What Has Bitten Me?

[barry1010]

I have a sore bite on my leg with two clear puncture wounds - could be I was bitten twice, but what insects are biting in February? It looks inflamed and is itchy but no other effects.

[Atheist]

How far apart are the punctures?

[ubasses]

could be a spider

[jno]

never heard of buffalo gnats, but who knows?

http://www.advantagepestcontrol.co.uk/pest-control/mosquitos-in-winter-more-likely-a-winter-gnat/

[Buenchico]

The only creature that I can think of in the UK, that creates two puncture marks in a single bite, is an adder. Those marks are usually well-defined:
https://www.shropshirestar.com/resizer/qMqef3KrtFpukTTRAUtsL9bPB4Q=/1200x0/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mna/USODRFTTL5A6VL43UWPL4UQ2CE.jpg

Otherwise it could simply be a flea that's taken a couple of bites out of you. While they're obviously more common in warm weather, they're still around, and biting, at any time of the year - just ask my cats!

[Old_Geezer]

Did you meet a Count earlier ?

[237SJ]

Did you wake up with it in the morning? Have you any household pets? No way is it an adder LOL

[barry1010]

Thanks all, definitely not an adder and yes, I did wake up with it. No pets so can’t imagine where fleas came from. Could well be a gnat, didn’t think they were about in winter so I’ve learned something.

[ladybirder]

Anyone else in bed with you;-)

[DTCwordfan]

bed fleas?

[naomi24]

According to the Internet a spider bite leaves two little puncture wounds. Sorry I can’t post a link.

[237SJ]

Maybe worth hoovering your mattress.

[jno]

and of course washing your pyjamas if you haven't already

[gingejbee]

...and destroying your mattress...

[jourdain2]

I've had 2 spider bites this winter. 2 puncture wounds. Sounds the same.

[Prudie]

In all my years of spider phobia I have never worried or even heard of spider bites in UK until the last 2 or 3 years. I am horrified, how do you even get in the position to be bitten twice, do you see them doing it or what? Shudder.

[jourdain2]

Prudie, I have to control my instinct to scream and run away from spiders. I have to remember that they are useful and catch flies etc.. Everyone tells me so.
You don't feel them, that's the problem. I don't know exactly where I was when I was bitten. You get a bit of an itch, push your sleeve back or whatever - and there it is. Mine have quite a lot of blood under the skin as well as if there is an anti-coagulent concerned. Not a bit like a flea-bite and I've only had these in the last few years - apart from a really nasty one in France once.
Global warming?

[pastafreak]

I had similar happen twice a few years ago. Woke up with a bite on my arm...2 tiny puncture wounds. Decided it was spiders when I saw one when making my bed.

[roopower]

I had been gardening and noticed my leg going red and swelling. After visiting the pharmacist I ended up in A&E where the Dr decided I must have been bitten by spiders though we couldn't see any puncture wounds. It did eventually get better. I went and had a look where I had been gardening and there was a creche full of little spiders I hadn't noticed.

[rowanwitch]

Two holes = spider possibly a false widow if you are in the south, antihistamine would help with the itching, just check it for signs of infection. Spider bites sometimes go a bit manky.