Absolutely nothing spells summer fun like spending it in places like the Flowing Lake Ground Campground in Snohomish, WA. The Flowing Lake is considered the largest and deepest lake in the county, which is why most vacationers flock here over the summer for camping and water activities like swimming, fishing, and water skiing.
The Flowing Lake is also home to thousands of species of insects and bugs that help the wildlife and vegetation around it flourish. However, not all of its tiny residents are friendly to humans. The urgent care providers around Everett have an advisory for campers who plan to stay and make full use of the lake’s amenities.
What are water bugs?
From their name, you can correctly assume that these little critters mainly reside in water (freshwater to be exact), but they can also be found in well-lit areas as they are attracted to light. Their rather large and plump appearance often leads campers to mistake them for beetles or cockroaches.
Unfortunately, unlike beetles or roaches, stepping onto water bugs to squash them is the last thing you should do. More known for their nickname “toe-biter,” water bugs will bite predators and those that threaten them or invade their home. The bite can be quite painful, so it is best to avoid water bugs if possible.
Water bugs are generally harmless just as long as you don’t disturb them or step on them.
What makes a water bug bite painful?
As a defense mechanism and method to hunt food, water bugs inject paralyzing venom into their chosen victim. It is incredibly effective as shown by a water bug’s diet that consists of large insects and several aquatic animals that are considerably bigger than itself (e.g. tadpoles, small guppies, frogs, lizards, and crickets).
How to treat a water bug bite?
If you are bitten by a water bug, you can always go to the nearest urgent care provider near North Everett, such as U.S. HealthWorks, for immediate medical attention. A water bug’s bite is not lethal to humans, though there are a select few who are allergic to it. The urgent care facility will certainly give you something to help for the pain and swelling.
Sources:
Do Water Bugs Bite?, fightbugs.com
BEST WAYS OF EFFECTIVE WATER BUGS AND ROACHES IDENTIFICATION PLUS PREVENTION AND EXTERMINATION, pestkill.org
U.S. HealthWorks Everett (Broadway) 