Can moths bite???

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

NO Physically impossible for a moth to bite

Re-reading this post I should of stated within UK species. Some Calyptra species which are not found in the UK can pierce skin and are known as vimpire moths. Although they dont pose much of a threat to humans and it is only the males which do this.

[DaveSlade]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Re-reading this post I should of stated within UK species. Some Calyptra species which are not found in the UK can pierce skin and are known as vimpire moths. Although they dont pose much of a threat to humans and it is only the males which do this.

I believe that there are also some Pyralids in the tropics that feed on the fluids inside eye-balls. These are more of a problem for humans as they can transmit diseases, but I'm not aware of any records from Europe!

[Dubya]

I was out walking in a meadow yesterday and was definetly bitten or stung on my left hand by a dark coloured moth (or very moth-like insect) which was about 1/2 inch in length. The bite has swollen up and is very itchy and inflamed. It was not a fly.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Dubya

I was out walking in a meadow yesterday and was definetly bitten or stung on my left hand by a dark coloured moth (or very moth-like insect) which was about 1/2 inch in length. The bite has swollen up and is very itchy and inflamed. It was not a fly.

Sounds just like a horsefly/cleg - I was bitten by several yesterday!

The only 'good' thing about horseflies is that when they bite you their mouthparts appear to lock into your skin, which means that they can't fly off quickly. You can then terminate them with extreme predudice!

Jim

[Dubya]

I have gone and looked at some photos of the cleg fly and it is very possible this is the culprit who savaged my hand. Albeit the critter that bit me was larger and darker in colour than any pictured, it was slow to try to escape and had its wings swept back flush against its body.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Dubya

I have gone and looked at some photos of the cleg fly and it is very possible this is the culprit who savaged my hand. Albeit the critter that bit me was larger and darker in colour than any pictured, it was slow to try to escape and had its wings swept back flush against its body.

sounds about right to me, they can take quite a bashing sometimes before they leave!

[Tstearns2012]

I'm starting to wonder if this is just an allergy problem among people . . . after all, some people are saying it's true while others don't think it's true. I grew up in the country and my experience with moths has never involved biting. I've held them in my hands many times and nothing like this has ever happened.

[DaveSlade]

Originally Posted by Tstearns2012

I'm starting to wonder if this is just an allergy problem among people . . . after all, some people are saying it's true while others don't think it's true.

I think it's an identification problem. There are no biting moth species in the UK, but people are being bitten by something they perceive to be a moth. There are blood sucking moths (in Scandinavia?), and species that feed on eye fluids in the tropics. Until someone shows me a picture of a moth in the UK feeding on a mammal, I'm afraid I won't believe them.

[JaneJ]

It could just be that she had been bitten a little beforehand and the moth had come to investigate? My experience with bites from any kind of insect is that I haven't noticed it until the bug is long gone and the bite has become inflamed and itchy as hell.

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by sleepinabox

Hi

My sister told me she had been bitten a few days ago by a moth. I was sceptical as I don't think moths can bite. She told me she felt the bite first - like a midge bite - on her foot and looked down to find a large pale coloured moth which she promptly picked up and put out of the window and then was unable to identify it in her insect book (possible large yellow underwing I suggested) . The bite gave her some trouble and she had to take anti-histamines - indeed when I saw it today she still has a hard red lump.
I still find this hard to beleive .... has anyone heard of this before?

Rose

Whilst there are tropical moths that are blood suckers I don`t know of any British ones. However it not impossible that lavae of one of the tropical bloodsuckers were accidentally imported.
Dave