To ask you WTF bit me?!

[HighDudgeonAtBerks]

I shall set the scene; ‘twas a bank holiday Sunday and I (innocent mother of three) was wandering around the nearby woods with gay abandon. The sun was shining its dappled light as we made our way along the path that we’d walked many times before.

Then I felt a sharp pain on my right ankle. I waved a hand at it but saw nothing and assumed it was a bramble - as I had been daintily —scoffing— partaking of the forest fruits. It didn’t hurt much and I pretty much forgot about it.

Then yesterday - exhibit A - two red patches about the size of a 5p piece each, one of which is a weird bubbly mess of fluid-filled grossness and both of which itch like hell. I haven’t had anything like this before despite having been bitten and stung by most things.

Which brings us to today and exhibit B. I thought it seemed to be healing (mainly because I’ve been distracted by work all day) but just took a look and now it’s one blister and the skin around it looks bruised.

The things I did see and things I do know:-
-There are grass snakes and adders in the area but I’m pretty sure I would have seen that
-there were wasps, red ants, horse flies, mosquitos (all the good stuff), but I’ve never reacted to any of these like this before

Am I doomed? Will I have to amputate? Should I just bite down on a stick and get it over with?

What bit me?!

don't spider bites go black in the centre? ...to do with the venom basically rotting the skin so MrSpider can digest its prey.

Definitely no black in the centre so I’m definitely not rotting prey. Phew!

That looks just like the horse fly bites I get. Especially with your description of a sharp pain out of nowhere, that's what they do, the bastards.

I once got bitten by a spider in the States. It got into my top and clearly walked all the way along the edge of my bra, stinging me every few steps. I didn't feel at the time, but the next morning I was in a service station toilet and couldn't stop itching and feeling pain, and ended up taking my top off by the mirrors to look, and a lady was all oh MAH GAHHHD WOMAN! THAT'S A SPIIIIDER BITE! HE WAS MAAAAAD! I got some amazing american gel anti poison ivy thing in the end and it was like magic. I had a huge bottle that lasted years and was amazing for horse flies too. It finally ran out though, which makes me sad. Nothing in the uk has ever come close to how effective that was.

I must have had about 50 spider bites outlining the shape of my bra. They went black eventually, it was vile.

I was eaten alive a few weeks ago by a horse fly. I saw the fucker land on me, and then before I had chance to do anything it's sword like tongue?! Was in my arm draining all my blood.
My arm looked exactly like your ankle, but I couldn't resist a scratch and I popped the blister- and have left a mark on my arm.
Bastard horse flies should be cancelled.

Pharmacist gave me savlon for horsefly bite earlier this year that was headed for infection territory (swollen and hot). He said to apply every hour to reduce itching too and prevent my scratching it and making it infected. It did work but I've still a small scar. Evil beasts.

@ShinyMe

I must have had about 50 spider bites outlining the shape of my bra. They went black eventually, it was vile.

That sounds utterly horrendous!

Horse fly. I got bit by one a couple of times and the area swelled to maybe 4 inch and was so sore, itchy, red and swollen. Think they took about 2 weeks to go. Maybe more.

Just don't scratch whatever you do. I had a couple and they itched on and off for months!!

Horse fly, mine was the same and itched for months.

Horse fly, I got bit once on my arse and it was infected, ended up showing the woman in the pharmacy, to this day I have no idea if she worked there 🤷‍♂️

I don't think its necessarily a horse fly because I have 3 of those exact same blisters on my leg at the moment , its the way I seem to react to any kind of bite this year! I didn't feel any bite or sting at the time,I just noticed them developing later on. I'm already on a double dose of antihistamine tablets for my sinus issues but they don't seem to help the bites!

I’m going to have to average all the replies and assume that it was an 8-legged, serpentine, flying horse with enormous mandibles housing two fangs that ooze hogweed sap.

Which is, in many ways, much worse than I was expecting.

Horsefly. I’ve only once had a blister from one but I saw the bugger.

@Aparallaxia

Horse-fly.

My aunt was bitten on her eyelid by a horse-fly the day before her wedding...

And this is why we wear veils.

Get off my land type forest, mmm. Me thinks you stepped on a booby trap.

Oh no! I hadn’t even considered booby traps!

I might be going mad but I think I can see a cheerful ghost head in the globules.

A horse fly bite that could need antibiotics. They fly to animal shit, then bite you with their dirty bits.

The temptation to lance that blister, especially with the potential ghost in there, must be huge but resist at all costs it will get a lot worse.

Just leaving my spider bite here for reference and, fear not, it did not occur whilst I was in the UK 🕷🤢🤮

Oh dear lord @Pantouffle! You win!

I am not scratching nor lancing - even though it’s really bubbly and begging for it. I’m worried about releasing the souls of the damned

Horse fly bites can get infected so that is why blister this time but not every time. The are one of the few insects that do actually bite into the skin rather than piercing so it is more risky. make sure you keep it clean and use antiseptic cream. Also antihistamines can help.

Horsefly - keep the blister intact as long as you can to stop infection getting in - bastarding things gave me cellulitis 2 weeks after the actual bite.

@HighDudgeonAtBerks

I might be going mad but I think I can see a cheerful ghost head in the globules.

Looks like Casper to me.

At least he’s a friendly ghost