How Can I Figure Out What in the World Keeps Biting Me?

updated Apr 30, 2019
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Q: I’ve known for years that mosquitoes love me. More recently, some other type (types?) of insect bites me and the bites are terribly itchy. (One of the most recent is on the bottom of my foot.) I’ve inspected the bed for bed bugs (appears to be fine), and there isn’t an obvious culprit. It’s often in bed but not always. And when it is in bed, my husband NEVER gets bitten (jealous!!!)…

It’s usually multiple bites over a body part (e.g., lower leg) but they’re not in a row – it’s randomly spaced.

This is mostly a nuisance but with summer coming I’d rather not have huge welts on my legs when this creature decides I’d make a nice meal. Thus far the Internet has said bed bugs or chiggers or a spider or definitely not a spider or mosquitoes – in other words, no clear answer. Help an itchy woman, please, before I drown in hydrocortisone cream! -Sent by Lauren

Editor: My advice would be to check with your doctor, if you are able to afford an office visit. My doctor had a Big Book of Bug Bites that he searched through to find the ones that matched mine so I knew what I was dealing with. In the meantime, readers, what do you think is going on here? How can Lauren stop the itchy madness?

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