Many insect bites are harmless, but depending on which insect bit you and your past medical history, an insect bite can lead to complications. To know whether to be concerned about an insect bite or not will depend on what bit you, how you react to the insect bite, and whether or not the area becomes infected. Let’s review some bug bites you need to be worried about: Tick Bites While some ticks do not carry pathogens, others can transmit infections like Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Most will develop a bulls-eye rash when infected; however, the other signs of a tick-borne illness may include: - Chills - Joint and muscle aches - Swollen lymph nodes - Nausea and vomiting - Stomach pain - Fever - Red or purple-spotted rash - Fatigue - Headaches Mosquitos Certain mosquitos carry infections with them like the well-known West Nile Virus, Zika virus, dengue fever, and malaria. It is important to watch for any warning signs of a mosquito-borne disease including: - Fever - Joint pain - Red-itchy eyes - Aches and pains - Nausea - Rash Warning signs of infections from other insect bites will include: - Fever - Chills - Swelling, redness, or red streaking found around the bitten area - Cold sweats - Nausea - Trouble concentrating - Blisters, pus, or drainage - Swollen lymph nodes - The area that is warm or even painful to the touch While you may not become infected from an insect bite, many may develop an allergic reaction to an insect bite as specific bugs can cause allergens to be set off; these insect bite allergic reactions can cause: - Hives - Itching or swelling in the area beyond where the bite or sting occurred - Abdominal cramping - Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea - Tightness in the chest or having trouble breathing - Swelling of the tongue or throat - Difficulty swallowing