Biting and stinging insects are the ultimate pests and are extremely problematic. They can be split into two categories: venomous and non-venomous. The difference between the two is the nature of the bite or sting.

Venomous insects attack as a defense mechanism, injecting painful, toxic venom through their stings. Non-venomous insects bite in order to feed on your blood. Although local irritation and allergic reactions to the saliva and anti-coagulants do occur from non-venomous bites, severe reactions such as anaphylactic shock only happen from venomous stings. When bees sting, they leave the stinger and venom sack attached. Venom continues to pump in through the stinger until the sack is empty or the stinger is removed. The only good part about this is that bees die after they sting. Wasps and hornets however, don't leave their stings behind and can sting you over and over again.

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Venomous stings are always very painful, red, and swollen up to twelve inches around the sting site. This is called a local reaction. In sensitive individuals, a systemic or "whole body" reaction occurs, with redness, hives, and swelling far away from the sting site.

Biting insects themselves don’t often cause allergic reactions. However, they do spread diseases like Malaria, Yellow Fever, Lyme disease, Typhus, and Encephalitis. For most of us their bites just cause terrible itching.

Do you live in Florida and think that one of these pests may be invading your home or yard? Hulett Environmental Services offers specialty treatments designed to control and eliminate these pests!