Home Remedies for Bug Bites

When we first moved to Colorado from New York City, my son went to a nature camp. We were all excited about the activities he would be able to explore in the mountains and trails. However, he came home one day with a big red welt on his arm. We found out it was a spider bite. It was not poisonous but painful.

A great remedy for spider bites is paste made of baking soda. Good ol’ Arm and Hammer will work really well. Mix about a tablespoon of baking soda with a little bit of water. You want to make sure the paste is thick enough to hold but wet enough to spread. Work the paste onto the bite and cover it with a piece of gauze and medical tape. Leave it on over night and repeat until the redness and swelling go down. It will help pull some of the toxins out of the bite as well as relieve itching.

Another home remedy is for bee stings. This is only for people who are not allergic to the stings. Once bitten by a bee, prepare paste of miso and a little bit of water. Take about a tablespoon of miso and rub a little bit of water into the bean paste. Then take the miso and rub it into the bee sting really well. Cover with a bit of plastic wrap and a band-aid. Leave on for a few hours and repeat as needed for pain and redness.

The same treatment works for jellyfish stings too. You never know what your kitchen holds for healing remedies.