Insect Bites and Stings:
Essential Oil Remedies



I live in Louisiana, where insect bites and stings can happen on a daily basis.  I keep a supply of essential oils on hand so I can handle any of those pesky emergencies in a heartbeat.

At my house, we only use safe home remedies.  I believe that learning self care is invaluable.  Especially when living in an environment full of creepy crawlies...

Wasp Sting, Bee Sting, Hornets, and Yellow Jacket Stings

For some reason, wasps love to hang out at my house.  All of us know the pain of being attacked by one of these beasts!

Bees are rather fond of us, too, but thankfully, we don't see many hornets.  Yellow jacket stings are common, because they like to hide in the grass.  Ugh!

I keep this handy dandy wasp sting treatment close by.  It works quickly to relieve pain and swelling, and is also used for bee sting treatment and yellow jacket stings.

This is my "go to" insect bites and stings treatment:

  • First, make sure the stinger is removed.
  • Apply 1-2 drops of Purify.  This will draw the poison out and start to ease the pain.  Apply 2-3 times for a few days.
  • Next, apply 1-2 drops Lavender.  Lavender will help with inflammation and pain.  Apply every 15-30 minutes as needed.
doTERRA Purify Essential Oil Blend 15 ml
  • Insect bites and stings
  • Cuts and wounds
  • Disinfects surfaces
  • Kills airborne pathogens
  • Strengthens immune system
doTERRA Lavender 15 ml
  • Analgesic
  • Antibiotic
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antiseptic
  • Disinfectant
  • Sedative

CAUTION:  For severe reactions or numerous insect bites and stings, contact a health care professional.

Chigger Bites

In our neck of the woods, we call these little red mites "red bugs".  If you walk through tall grass, they love to hop on your legs and take a ride.  While riding, they feast on your flesh.

If you've ever had chigger bites, you know what true misery is.  They don't just bite legs, they wander all over your body and bite at will.  Usually, they settle in the pelvic and genitalia areas or around the ankles.

My chigger bite treatment is simple:

Apply 1-2 drops of Lavender and/or TerraShield to the bite.

Lavender is going to relieve swelling and itching.  TerraShield will do that, plus it will help get rid of chiggers. 

To prevent future fun with red bugs:

  • Add 3 drops TerraShield to 2 ounces of water in a spray bottle.
  • Spray ankles, legs and midsection before going out.
  • Don't spray in face.
  • TerraShield has a very pleasant aroma, unlike other bug repellants.

Mosquito Bite Relief

Treating mosquito bites has become a necessary past time in our woods. 

For mosquito bite relief I use 1 or more of the following:

  • Lavender
  • Lemongrass
  • TerraShield
  • For adults:  Apply directly to bites.
  • For young children:  Mosquito bite remedies should be diluted with a few drops of fractionated coconut oil or olive oil.
  • I've also made a spray that consists of 2 ounces fractionated coconut oil and 20 drops of Lavender.  I can just spray and rub in.

Natural mosquito repellant

Mosquito repellant is a must have for everybody due to West Nile Virus.  We're extra careful, because our climate attracts mosquitoes by the billions. 

We also love Max, and mosquitoes carry tapeworm larva to dogs.

Doterra's Terrashield is a safe, natural mosquito repellent.  Add a few drops of lemon and you have a doozy of a repellent!

We use TerraShield in different ways:

Body Spray

  • 2 ounces water. 
  • 5 drops TerraShield
  • 5 drops Lemon (for extra strength)
  • Spray on exposed body parts. 
  • Don't spray face. 

TerraShield can also be sprayed undiluted for times when there are an abundance of mosquitoes.  We use it like this when camping or hiking in the woods.

Face and neck:  Dab a few drops of diluted TerraShield on these areas.

Natural Mosquito Repellant For Dogs

Mosquito bite prevention can also be tapeworm prevention.

I use a bandana or a shoestring.  Bandana in cool weather and shoestring in warm weather.

I simply put a couple of drops of Terrashield on and tie it loosely around Max's neck. Bugs hate TerraShield!

Around the house, porch and picnic table

Since mosquitoes don't like TerraShield, we spray ribbons and hang in the doorway when the weather's nice enough to have the door open.

Around the picnic table, sprayed bandanas keep us safe from insect bites and stings.

Strings, ribbons and bandanas are great tools to use for this!

TerraShield and Lemon make a great natural insect repellant when put in a diffuser.  It works kind of like a fogger.

Fire Ant Bite Treatment

I hate fire ants.  Not only do they make huge mounds in the yard, they hide under things, too.  You just can't get away from them!  They're the most plentiful providers of insect bites and stings.

They actually bite and then twist themselves to go deeper into the skin.  That's why it feels more like a sting.

The best thing I've found is using Purify, first.  Just put a drop on the bite to draw the poison out.

Follow with a drop of Lavender to kill the pain and itch.

Ants

We have several different varieties of ants, (none of which I want to have around) so I experiment with different oils:

  • Peppermint
  • Lemongrass
  • Rosemary
  • Purify

I like to add about 5 drops of my desired oil to olive or coconut oil as a spray or a wipe.

I'm careful about spraying oil on anything that's close to paint, because the oil can stain the paint.  I spray my counter tops and around windows with the oil concoction.  Putting my essential oils in vegetable oils to spray keeps them from evaporating too fast.

If I need to spray walls, I use my essential oils in water.  I can also spray a cloth and use it as a wipe.

Spider Bite Treatment

I keep a collection of oils on hand, just in case of a spider bite.  These things can be terribly painful.

You'll find my personal battle with a black widow spider bite here.

Purify: 2-3 drops should go on immediately to neutralize the poison and help with pain.

Any of the other oils can be used to help with the pain.  I would use Purify every few hours for the first 2 days, and immediately follow with one or more of these oils for the pain.

Note:  Some spider bites may require medical attention.  If you're in doubt, seek medical care.


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