Beware of summer bugs that bite or sting

Living in San Diego County means enjoying the outdoors, whether it's hitting the beach, hiking in the mountains, visiting a park or just hanging out in the yard or neighborhood.

But the outdoors is also bug territory.

While the county is not as infamous for bugs as other places in the U.S., such as Minnesota's "unofficial state bird" the mosquito and Florida and the Southeast's blood-sucking "no see um" gnats, San Diego still has bugs that can bite and sting.

So here, from the county of San Diego's Vector Control Program, in no particular order, are 10 bugs that could bite residents this summer. Remember to wear insect repellent, wear the right clothes and be mindful of surroundings.

The first is mosquitoes. Yes, San Diego County definitely has mosquitoes. And some of them not only bite, they can potentially make people sick. The native Culex mosquitoes, which mainly bite at dusk, dawn and at night, can transmit West Nile virus, if they bite an infected bird before they bite a person. The invasive Aedes mosquitoes, which bite at dusk, dawn and during the day, can transmit Zika virus, chikungunya and dengue, if they first bite an infected person.

Those invasive Aedes mosquitoes love to live and breed close to people, in yards and even inside homes. The best way to protect a home is to find and dump out all standing water, so they can't breed, and to follow the county's "Prevent, Protect, Report" guidelines, which can be found at http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/fightthebite.html.

Ticks are a summer pest. Not many things freak people out more than finding a blood-sucking tick latched on to an appendage or a family pet. Tiny, flat, eight-legged parasites related to spiders, ticks crawl out on leaves, tall grass and vegetation and extend their hooked front legs to latch onto passing animals and people.

Tick-related diseases are relatively rare in San Diego County; however, they have been known to transmit tularemia, otherwise known as rabbit fever, Lyme disease and spotted fever illnesses.

Fleas are one of those biting pests that people are most likely going to run into because of their pets. When the cat or dog is let outside, they get fleas and bring them in the house, and the family gets bitten too. Fleas can also be found on wild rodents including squirrels and chipmunks, which is why people shouldn't touch or pet animals in the wild. Fleas can carry plague if they bite infected wild rodents, and earlier this year, a woman was infected with murine typhus from fleas brought inside by her pet cat.

Protect against fleas by using flea control products on pets and by removing brush, rock piles, junk, cluttered firewood and food supplies – especially pet food – from around a home to keep rodents and animals away.

Spiders increase in summer months. Most spiders are harmless – let's face it, people are a lot bigger than they are – but San Diego County does have poisonous black widows, brown widows and tarantulas, which are more scary and hairy than they are dangerous.

Black and brown widows do like to hide in places where they can bump into people, such as urban areas and backyards, in patio furniture, gardens, outdoor toys and playgrounds. People can protect themselves by taking simple actions. Wear shoes outdoors. Don't reach hands into holes, under furniture and into wood piles before checking for spiders. Shake out clothing, towels, shoes, gloves and boots before using them. Seek medical attention if bitten by a black widow or brown widow.

Bees also enjoy the warm weather months. Bee stings do hurt, and they can even be deadly to people who are allergic to bee venom. Generally speaking, bees don't bother people, however, unless people bother them first. Like wasps and hornets, they sting to protect themselves; so people are only likely to be stung if they grab, step on or lean against one. If bees make a hive in a yard, the best bet is to keep away and call a bee removal or pest control company to remove the hive. Don't agitate a hive – that can result in lots of angry bees and lots of stings.

Unlike bees, which can only sting once because they die when they sting, wasps can sting multiple times, and their stings can be powerful. That difference makes them a scarier opponent when angered. Paper wasps and mud daubers – nicknamed because their nests look like they're made of paper and mud – and yellow jackets can be found in San Diego County.

Some wasps, like the flea-sized, parasitic tamarixia wasp, are being used to protect agriculture, like wine grapes, because they eat the glassy winged sharpshooter that can spread Pierce's disease. But if wasps are found nesting around a home or under the eaves, it's nerve-wracking. Like bee hives, it's best to call a pest removal company to help remove wasps.

Most ants are more annoying than painful, and this time of year, they can easily be found crawling into homes, looking for water or food, turning that leftover pizza into a wriggling, black mess or marching in a trail of thousands into cabinets or bathrooms. But San Diego County also has its share of ants that will bite.

"Ants are really just wingless bees or wasps," county Supervising Vector Ecologist Chris Conlan said. Locally, red-colored harvester ants, southern fire ants and red imported fire ants pack painful bites and stings – but pretty much only if bothered. To protect against them, don't leave food or pet food out; caulk up openings in doors and windows and put out ant bait traps.

Watch for scorpions in the summer. Scorpions are ancient, nighttime predators that eat insects, spiders, other scorpions and if they're big enough, even lizards, snakes and mice. They can be small or up to 3 inches long. They're also pretty scary looking, with crab-like pincers and a stinger on their segmented tail; however, Conlan said that generally, the stings of local scorpions are less fearsome than their looks – on par with a bee sting. But he said as with any bite or sting, if a person develops any alarming symptoms, they should go to the doctor or emergency room be checked out.

People are more likely to find these last two bugs that bite inside their house rather than outside, but they deserve mention as well.

Bedbugs are small, about 4 to 5 millimeters in length, flat and brown, and they suck people's blood – typically biting and feeding at night when people sleep. Infestations were common before World War II, then bedbugs almost disappeared in the 1940s and 1950s and now they seem to be on the rise again.

Bedbugs are usually brought into people's homes by luggage, clothing and used beds and furniture. A sign of bedbugs is dark spotting and staining on mattresses. Protect against bedbugs by getting rid of clutter around the home, sealing cracks and crevices, checking secondhand beds, bedding and furniture and examining bed and headboard areas when sleeping in hotels and motels. If bedbugs are found, it is very tough to get rid of them, and it's best to call a pest control service.

Next, lice are also blood suckers, but instead of waiting to find people in their bed, they usually infest hair and skin or hide in clothes. They're typically spread by coming into contact with a person who already has them. They can be spread by combs, brushes, caps and other clothing. Pets don't transmit lice.

For head lice, there are over-the-counter and prescription medicated shampoos that can treat the problem. Body lice live on clothes and only move to the skin to feed. Pubic lice are typically spread through sexual contact, and cases should be evaluated and treated by a doctor. All lice infections generally include lots of cleaning of clothes and bedding with hot water and sometimes medicines.

For additional information about vectors and other pests, visit the Department of Environmental Health's Vector Control Program at http://www.sandiegocounty.gov.