If death and taxes are the two certainties in life, a third might as well be the presence of bugs in our lives and the ability of the world’s smallest creatures to drive us crazy.

No matter where you live, bugs are a part of your daily existence, and for good reason. They play a vital role in our ecosystems and help pollinate and sustain the food chain and keep the earth spinning one buzz at a time.

But along with benefits they bring, some bugs and insects can make us sick. And when it comes to those that are more than just a nuisance and become far too comfortable in our homes, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family members.

To answer your questions on the good, the bad and the “bugly,” we talked with Lauren Bryan, infection program manager at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. She offered advice on how to deal with bugs that infest people such as lice, scabies and ticks, along with bugs that infect our stuff, like bed bugs.

“As much as we humans try to control the world we live in, bugs are here to show us that we can only go so far and that by their sheer number, they can, and will, affect our lives for good and ill. They are tiny but mighty; they are opportunistic and can live anywhere,” Bryan said.

Here’s a roundup of bugs that can infest us and how you can prevent or get rid of them.

Everything you need to know about head lice

What are the signs of lice?

The most common symptom of lice is itching and scratching on the scalp, which results from our body’s allergic reaction to the bites. While most people will feel something moving in their hair, others might not have any symptoms. Lice avoid light and are difficult to see: to make it easier to see them, part the hair and look for nits (baby eggs) close to the scalp. You may also see some behind the ears or the back of the neck.

An adult louse is the size of a sesame seed, and they have claws that enable it to hold onto the shaft of the hair.

What is the difference between lice, nits and nymphs?

Nits are lice eggs and take about six to nine days to hatch. Once they hatch, baby lice (called nymphs) are the size of a pinhead and take seven days to mature into adult lice. Adult lice live for 30 days and must feed at least every two days, or they die. And yes, they feed off human blood.

How do lice spread?

Lice spread from person to person through close contact.

“They can’t jump or fly, but need to have direct contact, usually through hair follicle to hair follicle, or by sharing a brush, hat, scarf or pillow,” Bryan said.

How can you prevent your child from getting lice at school or daycare?

Again, lice don’t hop or fly and must have head-to-head contact, or contact with an object such as a brush, hat, hair tie or stuffed animal, she said.

“Keep reminding your child not to share brushes or hats with their friends. If it’s going around at school, do a head check of your child when they come home from school.”

Can adults get lice?

Yes. Lice can be spread through all members of a family, and while adults typically don’t share brushes and items of clothing like children do, if kids bring lice home, everyone in the household needs to be checked, and then treated if infected.

My child has lice. What do I do?

Purchase an over-the-counter lice treatment, follow the instructions, and using a fine-tooth comb, remove any dead or remaining live lice. You will need to continue to check hair and remove any newly hatched lice every two to three days, for the next two to three weeks. Prescription treatments are also available if you find the OTC treatments are not working.

Do I need to use more than one treatment on my child?

Maybe. It depends on what type of treatment you bought, Bryan said, as some treatments kill both adults and eggs and only require one use, while others do not kill eggs and require a second treatment seven to 10 days after the first one.

“It’s important to read the package, as various types of lice medicine treat outbreaks differently. If the lice don’t die within 12 hours, you may need a different medication, as some lice have developed resistance to OTC treatments. Talk with your pharmacist or pediatrician if you have questions or concerns.”

Should everyone be treated even if they don’t appear to have lice?

Only treat children or other family members if they have signs of a lice infection.

What is the best treatment for lice?

The best treatment is the one that you’ve used correctly, Bryan said. Pay attention to directions on how long to leave the treatment on and how to wash it out. Also, longer and thicker hair often requires two bottles.

Are there products or treatments to avoid?


An online search will bring up thousands of home remedies to treat lice, and some are outlandish, ineffective and even dangerous. Bryan said.

She advises people to stick with prescription shampoos.

I’ve treated my child’s hair. Now what?

Wash all recently worn clothes, linens, towels and sheets in hot water, at least 130 degrees, and dry on a hot setting. For items that cannot be washed, for instance, dry clean only or much-loved stuffed animals that might not survive the laundry, seal in a plastic bag for two weeks until any eggs have had the chance to hatch, mature and die.

Vacuum furniture and carpeting (shampooing is not necessary, she said.)

How long can lice live on objects or clothing?

Adult lice can only live for two days without feeding before they die, but eggs can live up to two weeks until hatching, which is why you might need to re-treat your child’s scalp if the first treatment failed to kill all of the eggs.

Does chlorine from a pool kill lice?

No. Lice can survive being underwater, and chlorine does not kill them.

Can lice be passed to pets

No.

Bryan urges parents to treat lice like other challenges they face when raising children.

“Lice, like all bugs, are looking to survive. Don’t shame your child if they come home with lice. Stay calm, treat it and move on.”

Scabies/mites explained

What are scabies?

Scabies are small parasites, or bugs, that burrow into our skin and live in those skin layers. You can actually see the bugs and the distinctive tunnels they create.

Are scabies just mites?

“Yes, scabies are mites that colonize humans,” Bryan said.

How do you contract scabies?

Scabies spreads with close skin-to-skin contact. So, one person with scabies can give it to another. It can also spread through shared use of towels, bedding or prolonged, close contact with someone who has it.

“You’re not going to get it by just shaking hands with someone. The mite must un-burrow from someone’s skin and then burrow into yours,” Bryan said.

How will I know I have scabies?

Scabies cause intense itching, particularly at night, because of the body’s allergic reaction to the mites’ feces. They cause a crusted or pimple-like rash at creases and in folds of the skin, between fingers, or at the elbow, wrist and armpit.  Babies can have the rash on their head, face, neck, palms and feet soles.

Once a person is infected, it can take up one to two months for the symptoms of scabies to develop.

Are scabies outbreaks common in places where people live in close contact with one another?

Yes, scabies outbreaks usually spread in congregate settings, such as child care facilities, nursing homes and prisons.

How do I get rid of scabies?

Scabies will not go away with over-the-counter creams or lotions.

“You will need prescription scabicide topical lotion to kill the eggs, applied to wherever the scabies are living on you,” Bryan said.

To make sure scabies don’t return, wash towels, sheets and other linen in hot water and seal in a plastic bag for three days once they are out of the dryer.

What can be mistaken for scabies?

Scabies can be mistaken for several other skin issues and can only be properly diagnosed through a skin scraping by medical staff.

Can dogs and cats get scabies?

No.

“Pets can get a type of mite, for instance, we call it mange in dogs, but it’s not human scabies, and they can’t transfer their type of mite affliction to humans either,” Bryan said.

Tick bites and prevention

Ticks can transmit bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause disease and serious illness in people and animals. They must feed every couple of days to survive, and after biting a person or animal, they can stay alive for days on clothing and skin.

“They can bite your dog and fall off and then bite you. They are ferocious feeders, so check yourself and your pets after being outdoors. The more diligent you are to do tick checks, the less likely you are to get a disease from them.”

What types of ticks live in Colorado?

In Colorado, ticks are found outdoors in tall grass, brush and trees.

While Colorado is not home to the black-legged tick that causes Lyme disease, Colorado does have several other ticks that can cause serious illnesses. In Colorado, the most common tick-borne illnesses are Colorado Tick Fever and Tick-borne Relapsing Fever. Despite its name, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is rare in Colorado.

American dog tick: Carries two diseases – tularemia (also known as rabbit fever) and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Brown Dog tick: Carries Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Rocky Mountain Wood tick: Carries Colorado Tick Fever, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and tularemia.

“Soft ticks”: Unlike the above “hard-shell” ticks, carry Tick-borne Relapsing Fever.

Will I feel a tick bite me?

Not always, which is why it’s so important to do an all-over body check after your walk or hike. If the tick is feeding it will still be there embedded in your skin. If it has fallen off after biting, you might notice a small bump at the site of a bite.

How do I remove a tick if I find one?

If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible by grasping with tweezers as close to your skin as possible and using firm but steady pressure to pull it straight out by its mouth. Once the tick has been removed, thoroughly clean the area with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.

Do not squeeze its abdomen because it will inject its bacteria into you, she said, and don’t take a match to it as you might burn yourself.

Other don’ts include using petroleum jelly, nail polish or other chemicals on the tick, as it can cause the tick to force fluid from its abdomen into your skin.

How will I know what type of tick bit me?

Certain ticks live in specific regions in the country and have different medical protocols.

“Locations of ticks can change with the climate and movement of animals/ people. State health and CDC do surveillance on tick types and diseases that they cause.”

Take a picture of the removed tick to show your health care provider, or place the tick in double plastic bags and seal them tightly.

What symptoms might I have from being bitten by a tick?

Symptoms include flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, and malaise, that occur days or even weeks after a bite. Tick-borne Relapsing Fever usually has more specific symptoms of fever and headaches that can be separated by times when you feel well.
If you are feeling ill after a hiking or camping trip but have never found a tick, you might want to check with your doctor and have them perform a blood test to see if you were bitten by a tick. If you don’t think you removed the whole tick, begin developing a rash or other symptoms occur, seek medical care.

How will I know what type of tick-borne illness I have?

There is no way for an ill person to know which tick-borne disease they might have, as only lab work can determine that. Again, Bryan said that symptoms can develop days or even weeks later, which is why it’s important to get medical help and tell your doctor where you have been hiking or camping.

What is the best way to prevent getting a tick?

Before heading outside, treat clothing with permethrin spray, an insecticide that kills ticks and doesn’t just repel them. Once home, do a thorough all-over tick check on your clothes and body; check your children and animals as well. Bryan suggested showering after hikes and washing/drying clothes on high heat.

To help Colorado researchers track ticks and their patterns, mail any dead ticks you find (yes, you read that right) with this form to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Bed bugs: How to win the battle

These pesky critters have been getting lots of publicity over the past few years as even the beds in the most luxurious hotels have sometimes been infested. Bryan stressed that bed bugs are not indicative of cleanliness; their proliferation is another symptom of global travel and the bugs’ resiliency that makes them tough to kill.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are parasites that feed on the blood of people and animals; they do not live on us, just our things. For instance, they are easy to eliminate from your body through a shower, while their longevity on objects is another story. Bed bugs have multiple legs and love the crevasses, seams and folds of mattresses, to which they attach themselves. They also like luggage, clothing, linens, furniture and cracks behind wallpaper. They come out at night to bite exposed skin.

Can I get sick from bed bugs?

No, they do not spread disease, although their bites can be very irritating. Unfortunately, they travel well and can live for months without needing to feed and can hitch a ride with objects such as luggage or clothes, infesting every place those things touch.

“They are quite hardy and difficult to kill, and can cause a horrible infestation in your home, mattress and furniture.”

Do their bites itch?

Sometimes. Bites can appear many weeks later and will be worse in people who suffer from allergies.

What do bed bugs look like?

Adults are the size and color of an apple seed.

How should I check for them at a hotel?

Bryan inspects a room for any signs of bed bugs before she brings in her suitcases. Search for small bugs that look like little apple seeds. Pull off the fitted sheet and check the mattress and seams for brown-, red- or rust-colored dots or stains from their feces.

I think I have bed bugs in my home. What do I do?

To completely eradicate bed bugs, you will need a pest control firm to treat your mattress and furniture with chemical insecticide. For a more inexpensive method, you could try using a steamer on a mattress and other furniture, and for sheets and linen, wash at a high heat and dryer settings.

Another way to kill bed bugs is to bag items and place them in the sun for at least 90 minutes until the internal temperature of the bag reaches 120 degrees. Conversely, in the winter, a bag would need to be in freezing temps for four days.

“If you use the bag method, you need to make sure you reach 120 degrees in warmer months and freezing temps in colder ones, as otherwise, bed bugs can live up to five months in that sealed bag and you will bring them back into your home.”

Can they fly or jump?

No, they don’t have wings but can travel up to 100 feet at night. They tend to be found within eight feet of where people sleep.

Other general bug advice

What is the difference between bugs that can make a home in our bodies versus those that become too comfortable in our homes?

Whether bugs colonize humans or objects like mattresses determines how you treat them.

If the bug lives in the carpet or on your bedding, you will use certain methods to eliminate them, versus if you have lice or scabies that have colonized you.

“It depends on where they are found and what kind of bug it is,” Bryan said.

Are some bugs becoming more prevalent?

In a word, yes. Several bugs are becoming more prevalent for several reasons. Here are the causes for increases in bug outbreaks and infestations:

• Climate change. The range of ticks is changing because of warming temperatures in the world. Other insects that spread infections and diseases — like mosquitoes — are also spreading around the world.

“This is a global problem, as insects are moving around the world to places where they never had been seen before, and it’s affecting our health,” Bryan said.

• The movement of millions of people each day around the world means that bugs — on people or on their things — move with travelers.
• Bugs fight back. The more antibiotics and pesticides humans use against insects, the more insects have developed ways to resist ways to eradicate them.

“The prevalence and the strength of the tiniest creatures really humbles us,” Bryan said.

How do we identify bugs and bug bites?

It’s easier to identify the bug rather than the bite, since all bites tend to look the same, as our allergic reaction makes them red and inflamed.

Bryan suggests trying to find the bug and save it to show a doctor or pharmacist if you are uncertain about treatment and next steps.

Can you talk about how bug infestations occur? 

Infestations are all about transmission:

• Think human-to-human, as with lice, when kids share hairbrushes or hats
• Or bug to human with tics hopping on your ankle during a hike
• Or bug to object, like bedbugs finding a home in your suitcase and then making the trip back to your bedroom.

What is the No. 1 symptom of biting insects?

The top symptom of a bug bite is itchiness. While everyone reacts differently, most people will develop inflammation, redness and welts from bug bites.

What is the best way to treat most bug bites?

• Wash with soap and water or apply rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer in a pinch.
• Take an oral antihistamine and apply topical Benadryl or hydrocortisone for itch relief.
• Remove the bug and save it in a plastic bag if you will need it identified for potential future medical treatment.
  

When you see one bug, are there usually more?

Unfortunately, yes.

When should I seek professional care and for which types of bugs?

Again, it depends on the bug.

“Ticks can spread disease whereas bedbugs never do, though they give you the heebie-jeebies.”

Be aware, but not afraid of bugs

Bugs are everywhere, Bryan said, and we need to remove the stigma that when a child gets lice or when you bring bedbugs home with you from a trip. Infestations are not indicative of poor hygiene or someone’s socioeconomic status.

Be aware of your surroundings, take precautions when heading outdoors and don’t fret too much if you’re bitten or bring back an unwelcome visitor.

“There are treatments available for most of these infestations, and yes, while they can be a huge hassle and an annoyance, we need insects in our world to do all the good things they do that help our ecosystem thrive.”

Says Bryan: “Bugs are just doing what they do best: being a bug.”