A question I often get asked is can termites bite humans or pets? – The answer is yes!
It’s not very common though so you don’t really need to worry about it, these pests don’t usually bite unless they feel threatened so it’s best not to try handling them if you see them around your home.
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Do termites bite humans?
Yes, but it’s unlikely unless you are coming into direct contact them and trying to handle them. They are not an aggressive species that will go out in search of conflict and rather use their bites as a form of defence.
There is the off chance that you will cross paths and the unfortunate will happen but again, this is unlikely but not impossible.
Here’s an example of someone having an unfortunate encounter with termites:
Are termite bites painful?
Yes, termite bites are known to be quite painful but not unbearable. They are similar to a needle pricking your skin.
Are termite bites dangerous?
No, usually people just have minor reactions to bites which consists of itchy red spots in the affected area. Rashes are known to occur but are uncommon and are easily treated.
Do termites bite pets (dogs/cats)?
Yes, pets can be bitten by termites but it is quite unlikely that your pet will ever come into contact with any termites, just like yourself.
If they do happen to be bitten then it usually will just be a mild irritation, much similar to humans but if there is any prolong symptoms that go on for 2 days or more then I would recommend paying your local vet a visit.
How fast can termites bite?
Something that many people also don’t know about termites is that they have the fastest bite in the world and the researchers conducting this study had to use a high speed camera to be able to figure out the speed of this bite (approximately 157 mph).
Scientists believe that the reason for such a quick bite is that due to their size they need the speed to be able to inflict significant damage on anything that is a potential predator, deterring them from the attack.
How to treat termite bites
There’s plenty of natural ways to treat bites, there’s a few different methods that you are likely to already have available within your home.
Here’s my favourite methods
5 natural bite remedies
While Termite bites aren’t necessarily painful, they can be incredibly itchy so there’s a few remedies that use ingredients that you will most likely already have at home.
Honey is a great natural remedy
- Warm lemon water – Simply juice one lemon and mix it with about 250ml of luke warm water and apply it to the affected area
- Baking soda + water – Make a paste from baking soda with water and apply to the bite
- Honey – A gift from another insect, honey has many healing benefits and isn’t just limited to bites.
- Tea Bags – Place used tea bags, make sure they are cool, on the affected area.
- Vinegar – Apply it to some cloth and then hold it on the affected area as it has many antibacterial features thanks to its acidity.
Of course, if none of these take your fancy you can always use ice or run cold water over it as this will reduce the inflammation and ease the itch.
