Insects An insect bite or sting is a tiny wound in the skin created when an insect inserts a stinger or bites the skin and leaves behind saliva, venom or body waste.
Insects bite humans to obtain blood for food or as a defense to being disturbed.
Insect bites can cause an allergic response in the skin. The bites of some insects, like that of an ant, are minor and do not cause any symptoms to appear. However, other insects, such as fire ants or horseflies, are known by the severe symptoms their bites cause. Depending on the insect and a person's allergy to the insect's bite or sting, symptoms can range from mild to severe. These symptoms last for a few hours and may be quite severe.