hawthorn fly

[shadowman454]

can the hawthorn fly sting or bit if so what reaction is there

[Dr Doolittle]

Yes it can bite but has no sting. The most common reaction is just a slight reddening of the localised area and slight itching/discomfort lasting no more than a few hours at the most. However there are quite a number of people who don't realise they have an allergic reaction to such bites until it actually occurs. In very rare cases, the person bitten can go into what is called anaphalactic shock which requires immediate medical treatment. If not immediately available, oral antihistamine such as Piriton or any "over-the-counter" hay fever remedy will ease breathing. Seldom do people suffer from anything between the two, though again I should stress that a severe reaction is extremely uncommon.

Other problems could arise if (for example) the person scratches the itching bite causing infection by breaking the skin with a dirty finger nail, but such infections commonly remain localised and rarely require treating with antibiotics. In such cases a topical antiseptic cream such as Germoline or Savlon normally does the trick.