What are these mysterious bites with two puncture marks?

December 21, 2018 9:38 AM

I noticed that I have these bites, and I was wondering where they came from. I don't recall the feeling of being bit at all, they just kind of appeared. They itch, kind of like mosquito bites, but it's winter (in Austin Texas), and I have to apply lotion so they don't itch. I've included pictures: they have two prongs (puncture marks).

This has happened before over the course of a couple of months (hence the healed scar mark on one of the pictures)

posted by ggp88 to Science & Nature (10 answers total)

Maybe ask the mods to include those pictures usong the contact form at the bottom of the page? They seem to be missing.

My first thought is "spider" though.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 9:44 AM on December 21, 2018

Response by poster: Sorry, here are the pictures of the bites.

The first one is fresh, the second one happened a couple of months ago.

https://imgur.com/lfViedK

https://imgur.com/yQbkboF
posted by ggp88 at 9:44 AM on December 21, 2018

They look to be a different distance apart - could they not be two bites close to each other rather than one bite with two fangs?

If they are the same distance apart, what is that distance?
posted by Brockles at 9:48 AM on December 21, 2018

Response by poster: If it's a spider, isn't that weird since I never felt being bit, nor did I ever feel any negative effects other than itching?
posted by ggp88 at 9:49 AM on December 21, 2018

Many spider bites happen while the bitee is sleeping.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 9:51 AM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]

Spiders rarely bite people

I asked a question like this about a month ago and couldn't get an answer better than "it is cold, something atypical came inside to be warm and bit you a couple times." Checking for bedbugs in the bed and rats in the walls (rat fleas will sometimes bite people if they're available) isn't a terrible idea if you're worried.
posted by momus_window at 9:56 AM on December 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

I used to get these when I gardened or did yard work. It didn’t hurt when it happened, but later I would have a red welt about three inches in diameter with a raised knot n the center. Whatever it is/was often went for the eye area. Over the counter hydrocortisone cream helps. Also taking a bath/shower with Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap helps. The peppermint oil in the soap helps with the itch of all insect bites. It may be chiggers. No one identified them for me. BTW, it was also in Austin. And it is not fire ants. There bite is totally different.
posted by Sunday Morning at 10:01 AM on December 21, 2018

Mosquitos are absolutely present year-round in ATX, fwiw.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:26 AM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]

Even if spiders bite rarely, some spiders do bite. I have had, and been treated for, wolf spider bites which are extremely itchy. But it could be any number of things. I agree you should do a bedbug/flea check, but wouldn't panic. Just treat them like any insect bite and go see a doc if they get red, warm, or infected looking.
posted by Miko at 2:26 PM on December 21, 2018

Spiders will bite as a last resort if they think they're about to get squished. The case I was envisioning was of a roving spider wandering onto you while you slept, and then getting unexpectedly caught up in your nocturnal movements and panic-biting you. It doesn't happen a lot, but it happens.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 2:44 PM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]