips, mouth or throat, difficulty breathing or fainting after a sting, and after a bite from a viper.
Call 112 or go to an emergency department for swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, wheezing or difficulty breathing, fainting, or pale, grey or blue skin after a bite or sting; any bite from a viper or a snake you could not identify; a bite or scratch that broke the skin from an animal that could carry rabies, or any bite from a bat; or red, hot, spreading skin with a high temperature and feeling very unwell.
What bit or stung you?
Choose what fits best. Each page covers what it looks like, what helps, and what a doctor can do.
- A tick in the skin, or a rash after oneTick bites and Lyme disease
- A wasp or hornet stingPain, swelling and allergy signs
- A bee sting, with the sting left inBee stings and how to remove the sting
- Itchy bumps after an evening outdoorsMosquito bites
- Clouds of tiny flies biting near waterMidge and gnat bites
- Itchy bites on the ankles, at homeFlea bites
- Itchy spots at the waistband after long grassHarvest mites and other mites
- Bites in a line after a night in bedBed bug bites
- A large, painful bite that may bleedHorsefly bites
- A bite that is red, hot and getting worseAn infected bite
- A sting at the beach or in the seaJellyfish, weever fish or sea urchin
- A bite or scratch from an animalDog, cat and other animal bites, and rabies
- An itchy rash after a swim in a lakeSwimmer’s itch
- A rash after walking under oak or pine treesProcessionary caterpillar rash
- A painful red bite, maybe from a spiderSpider bites, including false widows
- Itchy bites after evenings in southern EuropeSandfly bites
- A bite from a snakeAdder and viper bites: call 112
- Red, itchy bites after sitting on the grassAnt bites
Common bites and stings at a glance
Mosquito, midge and flea bites cause small, itchy bumps; wasp, bee and hornet stings cause sharp pain and swelling; and tick bites matter mainly because of Lyme disease. Most bites and stings settle with first aid and can be managed online. Severe allergic reactions, snake bites and possible rabies exposures need emergency care.
| Bite or sting | What it usually looks like | Online care | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosquito bites | Small, raised, itchy bumps on exposed skin | Handled online | Mosquito bites |
| Midge and gnat bites | Small, raised red bites, usually in groups | Handled online | Midge bites Gnat bites |
| Flea bites | Red, raised, itchy bites in groups, usually below the knees | Treated online | Flea bites |
| Bed bug bites | Itchy bites in lines or groups on skin exposed while sleeping | Treated online | Bed bug bites |
| Mite bites | Very itchy lumps, sometimes blistered, often grouped together | Handled online | Mite bites |
| Tick bites | A small tick attached to the skin; a spreading rash weeks later can mean Lyme disease | Handled or treated online | Tick bites Lyme disease |
| Wasp, bee and hornet stings | Sharp pain, then a red, swollen mark | Handled or treated online | Wasp stings Bee stings Hornet stings |
| Horsefly bites | Large, painful bites that may bleed and often become infected | Treated online | Horsefly bites |
| Spider bites | Pain, redness and swelling, usually no worse than a wasp sting | Treated online | Spider bites |
| Sea stings | Pain and a red mark after a jellyfish or weever fish sting | Handled online | Jellyfish stings Weever fish stings |
| Animal bites | Puncture wounds or scratches from a dog, cat or other animal | Partly online | Animal bites Rabies |
| Infected bites | Red, hot, swollen skin around a bite that gets more painful over days | Treated online | Infected insect bite |
Which bite is it? How to identify insect bites
Where the bites are, how they are grouped, and where you were when they appeared identify most bites. Bites in a line after a night in bed point to bed bugs, bites around the ankles at home point to fleas, and itchy spots at the waistband after walking in long grass point to harvest mites.
| Bite | Where on the body | When and where you get it | Clues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosquitoes | Exposed skin: arms, legs, face | Mostly in the evening and at night; tiger mosquitoes also bite by day | Single or scattered itchy bumps |
| Midges and gnats | Exposed skin, often the face, arms and legs | Outdoors, often near water | Small red bites in groups |
| Fleas | Lower legs, ankles, waistband | At home, often with pets | Groups of bites, usually below the knees |
| Bed bugs | Face, neck and arms | Overnight in bed, at home or after a trip | Lines or groups; blood spots or brown marks on bedding |
| Harvest mites | Ankles, legs, waistband, groin | After long grass, mostly in summer and autumn | The itch starts hours later |
| Ticks | Anywhere; check skin folds and the hairline | Woodland, long grass and parks | A small creature attached to the skin |
| Horseflies | Exposed skin | Outdoors | A large, painful bite that may bleed |
| Wasps, bees and hornets | Any exposed skin | Outdoors, near food, bins or nests | Sudden sharp pain; a bee leaves its sting in the skin |
| Sandflies | Skin left uncovered at dusk and at night | Mainly around the Mediterranean | Small, itchy lumps |
| Spiders | Wherever a spider was trapped against the skin | Indoors, in sheds or in the garden | Rarely confirmed: most suspected spider bites are something else |
| Scabies (not a bite) | Between the fingers, wrists, waist, groin | Weeks after close skin contact | Itch worse at night; others at home itch too |
In one emergency department study, 152 of 182 people who thought they had a spider bite, 83.5%, had a skin infection instead, which is why a red, painful bump that is getting worse needs a doctor to look at it, whatever caused it.
Which bites can pass on an infection in Europe?
In Europe, the bites most likely to pass on an infection are tick bites, which can cause Lyme disease and, in some areas, tick-borne encephalitis. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus in summer, sandflies carry leishmaniasis around the Mediterranean, and animal bites carry a risk of rabies in some countries. Most bites pass on nothing at all.
| Bite | Infection | Where and when in Europe | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticks | Lyme disease | Across Europe; ticks are most often infected in central Europe | A red rash spreading from the bite 1 to 4 weeks later, or flu-like illness |
| Ticks | Tick-borne encephalitis | Rural and forested areas of central, eastern and northern Europe; in central Europe, ticks peak in April to May and September to October | A flu-like illness, then in some people a second illness affecting the brain; a vaccine is available |
| Mosquitoes | West Nile virus | Southern, eastern and western Europe, mostly from July to September | About 80% of infections cause no symptoms; fewer than 1% affect the brain |
| Sandflies | Leishmaniasis | Mainly Mediterranean countries; sandflies are active from April to November | A sore that does not heal, weeks or months after the bite |
| Dogs, cats, bats and wild animals | Rabies | Wild animals or pets in parts of eastern and south-eastern Europe; bats can carry rabies-like viruses anywhere | Wash the wound and get treatment before any symptoms start |
| Cats, especially kittens | Cat scratch disease | Everywhere | A bump at the scratch, then swollen glands nearby |
Removing ticks promptly and avoiding bites in the first place are the best protection. More on mosquito-borne infections is on the mosquito bites page.
Bites and stings by season
Ticks and mosquitoes are active from spring to autumn, harvest mites bite mostly in late summer and autumn, and processionary caterpillars cause rashes from late winter to midsummer. Sandflies around the Mediterranean are active from April to November.
| When | Bites and stings | Why | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| February to April | Pine processionary caterpillar rash | Caterpillars come down the trees in processions | Caterpillar rash |
| April to May | Tick bites, first peak in central Europe | Ticks become active in spring | Tick bites Lyme disease |
| May to July | Oak processionary caterpillar rash | The caterpillars’ hairs are at their most irritating | Caterpillar rash |
| July to September | Mosquito bites, and most West Nile virus cases | Mosquitoes are most active | Mosquito bites |
| Summer | Swimmer’s itch, jellyfish and weever fish stings | Swimming season, and warm water | Swimmer’s itch Jellyfish stings Weever fish stings |
| April to November | Sandfly bites, mainly around the Mediterranean | Adult sandflies are active | Sandfly bites |
| Summer and autumn | Harvest mite bites | The mite larvae are most common | Mite bites |
| September to October | Tick bites, second peak in central Europe | A second season of tick activity | Tick bites |
What helps most bites and stings
These steps help most bites and stings, and they are what a doctor usually suggests alongside any treatment:
- Wash and cool Wash with soap and water, then hold an ice pack wrapped in a cloth on the area for at least 20 minutes, and raise it if you can.
- Do not scratch Scratching can let in infection. Keep nails short, and avoid home remedies such as bicarbonate of soda.
- Ease the itch and pain A pharmacist can suggest an antihistamine, a mild hydrocortisone cream, and paracetamol or ibuprofen.
- Remove what is left Scrape a bee sting out sideways, and lift a tick out slowly with fine-tipped tweezers.
Which cream or tablet is best for insect bites?
There is no single best cream. For itching and swelling, a mild hydrocortisone cream and an antihistamine tablet are the usual first choices, and a pharmacist can advise on both. What to use depends on the problem:
| Problem | What helps | See a doctor if |
|---|---|---|
| Itching | An antihistamine tablet, a mild hydrocortisone cream, a cold compress | The itching stops you sleeping, or bites keep coming back |
| Swelling | A cold pack wrapped in a cloth for at least 20 minutes, raising the area, an antihistamine | The swelling is more than about 10 cm across, or keeps spreading |
| Pain | Paracetamol or ibuprofen, and a cold pack | The pain is out of proportion to the bite, which can be a sign of a serious infection |
| Caterpillar hair rash | Rinse with running water, lift the hairs with sticky tape, an antihistamine tablet | The rash spreads, or the eyes or throat are irritated; do not use an antihistamine cream |
| An infected bite | Antibiotics, when a doctor confirms the infection | The bite is hot, red, swollen, painful or leaking pus |
Do bites and stings need antibiotics?
Usually not. Redness and swelling that start soon after a bite are a reaction, not an infection, and redness and itching can last up to 10 days. Antibiotics help only when a bite becomes infected: hotter, more swollen and more painful over the following days, or leaking pus. A large swelling, more than about 10 cm across, is usually a large local reaction to the venom rather than an infection.
How to remove a tick or a bee sting
Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool, gripping it close to the skin and pulling slowly upwards with steady pressure, without twisting or squeezing it. Do not use petroleum jelly, heat or nail polish. Scrape a bee sting out sideways with a fingernail or the edge of a bank card, without tweezers.
Removing a tick
- Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull slowly upwards with steady, even pressure, without twisting, jerking, squeezing or crushing the tick.
- Dispose of it in a sealed container, or wrapped tightly in tape, rather than crushing it with your fingers.
- Clean the bite and your hands with antiseptic or soap and water, and check your skin for other ticks.
- Watch the area, and see a doctor about a spreading rash, a high temperature or flu-like symptoms in the next 3 months.
If the mouthparts break off and stay in the skin, try to lift them out with the tweezers. If they do not come out easily, leave them: the skin pushes them out as it heals. Do not use petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish or other substances to make a tick let go, because they can make it release infected fluid into the skin.
Removing a bee sting
- Scrape the sting out sideways with a fingernail or the edge of a bank card, as soon as you can.
- Do not use tweezers, which can squeeze more venom into the skin.
- Wash the area with soap and water, and cool it with an ice pack wrapped in a cloth.
Wasps and hornets do not usually leave a sting behind, so there is nothing to remove.
How to prevent bites and stings
- Use an insect repellent on exposed skin and on clothing; DEET-based repellents work best.
- Cover up outdoors, and tuck your trousers into your socks in long grass and woodland.
- Where mosquitoes or sandflies bite at night, sleep in a room with screens on the windows or with air conditioning, or under a fine-mesh net.
- Check your skin, your clothes and your pets for ticks after time outdoors.
- Keep food and drinks covered outdoors, and keep away from nests.
- Treat pets for fleas with a product your vet recommends.
When should I see a doctor about a bite or sting?
Book a consultation if:
- a bite or sting is getting worse, or is not improving
- the swelling is more than about 10 cm across, or keeps spreading
- a bite is hot, painful, swollen or leaking pus
- you were stung in the mouth or throat, or near the eyes
- you were stung several times, or have reacted badly to a sting before
- a rash or flu-like symptoms follow a tick bite
- you have a high temperature and swollen glands after a bite
- you are not sure what is biting you, or the bites keep coming back
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue after a bite or sting
- wheezing, fast or difficult breathing, or a tight throat
- sudden confusion, drowsiness or fainting, or pale, grey or blue skin or lips
- any bite from a viper or a snake you could not identify
- a bite or scratch that broke the skin from an animal that could carry rabies, or any bite from a bat
- red, hot, spreading skin with a high temperature and feeling very unwell
Get medical advice the same day for:
- a sting in the mouth, the throat or near the eyes
- tummy pain with vomiting, or dizziness, after a sting
- several stings at once
- a bite that is getting hotter, more swollen and more painful
- a spreading red rash after a tick bite
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
Can an online doctor treat bites and stings?
Yes, for most. Bites and stings are assessed mainly by looking and by your story: what bit you, where and when. Of the 25 bite and sting conditions covered on Mobi Doctor, 9 are usually treated online and 12 more are usually managed online, 84% in all; 3 are partly treated online, and rabies is assessed online and treated in person. The doctor tells you when you need an examination, a test or emergency care.
What the doctor can do online
The doctor listens, looks at any photos you share and decides with you what helps. If a medicine is the right answer, the doctor prescribes it. If you need an examination, a test or urgent care, the doctor tells you where to go.
- Warning signs checked first Allergic reactions, spreading infection and the signs of a serious illness after a bite are checked first, and you are sent to the right care if any is likely.
- What bit you, identified The doctor reads the pattern of the bites and your story, and tells look-alikes apart, including scabies and skin infections.
- Treatment that suits you Before suggesting any cream or tablet, the doctor asks about pregnancy, your other medicines and conditions.
- A plan for the next sting An allergy referral, adrenaline auto-injectors when needed, and how to avoid the next bite.
Not sure what bit you? A doctor can look at it on camera in one consultation.
See available times →Health tools for bites and stings
Free tools on Mobi Doctor:
- Symptom NavigatorPick a body area, including bites and stings, or type a symptom to find the right page
- European Travel Health IndexDestinations rated on summer heat, mosquitoes, tap water and access to doctors
- Climate Health IndexDaily heat, UV, pollen and air quality scores for European cities
- Medicine Shortage TrackerLive shortage reports for medicines across Europe, from official registers
All bites and stings
Most of these can be assessed and treated online. Each page covers the symptoms, first aid and treatment, and the signs that need in-person care.
Insect bites
- Mosquito bitesItchy bites, skeeter syndrome and mosquito-borne illness
- Midge bitesClusters of itchy bites near water
- Gnat bitesSmall, itchy bites, often in groups
- Horsefly bitesLarge, painful bites that can become infected
- Sandfly bitesNight-time bites around the Mediterranean
- Flea bitesItchy bites on the legs, and clearing fleas at home
- Bed bug bitesBites in lines after a night in bed
- Ant bitesAnt bites and stings at home and abroad
- Ladybird bitesDo ladybirds bite, and what else it could be
Stings
Ticks and mites
At the beach and in lakes
Spiders, snakes and other animals
Reactions and complications
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about the bite or sting: show it on camera in good light, and say when and where it happened and how it has changed.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to use and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Frequently asked questions about bites and stings
What are the most common insect bites and stings in the UK and Europe?
Mosquito, midge and gnat bites, flea and bed bug bites, tick bites, horsefly bites, and wasp, bee and hornet stings. Ticks and mosquitoes are active from spring to autumn, and harvest mites bite mostly in late summer and autumn. Most bites cause small, itchy bumps or a painful swelling that settles with first aid.
How can I tell what bit me?
Look at where the bites are, how they are grouped, and where you were. Bites in a line after a night in bed suggest bed bugs, bites around the ankles at home suggest fleas, and itchy spots at the waistband after long grass suggest harvest mites.
How long do insect bites last?
Redness and itching can last up to 10 days. A large swelling after a sting can grow for 24 to 48 hours before it settles. A bite that gets worse after the first few days may be infected.
How do I know if a bite is infected?
An infected bite gets hotter, more swollen and more painful over the following days, and may leak pus. Redness and swelling that start soon after a bite are a reaction, not an infection.
Do insect bites need antibiotics?
Usually not. Most bites and stings settle with washing, cold compresses, antihistamines and a mild steroid cream. Antibiotics are only needed when a bite is infected.
When is a bite or sting an emergency?
Call 112 for swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, difficulty breathing, fainting, or pale, grey or blue skin after a bite or sting, after any bite from a viper, and after a bite or scratch from an animal that could carry rabies.
What is the best way to remove a tick?
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool, grip the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull slowly upwards with steady pressure, without twisting or squeezing it. Clean the bite, and watch for a spreading rash over the next 3 months.
What if part of the tick stays in the skin?
Try to lift the mouthparts out with tweezers. If they do not come out easily, leave them: the skin pushes them out as it heals. Do not use petroleum jelly, heat or nail polish to make a tick let go.
What is the best cream for insect bites?
There is no single best cream. A mild hydrocortisone cream eases itching and swelling, and an antihistamine tablet helps with itching. Do not use an antihistamine cream after contact with caterpillar hairs. A doctor can prescribe a stronger cream, or antibiotics for an infected bite.
What do insect bites look like in babies?
Much the same as in adults: a small red, swollen lump, sometimes itchy or painful. A baby under 1 who has been bitten or stung needs a doctor to check them, and swelling of the lips, mouth or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a floppy, unresponsive baby means 112. Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults, so a baby needs a paediatrician or a local doctor.
Which bites can make you ill in Europe?
Tick bites can pass on Lyme disease and, in some areas, tick-borne encephalitis. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus in summer, sandflies carry leishmaniasis around the Mediterranean, and animal bites carry a risk of rabies in some countries.
Can an online doctor treat bites and stings?
Yes, for most. Of the 25 bite and sting conditions covered on Mobi Doctor, 21 are usually treated or managed online. A doctor can assess a bite on camera, prescribe treatment, and tell you when you need emergency or in-person care.
- Insect bites and stings, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 1 June 2023.
- Insect bites and stings: antimicrobial prescribing (NG182), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2020.
- Insect sting allergy, Anaphylaxis UK.
- Lyme disease, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 3 June 2025.
- Facts about Lyme borreliosis, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
- Factsheet about tick-borne encephalitis, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2024.
- Factsheet about West Nile virus infection, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
- Phlebotomine sand flies: factsheet for experts, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
- Rabies risks in terrestrial animals by country, UK Health Security Agency, updated May 2024.
- Bedbugs, NHS, National Health Service (UK).
- Chiggers, MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, reviewed October 2024.
- Snake bites, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 17 July 2026.
- What to do after a tick bite, CDC, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed 9 June 2026.
- Cat-scratch disease, MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, reviewed August 2025.
- Spider bites of medical significance in the Mediterranean area: misdiagnosis, clinical features and management, Fusto G et al., Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, 2020.
- Managing oak processionary moth in England, Forestry Commission, UK Government, updated 13 August 2026.
- Skin reactions on exposure to the pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa), Vega J, Vega JM, Moneo I. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas, 2011.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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