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Bed bites can cause a very dangerous disease – harara, i.e. poisoning the body with substances released in the saliva of these insects. However, this applies only to people intoxicated to the unconscious with alcohol and left unattended infants.
Until twenty years ago, no one in Poland spoke of fluff, now it is difficult to walk through the park without hearing complaints about these insects. Entomologists wonder why we owe their expansion so much. One hypothesis is that the reason is the improvement in the purity of the rivers where their larvae develop. Dams are small insects, 1,5 to 6 mm in length, usually dark or gray in color. They have a stocky body with a hump, short and wide wings, massive antennae and thick legs. About 50 varieties of fluff species live in Poland.
Useful fluff larvae
The black larvae develop in the running waters. These can be small watercourses and large rivers. The larvae do not resemble adult insects. – They look more like jammers. We can see them attached to stones in the form of small posts – says entomologist Prof. Marek Kozłowski.
They feed on dead plant and animal remains and their faeces, which makes them very useful – they clean the rivers. The female lays 200-500 eggs in clean, shallow waters. Hatching after 2-3 weeks, the larvae live and pupate in rapidly flowing waters. Adult insects rise to the surface in an air bubble and then fly away.
Check it out: Insect stings. What to do after a bite?
Adult fluff – which do they bite?
Adult insects inhabit humid areas near water reservoirs. They often occur en masse. Males feed on the nectar of flowers and the sap of plants. So they are only dangerous to humans samice meszek and only during the day, especially in the afternoon and evening. – They supplement their diet with blood, because as future mothers they have to eat better – says prof. Kozłowski.
Flies attack in swarms of cows, horses, pigs, sheep, poultry and people. They squeeze everywhere – into the ears, nose, fall under the eyelids and down the throat.
Maroon pyrethrum herb has an antiseptic effect, therefore it works well in relieving symptoms that appear after insect bites, including fluff. If you are bitten by fluff, try the MUGGA soothing balm for bites and burns with a cooling and soothing effect. The Mini-Click, which alleviates the symptoms of insect bites, reduces the urge to scratch directly at the bite site, which is also very convenient to use.
If you want to avoid bites and mosquitoes, reach for Mosquito remedies available at Medonet Market, e.g. in the form of patches (Mosquito repellent and Mustico fluff repellent), bands (Mustico mosquito repellent band) or spray (Mosquito repellent spray, ticks) and Mustico naps).
Fluff bites – is it dangerous?
– The attack of a nap is not as subtle as a mosquito bite – says prof. Kozłowski. Their mouthpieces are adapted to cut the skin and anchor itself in it with the help of hooked hairs on the jaws, tearing the tissue apart. From this morning, females suck the oozing blood. Their saliva contains enzymes that liquefy the blood and prevent it from clotting. Our fluff does not transmit diseasebut emit highly toxic saliva. Their bite can cause – more often than with mosquitoes – swelling, redness and high fever. For swelling and pain after a bite, you can use, for example, Herbapol Insect Bite Gel.
- Try a fluff and mosquito repellent wristband
Are you looking for an effective remedy for mosquitoes and ticks? Try Stop Sanity Tick
Allergy to a nap bite
Allergologist, Dr. Aleksandra Kindracka, says that in his office he is more often dealing with the reaction resulting from the toxic effect of the nape saliva than with a typical allergy to their saliva. This reaction on the skin after a bite lasts from five to seven days. If not scratched, it should heal on its own. – In addition, there is a minor infection after being bitten by these insects. As the fluff cracks the skin, a small wound is formed. When we scratch it, especially with dirty hands, it becomes infected and can affect even the adjacent blood vessels, she explains. If we are bitten by a fluff, it is a good idea to wash the area. It’s also a good idea to apply some anti-itching ointment. If the wound grows bigger and swells, see a doctor who can use a topical antibiotic.
If you are exposed to insects, it is worth drinking BOLLERIOFIX – a herbal tea that supports the immune system and has an antioxidant effect, so it helps in the fight against the harmful effects of free radicals.
A bite by a nap occurring in Poland does not pose a risk of contracting infectious diseases.
Fluff bite – poisoning the body with harara
– People in an alcoholic coma or infants are exposed to a disease called harara, which is dangerous poisoning of the body with substances released in the saliva of the nap. In extreme cases, pulmonary edema may occur. In this case, treatment in a hospital is necessary – says prof. Kozłowski. To protect against fluff attack, avoid open areas where they hatch. If you have to stay in a fluff-infested area, you should wear a long-sleeved T-shirt and long pants. It is necessary to use repellants. On their label you will find information whether they are effective on nap.
When it comes to natural methods, it is recommended to use vanilla oil. It is also not allowed to leave a sleeping infant outside in a pram without a good mosquito net. Also, adults should not sleep in a place where they can be attacked by fluff.
Do you want to scare the fluff off yourself? Externally apply the tansy flower in the form of an infusion that gives off an unpleasant odor. You can also try the effect of anise.
Insect-borne diseases
Some species of flies living in Africa carry pathogenic organisms, such as nematodes of the genus Onchocerca, which cause river blindness in Africa. Different meszka Cnephia cattle parasitizing herds of domestic animals near the Mississippi, it causes the deaths of horses and mules, both by sucking large amounts of blood and by suffocation due to obstruction of the nasal passages. Therefore, in such regions, spraying campaigns are carried out in the areas where flies occur. No disease transmission by these insects has been found in our climate zone.
To avoid a fluff, mosquito or tick bite, order Thief Oil – a mosquito repellent fragrance that is convenient and effective.