Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What is biting me?

80 replies

gingajewel · 03/03/2019 19:43

For the past two weeks myself, my dh and my eldest dd have been covered in bites, all over our legs and dd’s chest and tummy. They are raised white lumps with an obvious red tiny mark in the middle and are itching us so much!
I have googled and googled and can’t find an exact match! Just for some background, I live in a city no where near the countryside and both children were outside a lot last week when the weather was nice!
The itching is driving us all crazy!

OP posts:
Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 21:08

Hahaha yep we have a dr that Google’s too! I am literally stuck as to what it could be!!!
I am going to google carpet beetles now, haven’t checked that one!

OP posts:
Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 21:09

Sorry I wasn’t clear, my sisters dog has never been to our house, just my sister!

OP posts:
minmooch · 03/03/2019 21:27

That lols like a head louse to me 😱

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Skin conditions
Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 21:35

I don’t think it’s head lice, me and girls had hair cut yesterday and oh has no hair!
I am completely stumped!

OP posts:
YourSarcasmIsDripping · 03/03/2019 21:36

I'd say fleas. And they can get anywhere and you can have bites anywhere. DD had some on the top of her head.

Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 21:45

Thankyou I am leaning towards fleas aswell, it seems the most common thing! I am going to try flea spray and treatment tomorrow anyway!

OP posts:
FixTheBone · 03/03/2019 21:48

We had a flea outbreak last year, it was driving me scatty trying to work out what it was until i spotted one of the bastards - i was absolutely bitten to shreds.

We have a completely carpeted 3 story house, so elimination was a nightmare, hoovered twice-daily for three days - everything beds, wardrobes, couches all moved - and at the end of the 3rd day, hosed the entire house with R.I.P extra ( www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D3CY26N/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8 ) at fingers crossed have had no recurrance.

We have no indoor pets, but we do have two outdoor guinea pigs (no fleas ever seen, and a lot of neighbourhood cats visit the garden)

Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 21:52

Thankyou for all the flea treatment ideas, I think it must be fleas, I don’t know what else it could be!

OP posts:
Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 21:53

Fixthebone can you get fleas from other peoples cars if they come into your garden?

OP posts:
YourSarcasmIsDripping · 03/03/2019 21:59

Yup,as fleas can live in the garden/grass/bushes. Stupid little fuckwits. I prefer spiders.

Mumsymumphy · 03/03/2019 21:59

I could be way off the mark here but - could it be ringworm?

What is biting me?
Mumsymumphy · 03/03/2019 22:02

Or horsefly bites? I got them round ankles last summer after cutting the privets. Itched like a bitch & was painful to walk at times

lljkk · 03/03/2019 22:07

I am allergic to flea bites & can react like that.

Drogosnextwife · 03/03/2019 22:11

That looks very much like a flea OP, just Google pictures of fleas.

Drogosnextwife · 03/03/2019 22:13

There's a flea

What is biting me?
Drogosnextwife · 03/03/2019 22:14

When my mum was younger she got flea bites off a school skirt her mum had bought her from the shops. It was living in the waist band.

Original poster
gingajewel · 03/03/2019 22:24

Just wanted to say Thankyou everyone for all your help, I think it is fleas 🤮🤮 so I will treat them with all the brilliant advice on this thread!
I am wandering if last weekend when dd’s went in garden for the first time since about October that they bought them in with them.
For pp who said she was allergic too flea bites, mine and dd’s are not nearly as bad as my oh so he may be allergic!
Thanks all

OP posts:
PearlandRubies194 · 03/03/2019 22:26

Our NDN have two cats, last summer their youngest child and mine became friendly (they go to different schools so didn’t really mix before). They were in an out of each other’s homes every day and he would bring his teddies here and vice versa.

Before long, myself and my child started to get itchy spots on our arms and legs and I spotted a flea on two separate occasions. I got some flea powder and would vacuum the furnishings, skirting boards, mattresses and scrubbed the rugs, whilst encouraging the children to play in the garden (and no taking teddies to each other’s home!). They’ve not played with each other since they went back to school in September and I haven’t spotted a flea since. No itchy spots either. Their cats are outdoor all day.

Get some flea powder and vacuum everywhere, wash the cushion covers, sofa throws, bedding etc. Put some sudocrem on the spots for now and see if it improves.

Springiscomingsoon · 03/03/2019 22:47

Get some white sheets and lay on the floor - you may be able to spot the fleas more easily. I have always spotted fleas before a large infestation before and stopped them in time.
I still think it could be bed bugs too.
Horrible thing to go through but it can be cleared up so just stick with it.

YourSarcasmIsDripping · 03/03/2019 22:59

You could buy a plug in flea trap, just to figure out if it's really fleas and how bad it is.
It has a little lightbulb that gives the same heat as a small animal and a sticky sheet at the bottom that the fleas get stuck on. Lemme see if I can find a link.

lljkk · 04/03/2019 06:49

Lots of vacuuming & floor cleaning in meantime. Get rid of some of the adults, larvae, eggs, & feces they feed upon.

Original poster
gingajewel · 04/03/2019 09:24

For those that think bed bugs, can you have them without literally any signs in your bed? We searched and searched last night, with a flash light, all down the creases under the mattress, head board etc but there was no signs at all, would you see some signs?

OP posts:
Fireballfriends · 04/03/2019 16:22

Have you looked for any small spots of blood on the bedsheets? That's a clear sign of bed bugs.

I once moved into a rented house with a huge bedbug infestation but couldn't find any signs in my room. My housemates had no bites at all but I had an allergic reaction. Pest control got rid of them.

I'd recommend getting the professionals in to check tbh, could save you a lot of grief.

Baconislife · 04/03/2019 16:41

They could be in any nearby furniture
Skirting boards or in the carpet