Home Cures 14 Best Home Remedies for Insect Bites

14 Best Home Remedies for Insect Bites

by Andreea Laza

Looking for home remedies for insect bites? Continue reading and find out how you can make them at home.

Summer is, of course, the best time to go out in nature, picnic, or take a stroll in the forest, by the river, or in the garden. However, we may experience nagging insect bites especially if we’re walking barefoot or staying for a longer period of time outdoor. Insects are attracted by the body odor or by the lively colors of our clothes. Insect bites can be extremely unpleasant, especially if they trigger painful skin reactions or persistent itching.

This is why we believe that this is the best time of the year to share with you the best home remedies for insect bites that you can try at home. But first, let’s begin with the most common insect bites symptoms and how to prevent insect bites while enjoying nature and the outdoors.

Best Home Remedies for Insect Bites

Insect Bites Symptoms

Most often, the only treatment for insect bites is applied locally and it can be done at home, without going to the hospital. But there are patients who manifest severe reactions to insect bites and they require medical care.

Insect and spider bits usually manifest locally with pruritus (itch) and even erythema (rash) or edema that can be painful or not. These are the normal symptoms of insect bites and they can last for a few hours up to a few days. Insect bites can cause an immediate skin reaction, usually red in color, itchy and painful. Usually, home remedies for insect bites are enough, but if severe symptoms occur like anaphylaxis, you need to see a doctor.

Anaphylaxis is a rare allergic reaction to insect bites and in this situation emergency care is necessary. The most common insect bites symptoms are local and they manifest with:

  • Pain (that can last up to a few days)
  • Itchiness
  • Redness
  • Edema
  • Burning sensation
  • Numbness

If the reaction to insect bites is local, it usually doesn’t require allergy testing, even though the affected area can be stretched from 30 cm to the entire arm or leg. The edema may last over 48 hours and it can be painful, but it is not dangerous if the air passages are not affected.

Allergic Reactions to Insect Bites

Generally, the allergic reactions to insect bites are more severe than the usual symptoms. If the affected area is rather large, the patient needs to test if they have an allergic reaction to the insect bite. Most studies show that systemic reactions to insect bites are 5-10% higher in patients who have a history of extended skin reactions to insect stings. Most systemic reactions to insect bites are caused by Hymenoptera order insect bites, namely bees, and wasps bites. The most common symptoms of systemic reaction to insect bites are:

  • Difficulties breathing
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Tachycardia
  • Weakness
  • Dysphagia
  • Confusion
  • Agitation
  • Anxiety

Severe systemic reactions to insect bites are more common in people who present cardiovascular diseases. If the following symptoms occur within 15 minutes of being bitten by an insect or a bug, you know you’re having an anaphylactic reaction:

  • Chocking sensation/ not being able to breathe properly
  • Hives (urticaria)
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Low blood pressure
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How to Prevent Insect Bites Naturally?

The best treatment for insect bites is always prevention. Here are the best first aid measures to prevent insect stings in the first place:

1. Avoid floral-scented cosmetics. We’re talking about deodorants, body lotions, perfumes, creams, or soaps that have a floral scent. Wasps in particular become more aggressive around certain cosmetic products, perfumes, and food additives. In most cases, the volatile compounds in these cosmetics partially contain elements that naturally occur in the wasp venom, making them trigger their attack.

2. Wear light-colored clothes. Vibrant colorful clothes, especially those with floral patterns attract insects. Instead, opt for light color clothes in more neutral tones. Speaking of which, you should avoid wearing shiny jewelry as well. Insects are attracted to everything shiny.

3. Load on vitamin C. Natural vitamin C supplements make your body sweat more, the smell of which acts as a natural insect repellent.

4. Use natural skin products. Use body sprays and lotions based on mint or eucalyptus essential oils because they act as a natural insect repellent, and keep the insects and bugs at a distance.

5. Herbal sachets that fight insects. There are herbs and plants that act as natural insect repellents. The most effective natural herbs that keep insects away are basil, marjoram, lavender, garlic, and even tomato leaves. Fill up a small gauze bag or linen sachet with peeled garlic cloves, basil leaves, or tomato leaves and hang it at the window to prevent mosquitoes and other insects to enter the room. You can also fill in a fabric sachet with lavender flowers or spray it with lavender oil and place it near your pillow while you sleep. Lovage essence is also a great natural insect repellent.

6. Essential Oils that Repel Insects. Spray a napkin with marjoram or lavender essential oils and keep it at your bedside or hang it on the bed frame beside your head. A lavender sachet hung near your bed is also helpful against insects. You can also place a lemon balm bouquet on your nightstand and to make it even more effective against insects, spray it with essential lavender oil. Without further ado, here are the 14 most effective home remedies for insect bites.

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14 Best Home Remedies for Insect Bites

Sage, thyme, and basil are the best home remedies for insect bites, but there are others just as handy and effective. Here are some of the best insect sting remedies you can try at home.

1. Tobacco Leaves Maceration for Insect Bites

Massage your exposed skin with a maceration made of tobacco leaves in apple cider vinegar. You can also use a lavender flower decoction or essential oils instead, such as mint, lavender, and lemon balm oils to massage the skin and keep bugs and insects away. Tobacco leaves maceration is amongst the best home remedies for insect bites.

14 Best Home Remedies for Insect Bites - Tobacco Leaves
Tobacco leaves put to dry

2. Sage Cure for Itchy Insect Bites

Crush a few fresh sage leaves and apply them directly to the affected areas, to help the skin cool off. You can also use the sage tincture to pad the insect bites. Preparing the sage tincture is done by macerating 20 g sage leaves into 100 ml alcohol for 10 days. This is one of the best home remedies for insect bites for sure.

3. Wormwood Home Remedy for Bites

Use fresh and crushed wormwood leaves to friction the insect or bug bites on your skin. Wormwood leaves and extract are amongst the most effective home remedies for insect bites.

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Wormwood

4. Plantain Remedy for Bites

Wash some plantain leaves well, crush them and apply them to the bites. You can also use juice from these leaves. Lemon balm leaves, lovage, or horseradish leaves are just as effective home remedies for insect bites.

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Plantain leaves and flowers

5. Aloe for Insect Bites

Use fresh Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) leaves to pad the bites twice a day. Aloe Vera has amazing natural skin-soothing and is one of the most powerful home remedies for insect bites.

6. Blackcurrants for Insect Sting

Make a simple cataplasm with freshly crushed currant leaves or macerate in white wine and apply it to the insect bites. This is one of the very fast-action home remedies for insect bites.

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7. Cabbage Leaf Remedy for Mosquito Bites

Crush and apply white cabbage leaves or parsley to the area of the bites. This remedy is amazing with mosquito bites. As simple as it sounds, this is one of the best home remedies for insect bites.

8. Insect Bites Remedy with Onion

Slice up an onion and apply them to the bites for 10 minutes. Just like cabbage poultice, onion is one of the most simple and effective home remedies for insect bites.

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9. Simple Basil Rub

Basil leaves have an amazing scarring and anti-itch effect for insect bites. Rub freshly crushed basil leaves onto the bites and you’re done. This is one of the most effective home remedies for insect bites.

10. Garden Thyme Remedy for Insect Bites

Make an infusion with 2 tbsp. of thyme and 200 ml of water. Use the infusion to gently pad the insect bites. Repeat the procedure a few times per day. This is one of the most potent home remedies for insect bites.

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11 Echinacea Tincture Cure

In order to prevent infections and allergic reactions to insect bites, apply Echinacea or arnica tincture locally. Echinacea acts as a natural antibiotic, making it one of the most effective home remedies for insect bites.

12. Essential Oils Tincture

Make a mix of the following essential oils: lavender (5 g), mint (5 g), wormwood (4 g), sage (3 g), and basil (3 g) in 20 ml alcohol or carrier oil (almond, olive, grapeseed oils). Use this oil blend to rub locally on the insect bites. This home remedy has amazing curative properties but it can also act as an insect repellent. These herbal oils are some of the best home remedies for insect bites.

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13. Baking Soda Home Remedies for Insect Bites

Make a simple solution with ½ tsp. baking soda per cup of water. Use this baking soda remedy to apply it to the insect bite a few times per day. The inflammation will disappear. Baking soda also has a great antibacterial action and is one of the simplest home remedies for insect bites.

14. Chervil Leaves Remedy for Insect Bites

Rub crushed chervil leaves onto the bites. Chervil leaves stop the unpleasant reactions related to insect bites and the painful stinging. These are the best home remedies for insect bites right here.

Mosquito Bite Home Remedies

The first thing to do when you get bitten by a mosquito is to wash the skin with water and soap. Avoid scratching. Also, for disinfecting the area, you can rub the bites with crushed fern leaves, parsley, blackberry leaves, tomato leaves, lemon slices, or fruit cider vinegar.

  • You can also apply a cold compress or even ice cubes directly to the mosquito bite, too.
  • Arnica tincture and saltwater poultices are also very effective against mosquito bites if applied right away.
  • Pad the bites with cotton soaked in medicinal alcohol mixed with mint oil (5 gr mint oil per 100 ml alcohol)
  • Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the mosquito bites.
  • Apply a cataplasm with raw cabbage leaves, leek, or parsley.
  • Massage the skin with a marigold tincture or balm, onion juice, or garlic.

This is one of the top home remedies for insect bites, mosquito bites especially.

Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites

How to Prevent Mosquito Bites

Anoint the skin with clove, lavender, mint, or lemon balm essential oils. This way you will keep mosquitos away from you. Mosquito is attracted to the color yellow, so avoid wearing yellow during the mosquito season.

Spider Bites Natural Remedies

Comfrey root is probably the best natural remedy for spider bites, but there are other effective things you can do. But first, here is how to use comfrey root for spider bites.

  • Make a cataplasm with grated comfrey root. To prepare it, mix 3 tbsp of grated comfrey root with 100 ml of hot water and make it into a paste. Apply the paste to the spider bite, cover with a clean piece of gauze, and keep it a few hours or overnight.
  • You can also make a cataplasm with freshly crushed common agrimony leaves or slightly crushed cabbage leaves.
  • Apply a cold poultice or make a compress with cold water and a little vinegar and apply it to the bite.
  • Massage the spider bite area with St. John’s wort tincture or a cut garlic clove. To make the tincture, macerate 2 handfuls of St. John’s wort flowers for 2 weeks in 1 l of alcohol.

Home Remedy for Wasp Sting

Apply freshly pressed lovage or onion juice directly on the bee or wasp sting. After you have removed the needle, apply a cataplasm with scalded thyme, or simply cover the wasp sting with crushed thyme.

In Maria Treben’s famous book “Health Through God’s Pharmacy”, the naturalist recounts a time when she used Swedish bitter to treat a 4 years old girl, who got stung by a giant venomous wasp. The girl’s arm got really swollen and deformed soon after the wasp’s sting. She imbued some cotton with Swedish bitter and applied it immediately to the sting and approx. 3 minutes later, the swallowing started to reduce in size. You can leave the poultice overnight for even greater effects.

4 Best Home Remedies for Bee Sting

This remedy is also recommended by naturalist Maria Treben for venomous insects, not only wasps or bees. However, in case of a severe reaction, it is best to consult a doctor right away.

Black Widow Bite Remedy

In case you get bitten by a black widow spider, you first need to remove the needle without allowing the venom bag to spill. Disinfect the area with an antiseptic solution; apply ice or hydrocortisone cream. In severe cases, you need to see a doctor right away!

Home Remedies for Tick Bites

In case of a tick bite, the first thing to do is to remove the tick in the first 24 h from the bite. For this, use a pair of blunt point tweezers. However, it is better if the tick is removed by a doctor.

Home Remedies for Tick Bites

How to Make a Natural Insect Repellent DIY

Making your own natural insect repellent is actually easy. There are two recipes that we particularly recommend. First, prepare a cold maceration with tobacco leaves in apple cider vinegar. Leave the tobacco leaves to soak overnight in the ACV, then strain and pour the cold maceration into a spray bottle. Your natural insect repellent is ready to use. Spray it on your skin whenever you need it.

Or make a strong decoction with lavender flowers, by simmering 3 tsp of flowers in a cup of water for 5-10 minutes. Strain and leave aside to cool a bit. Pour the decoction into a spray glass bottle and add your preferred mix of essential oils to it. We recommend lemon balm, lemon, peppermint, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, or cloves. Spray this natural insect repellent on your skin before going into nature, it works, I have personally tested this recipe, and I am blood type 0 if you know what I mean…

Read Also: 4 Effective Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites

These are the most effective home remedies for insect bites, whether we’re talking about mosquito bites, spider bites, or even tick and wasp bites. Let us know what home remedies for insect bites you used in the comments below. Stay healthy, naturally!

Home remedies for insect bites

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