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Scottish Sun

Scots warned as ‘Dracula' horseflies with ‘most painful bite' worse than MIDGES on the rise

A bite from these silent bloodsuckers is often extremely painful STAY SAFE Scots warned as 'Dracula' horseflies with 'most painful bite' worse than MIDGES on the rise DRACULA horseflies with 'excruciating' bites are on the rise as temperatures soar in Scotland. The flying vampire bugs can bite through clothes, tear through flesh and even fend off repellents. Advertisement 1 A bite from a horsefly is often extremely painful and likely to be red and itchy Wounds inflicted by horseflies might not even be fully treatable with current antibiotics. Their painful bites can also spread harmful infections like cellulitis, which can trigger sepsis. A bite from these silent bloodsuckers is often extremely painful, much more so than that of a tick or a midge. Symptoms include redness, itchiness and minor swelling around the bite site. Advertisement However, bites can also trigger more serious symptoms like dizziness and weakness, shortness of breath, painful rashes or itchy pale pink skind around the eyes and lips. Allergy sufferers are also at risk of experiencing anaphylaxis from insect bites. And in some rare cases, horseflies can even pass on a bacterial infection called tularemia or 'rabbit fever' through their bite. Horseflies have large eyes with blade-like mouths. Advertisement The female bloodsuckers rely on the high protein levels in blood to make eggs. They are often found near large bodies of water and in Mediterranean countries, but this summer's hot weather and occasional downpours have lured them over to the UK. Stuff of nightmares' as thousands of midges form 'insect tornado' in skin-crawling video What does a horsefly bite look like? If bitten by a horsefly, you will notice your skin turning red, becoming itchy and sometimes seeing raised bumps. It will be very painful, and a raised rash could also be visible. Advertisement It will be obvious you have been bitten almost immediately due to the pain, and the red, itchy and swollen bumps developing within minutes of being bitten. How to treat bites If bitten, it is important to cleanse the area immediately. You can use an antiseptic spray or wash with clean, warm water and soap to lower infection risk. To treat at home, the NHS recommends you: Advertisement put an ice pack wrapped in a cloth or a clean cloth soaked in cold water on the bite or sting for at least 20 minutes, if it's swollen keep the area raised if you can take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if the sting is painful use antihistamines to relieve any itching use a hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching and swelling You can speak to pharmacist for advice too. Whatever you do, do not scratch it, or use homemade remedies on it. A horsefly bite will usually heal on its own, but there are some warning signs indicating it has become worse and you may need to see your GP. According to Healthline, this can include noticing a foul odour or seeing excessive puss coming from the bite. Advertisement The health site added that if experiencing 'difficulty breathing, a rash that spreads or worsening pain, you should seek medical attention'.