What has bitten me?!

[BadActors]

I was bitten whilst in the garden last weekend and I have no clue what bit me. Does the bite look normal to you? It's still itchy and uncomfortable and I'm worried it could be a tick bite (as we have them everywhere here it seems). It's just above my left knee and a bit swollen.

You need to draw round that if its spreading and go talk to a pharmacist

Thanks @feelingbleh, for some reason I'd forgotten about speaking to a pharmacist!

Am wondering if it's Cellulitis from a horsefly bite OP, definitely go to the Pharmacist. Hope you are well again soon .

It could be skeeter syndrome. Try a string antihistamine, like Allevia (fexofenadine).

If it is just a mozzie bite, you could also try steeping half a dozen chamomile tea bags and getting them and the tea fridge cold. Put the cold tea bag directly on the bite. You can also soak cotton wool.pads in the tea and out them on the bite. It'll really soothe it.

But if you're worried you need medical advice. Either way I hope it goes down soon, I bet that's sore!

I’d say a red ant bite but only cos they do that to me

Thanks all. It definitely looks like a horsefly bit (thanks @MaryGreenhill) - and yes it's sore, hot and annoying 😀

Horsefly. Go and see pharmacist. Draw round it with a sharpie to see if it spreads. You need a strong antihistamine and maybe topical steroid cream?

I used to get these a lot in my 30's.

Take an allergy tablet asap - any will do.

Get hydrocortisone cream on it - all over it beyond the redness - repeat as often as allowed. If chemist will give you Fucidin H cream that's even better.

Spider bites can generate a bad reaction too.

That needs some medical attention. You might need antibiotics. Draw a line around the edge because of spreading and swelling. Do you have a walk in centre near you? I’d go there (retired nurse who has had bites like this and needed antibiotics).

Could it be a horsefly bite.
I’ve known these to be pretty nasty and can get infected. I second drawing a circle round it and keeping an eye on it.

If it feels hot to the touch, and is spreading, you need to get medical advice. If it is cellulitis, it can get very serious, very quickly.

My horsefly bites always look like this, so red and swollen. They last several days then subside.

I react to mozzies and gnat bites in that way.
They're not infected, it's just an allergic response. They usually take about 10-14 days to calm down, especially if it's early in the season or I have several at the same time. They can reactivate if I'm bitten again within the next month or so.

Antihistamine tablets, antihistamine cream or hydrocortisone cream if really bad.

If its hot and achey feeling like pp said it could be a horse flying, they are nasty buggers and it could get infected, get yourself to the chemist/ walk in / docs as soon as you can.
I got bitten by one many years ago on the side of my knee it was sodding painful and my knee was stiff for weeks.

Yep it looks a lot like my horsefly bite. I was on antihistamines and antibiotics after mine and it took ages to go down. Definitely speak to someone!

I react in the same way, so completely agree with this.

A pharmacist can prescribe antibiotics for bug bites.