- Warning: Increase in Insect-Repellent-Resistant ‘Dracula’ Horseflies
- The Dangers of Vampire Horsefly Bites
- Dealing with Horsefly Bites: Prevention and Treatment
When it’s sweltering, as it has been this week, many people only want to sunbathe.
In addition to common flies and mosquitoes, there is another terrifying airborne insect that the British should fear this summer.
Experts have warned of an increase in insect-repellent-resistant ‘Dracula’ horseflies.
The combination of sweltering weather and sudden downpours in Britain this summer has provided the ideal breeding ground for these silent bloodsuckers, which are typically found in Mediterranean countries.
They can transmit infectious diseases and cause excruciating bites, posing a potential threat to public safety.
Female vampire horseflies feed on blood, causing infections and painful swelling that may not be entirely treatable with the antibiotics available today.
In addition to taking longer to recover than most other insect bites, vampire horsefly bites carry a high risk of infection, especially if scratched.
Additionally, vampire horsefly attacks can cause limb swelling, dizziness, shortness of breath, and a painful, itchy rash.
Alice Duvall from Amesbury, Wiltshire, disclosed to the DailyStar that she suffered an “excruciating” bite that left a “huge red blotch that began swelling immediately.”
She continued, ‘They’re also quite sneaky; I never felt it descend on me; I only realized it when it bit me. It did not hum at all, as a wasp or a bee would.
Dean Collins, a victim from Brighton, said, “I was in the park with my girlfriend when a horse fly bit me on the leg.”
It is significantly more painful than a wasp attack.
Another victim stated, ‘I’m ruined by horsefly stings. One became infected. Horrific’.
If bite victims experience anaphylactic shock, their throats may enlarge, putting them at risk of choking to death if they do not receive immediate medical care.
According to Antibiotic Research UK, the rapid increase in their population increases the urgency of developing new antibiotic medicines.
The British Pest Control Association’s ‘Bites to Avoid’ list now includes horsefly bites.
It states, “Their bite is both impressive and painful, as they are designed to eat horses.”
The horsefly is a bloodsucking insect and will therefore attempt to attack you.
They can pursue you persistently at a speed of approximately 15 mph, and their teeth can rip through clothing.
It possesses mandibles capable of ripping and tearing flesh apart.
To combat horseflies, the BPCA recommends removing standing water near homes, paddling pools, and hot spas.
According to the NHS, horsefly bites can be extremely excruciating and leave the affected area of skin red and raised.
Important symptoms include rashes, vertigo, weakness, wheezing, shortness of breath, and swollen extremities.
And if you are bitten, it is recommended that you apply antiseptic to the wound and cover it with an ice compress to prevent infection and swelling.
Scratched bites may take longer to recover because they are extremely itchy.
