DOES IT WORK: The Bug Bite Thing

DOES IT WORK: The Bug Bite Thing

EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, LA (WAFB) – Last week, we introduced you to the “Bug Bite Thing.”

It’s a device designed to give you instant relief from bug bites and stings.

A Florida mother designed the product and it is currently listed as the number one best selling product on Amazon under the category of “Insect Bite Treatments.”

The website claims the product works on bites and stings from mosquitoes, bees, wasps, black flies, fire ants, bed bugs and other biting insects.

The device itself is about the size of a palm of a hand.

After you get bit, you are supposed to place the suction cup over the bite. You pull the handles up and hold the product in place for 10 to 30 seconds while the pump draws up the insect poison from the bite. Then you release the suction by pressing down on the handles.

The product manual claims that if the itching and swelling persists, you can repeat the process over and over until the symptoms die down.

9News This Morning Reporter Liz Koh put the product to the test.

She went to the East Baton Rouge Mosquito Abatement Center and found lab-grown mosquitoes, which means they do not carry any viruses like Zika or West Nile, to bite her.

After multiple tests, Liz says the product does exactly what it claims to do: to provide instant itch relief and reduce the swelling.

ADDITIONAL VIDEOS:

• Reporter lets mosquitoes bite her to test new device
• Reporter uses new device on mosquito bite to see if it relieves the itch
• Reporter says new device relieved the itch of a mosquito bite

28 hours later, she explains the itching came back. So does the product work?

She reached out to the company and spoke with the founder of the Bug Bite Thing who explained that the product works when you’re bit once or twice and you repeat the process until it does not itch anymore. If you’re allergic to mosquito bites, you can react differently.

“In your specific situation, you received a massive amount of bites in one concentrated area, all at one time. Unfortunately, with this many bites all at once, it would be extremely difficult for you to determine if you were able to suction out all of the mosquito saliva or used the tool long enough on each bite,” said Kelley Higney, founder of the Bug Bite Thing. “It is also recommended if you are stung or bitten by that many insects all at one time, you should monitor and seek medical attention as needed.”

Liz also spoke with Randy Vaeth, the assistant director of the EBR Mosquito Abatement Center, ahead of the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend to talk about things residents can do to keep mosquitoes away from your home and family.

“If you’re doing outside activities, wear repellent, wear protective clothing even though it’s pretty hot in south Louisiana,” explained Vaeth. “If you wear long sleeves and long pants for a while it’s helpful. A repellent is really necessary if you’re going to be spending extended time outside and also remember to empty those containers around your house that hold water. If you can do that like once a week, that will really prevent some of those mosquito species that are so problematic from developing and causing you and your family and your neighbors’ problems.”

The Mosquito Abatement Center also treats homes within the parish to keep mosquitoes away. You can request an inspector to come out by calling 356-3297.

The Bug Bite Thing costs around $10 and can be purchased on Amazon.

If you decide to test the product, let Liz Koh know. Send her an email at [email protected].

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