How to spot the difference between a sting and a bug bite

Discover what you should look for to quickly tell the difference between bug bites and bee stings, and how some other common bites and stings can be identified.

Bug bites and bee stings leave different calling cards on your skin.

While both may itch or be painful, it's important to know the difference, especially in cases of bites with mosquitoes and ticks, which carry deadly diseases, or stings that can cause severe allergic reactions.

You can be accosted by mosquitoes quickly, and suffer several bites before reaching cover. They tend to swarm early in the morning and late in the evening.

• The area where the bite occurred and the surrounding skin will rise, becoming puffy.
• It may be difficult to see, but a tiny red dot indicating the bite will be in the centre of the raised area.

A tick will try to bury itself under your skin, so it may already be attached when you find it. In this case, the tick bite is easy to decipher. You'll want to pull the tick out straight using tweezers to ensure the head is still attached.

• If you notice a lone itchy bite mark with no bug attached and a small raised head, it may be a tick bite.
• A tick bite can resemble a spider bite in some cases. Keep an eye on the bite just in case, because ticks can carry Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
• If the bite turns into a rash, or you experience flu like symptoms such as nausea, headache, chills and body aches you may be suffering from a tick-borne disease. See a doctor immediately.

Wasps, hornets, bumble bees and honey bees all have stingers filled with venom. Non-aggressive bees, such as honey bees, only use their stingers to protect a hive or if you inadvertently step on one. However, hornets may sting without provocation.

• When you're stung, the stinger remains in your skin, releasing venom into your body.
• Most non-allergic people will have localized pain and some itching. The area around the bee sting may swell and become red.
• People who are allergic to bee stings may suffer from swelling of their airway passages. Anyone near them should use their automatic injection device as quickly as possible, and call for medical attention immediately.

Bed bug bites normally result in a cluster of bites all in the same area, such as a leg, the stomach or even the neck.

• The bites are red in appearance, usually half an inch in length and width.
• The bites may have a dark red dot in the centre.

Bug bites and bee stings are both painful and can leave red welts behind. Most are just annoying, but it's wise to know the difference in case you're allergic or you suspect infection from a tick or mosquito.