Is a praying mantis bite poisonous?

You may not see many praying mantis insects in cities, but you can often see them in rural fields. Mantises, like other insects, will inevitably bite people when they sense their safety is threatened. The appearance of the mantis is still very scary, and the lack of understanding of the mantis makes many people worry that this insect's bite contains toxins. So, is the bite of a praying mantis poisonous? Let’s take a closer look.

When engaging in outdoor activities, you will often be bitten by insects. If you can master some necessary treatment methods, you can avoid adverse consequences.

1. General bites: only local redness, swelling and pain occur, usually without systemic symptoms, and disappear on their own after a few hours. If stung by a swarm of bees, symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, etc. may occur. In severe cases, shock, coma or death may occur. Sometimes hemoglobinuria and acute renal failure may occur. Allergic patients are prone to urticaria, edema, asthma or anaphylactic shock.

Quick response: Use your thumb nail or a hard card to gently scrape the skin to remove the thorn. Never pinch the sting with your fingers or tweezers. After the thorn is removed, clean the wound with soap or water, and then apply an ice pack to the swollen skin to help relieve pain. Alternatively, you can use weak alkaline solutions such as 3% ammonia water, soapy water, etc. for external application to neutralize acid poisoning. You can also use safflower oil, wind oil, floral water, etc. for external application. Wasp stings can be neutralized with a weak acid solution such as vinegar, and the stinger can be removed by plucking it with a small needle or wiping it with gauze. For patients with more severe local symptoms, cupping and local blockade therapy are also used, and analgesics are given. Those with severe systemic symptoms should go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. Antibiotics should be added to patients with bee swarm stings or wounds that have signs of suppuration.

3. Spider bites will leave dark red marks, lumps and severe pain. A bite from a spider called the chamaeleoides spider can leave fluid-filled blisters, redness, and a stinging sensation.

Quick response: If you are bitten by a common spider, just wash the area with soapy water and apply an ice pack; if you suspect you have been bitten by a poisonous spider, go to the hospital for treatment immediately.

4. Small lumps appear at the site of caterpillar stings, which are painful and itchy. The most common cause is the sting of the caterpillar, Ichthyophthirius fasciatus. The cantharidin it secretes can irritate the skin and cause allergic reactions such as itching, pain, and papules.

Quick response: Wash the bitten area with soap or water, dry it and apply some cooling oil to temporarily relieve the pain and itching. After being bitten by it, first check whether there is insect hair on the skin. If there is insect hair, cut a piece of zinc oxide tape and stick it on the affected area, then peel off the tape to remove the insect hair, and then apply fluoride water or cooling oil. In addition, playing under poplar and elm trees can also cause harm to people due to mulberry caterpillars, whose poisonous hairs can easily stick to the skin. The treatment method is basically the same as that for caterpillars.

Quick response: After being bitten by a centipede, you should immediately wash the wound with a weak alkaline solution (such as soapy water, light lime water, etc.) and apply cold compress, or grind equal amounts of realgar and alum into powder and mix it with strong tea or liquor and apply it to the wound. You can also use mashed Houttuynia cordata and dandelion for external application. Those with systemic symptoms should go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible.