Drip drip drop.

#MorningDew #entomology #EntomologyConsult #InsectPhotography #nature #Portugal #photography

I found a little white spider with a yellowish booty on my croton this morning! Can anyone identify the species? I live in the western USA, in Reno NV, and I haven’t seen one before. I’m wondering if he hitchhiked off one of my new plants. (I love the work spiders do and am happy to cohabitate!)

#entomology #EntomologyConsult #bugs #spider #spiders #arachnid #HousePlants #plants

#EntomologyConsult: a patient is experiencing progressive clusters of itchy bumps. How to you determine whether the cause is #BedBugs? #MedMastodon

#EntomologyConsult: a patient develops hives, face swelling and hand swelling 40 minutes after being stung by a #yellowjacket. Should they be prescribed autoinjectable #epinephrine? My answer below. #venom #allergy #anaphylaxis

Red dye allergy = Bug allergy?
Carmine is a beautiful red coloring added to foods, cosmetics and more. It comes from the cochineal scale insects that are cultivated for this purpose. Rarely it is a cause of anaphylaxis, so we get one or two #EntomologyConsult referrals a year to evaluate. We can go directly to an ingestion challenging but sometimes we’ll start with a prick test. It does make a mess but it’s a pretty mess.

#EntomologyConsult: A tick is removed from behind the ear of a child. It bleeds during removal, and afterwards is a little tender and itchy. Are #antibiotics needed? My answer below, but interested in hearing the thoughts of #IDMastodon, #MedMastodon, Medical #Entomology and members of the #Pediaverse (Shared with permission)

Once or twice a year I get an #EntomologyConsult about #moth #phobias. There seem to be two origins:
1) someone comes close to a light at night and a bumbling moth hits them in the face
2) in daytime, a moth attacks them, drawing blood. I’m fairly certain that these are horseflies that have a similar shape to some moths but there has never been a specimen collector confirm.

A child presents to a physician after being stung by an insect that they had attempted to catch with their hands. #EntomologyConsult: what is this insect and is it dangerous? My answer below, and as always welcome other thoughts

A child presents to a physician after being stung by an insect that they had attempted to catch with their hands. #EntomologyConsult: what is this insect and is it dangerous? Shared with permission. My answer below, and as always welcome other thoughts

#EntomologyConsult: a patient gets itchy red reactions when bitten by ticks. They’ve heard that tick bites can lead to red meat allergy so get checked. The blood test looking for IgE to #AlphaGal is positive. Does this mean that they have #AlphaGalSyndrome? (My response below)

Three of these were clinging to my front porch door today. Can anyone tell me, is this a “winter moth” (Operophtera brumata)?
Location: North Shore of Massachusetts.

#entomology #entomologyconsult #moths #massachusetts

#EntomologyConsult: how much venom do you inject into patients with honey bee allergy?

#Lacewing children are tiny monsters. They scramble quickly over surfaces in search of small prey into which they will sink their sickle-shaped fangs. When they land on people they attempt to eat you too. For all their fearlessness these insects have no defense. When they bite they are instantly smooched by the gentle pressure of a finger. I have many reliable #EntomologyConsult queries that these bites are not in self-defense but pure offense.

#EntomologyConsult: A patient develops small itchy bumps concerning for insect bites. Inspection identifies a few of these 2mm long insects. Are they causing the rash?

#EntomologyConsult: A patient develops multiple blisters after being bitten by insects as dusk. This has happened twice previously. No other significant PMH/ROS. Your medical entomology consultant will recommend work-up for what underlying medical condition(s)? #MedMastodon

#EntomologyConsult: A child in the northern US (in November) develops multiple itchy bumps similar to mosquito bite reactions but there are no mosquitoes out now. Thoughts?

#EntomologyConsult: A patient puts their foot into a show and feels a sharp pain. Removing the show the patient sees a spider, vomits and faints. Is this an anaphylactic reaction? Should epinephrine be used?