bushfly sting? WA

[dogcat]

Hi just have a question: me and my dad are now in WA prospecting near laverton. Dad got sting by something either bushfly or? and his face, neck, arms, legs basically anywhere exposed are like this: itchy as well, very.

I wonder if this is normal? becasue i dont have many problems like this and 2022 we went to Laverton he was fine as well. Only this time appeares so bad. what caused this?

 

[grubstake]

OMG, that looks awful. Are you sure those aren't from baby ticks? I thought I could see little black dots at the centre of some of the spots.

 

[Qlden]

Hi just have a question: me and my dad are now in WA prospecting near laverton. Dad got sting by something either bushfly or? and his face, neck, arms, legs basically anywhere exposed are like this: itchy as well, very.

I wonder if this is normal? becasue i dont have many problems like this and 2022 we went to Laverton he was fine as well. Only this time appeares so bad. what caused this?

They look like sandfly bites, that said it was very wet throughout the goldfields a few weeks ago and there was a lot of mosquitoes on dusk. Dettol cream or Savlon will help with the itch and anti histamine tablets if you have.
Long pants and long sleeves and of course a fly net.
FYI, this is the first year since 2011 that I have had to resort to a fly net..

 

[RichardWest]

Did he go to the Laverton Hospital to get them looked at?

 

[dogcat]

They look like sandfly bites, that said it was very wet throughout the goldfields a few weeks ago and there was a lot of mosquitoes on dusk. Dettol cream or Savlon will help with the itch and anti histamine tablets if you have.
Long pants and long sleeves and of course a fly net.
FYI, this is the first year since 2011 that I have had to resort to a fly net..

So are you saying this year the fly is much worse than ever? I have checked online it appears called stable fly.

 

[dogcat]

Bo

Did he go to the Laverton Hospital to get them looked at

Hi not yet we are here still watching it if gets worse will have to go. Now I am thinking will stop prospecting for a couple of days and see

 

[dogcat]

OMG, that looks awful. Are you sure those aren't from baby ticks? I thought I could see little black dots at the centre of some of the spots.

Ur dog looks impressive.

If it’s babe ticks then I would have same issue too? And we didn’t see any insects like that. Only where his skin exposed to air are like this.

 

[grubstake]

If it’s babe ticks then I would have same issue too? And we didn’t see any insects like that. Only where his skin exposed to air are like this.

You don't see them, as they're only the size of a pinhead. They sense the body heat of any passing mammal and jump on you as you brush through scrub where they are lurking or drop down from branches.

So are you saying this year the fly is much worse than ever? I have checked online it appears called stable fly.

Those marks and the itchiness don't match this description of stable fly bites that I found online:
Stable fly bites are extremely painful and the flies are very persistent; they often ignore swatting, stamping and other tactics used by animals trying to avoid bites. Unlike many other blood feeding insect bites, on humans the bite site does not appear to get irritated and bites rarely result in allergic reactions.

 

[Hippyty79]

I feel for you as your gonna itch for weeks, try not to scratch as the wounds will take longer to heal, I’ve had these bites before and the only thing that helped me was an antihistamine like Zyrtec, and covering the wounds.
II don’t camp anywhere near water and always keep antihistamine in the first aid kit , once bitten twice shy as they say.

 

[kingswood]

Midge bites. Topical hydrocortisone cream helps with the itch. Avoid scratching as makes worse and increases risk of infection. As above, antihistamines like claratyne help. Seek medical review if any signs on infection.
https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Biting-midges

 

[Mackka]

Don’t scratch as breaking could possibly lead to cellulitus and a week in hospital on antibiotics. Is he a Diabetic? If so get him to a hospital.

 

[sand surfer]

midge bites ,don't scratch and as mackka said if you are diabetic go to hospital as the infection can be severe
the welts/marks are a allergic reaction from the midge if they are itchy
they don't bite ,the dirty little buggars piss on you that is the marks if you have a allergic reaction to midges
believe me they give me hell here when fishing amongst the mangroves here in qld
cover up and use a good bug spray with plenty of deet in it (eg bushmans deet 40 ) on any uncovered areas

 

[ozboy]

Calamine lotion and witch hazel can be helpful.

 

[davent]

Yep sandflys.
Some people react worse than others.
You actually build up an immunity of sorts to them.
I was a fishing guide here in the NT and at first, I thought I would have to quit my job, because I reacted like that.
Now though, I itch for about 10 to 202minutes, and that's it, a little red dot.
But when I go back down south, with a different sandfly, I react pretty bad again. The fairer the skin, the worse the initial reaction.
I have been told that ANUSOL or hemeroid cream helps a lot, reducing both the wealt and the itch.

 

[OzzieAu]

He’s very lucky his ANUSOL wasn’t exposed at the time

 

[sand surfer]

about 20 years years ago there was a solution i could access from the chemist ,i think it was a local or state product it was called ruggard buggard ,magic potion , but it smelt something awful ,but midge/sandfly free for the day

might be something in that dave ,as the missus being local here and there is no problem with them maybe it is something local with the immunity to them
but i have been here since the early 80's and the little bastards still give me hell

 

[woomera]

They reckon they go through fly screen