It’s a beautiful evening to have guests over for a backyard barbecue. But look who else has arrived uninvited. Just as the grill is heating up, a plethora of summer pests crash the party. Those maddeningly itchy bug bites can’t be far behind.

What’s a person to do? Why turn to Practical Homeopathy®, of course.

We certainly don’t want to poison our backyard spaces with pesticides, but there are alternatives to swatting, smacking and slapping*. In fact, I’m right in the middle of a discussion with my Mighty Members regarding the risks of Roundup®, alternatives to this poison, and my successful campaign against chemical treatments in 1980s Buffalo, New York. (If you’re not yet a Mighty Member, what are you waiting for? You’re missing our private conversations!)

A student recently mentioned that my old home state of New York has been inundated with Spongy Moths. Apparently, contact with the caterpillars of these moths leaves terribly itchy rashes and welts.

Summer Pests' Attacks Resulting in Welts

My friends, it matters not which bug does the biting. If the bite results in welts, I generally employ Urtica urens 30. If severe, one dose of Urtica urens 30 would be dissolved under the tongue every 15 minutes or so until the reaction calms down. (The number of pillules constituting one dose is indicated on the outside of the tube.) After that, I’d continue to use it every 6-12 hours, until very much better.

That’s just good sense, right? (I’d call it “common” sense, but good sense is anything but common these days.)

Realllllllly Itchy Bug Bites

In Practical Homeopathy®, we often choose medicines for acute conditions based on the symptoms without necessarily considering the etiology. So, it doesn’t matter whether I was bitten by a spongy moth larva, mosquito, flea, no-see-um, chigger, ant or even a rogue ladybug. If the bites become really itchy, causing almost a frenzy of anxiety, I generally turn to Arsenicum album 200.

People may not immediately think of Arsenicum for insect bites, but it’s a great addition to any homeopathic arsenal. As with Urtica urens, the frequency of utilization of Arsenicum depends on the severity of the condition.

As the itching improves, I would use the medicine less frequently. So, for instance, when initially severe, I might use it every few hours. But observation is critical! As the symptoms improve, I’d taper off in frequency to every 6-12 hours until no longer needed.

Remember, we always halt the use of any homeopathic when the condition is very much better.

Bug Bites Meet Practical Homeopathy®

Obviously, Urtica urens and Arsenicum album aren’t the only two homeopathic medicines applicable to insect bites. I’ve written on this topic many times before. Here are just four of my previous articles (with their associated Remedy Cards) that may come in handy this summer.

1. Emergency Remedy Series: Bites Make Me Itchy. You Too?
2. Summertime and the Ledum Is Easy
3. A Tale of Two States: From Frostbite to Bug Bites
4. Mosquito Bites? Let Homeopathy and Essential Oils Help

Understand, as much as I would love to take you by the hand, I am here as an educator. I can’t see your bug bites or feel the severity of your symptoms. That’s why you must learn to determine the correct homeopathic medicine for yourself!

Read these (and other) blog posts with a discerning eye. Spot your symptoms, then look up the corresponding homeopathic medicine in a materia medica to arrive at the tightest fitting medicine choice.

YOU are the hero; I am simply your guide.

Should you want to learn more, the best way to start is by stepping through the Gateway to Practical Homeopathy®. Learn along with others as you study my guided curriculum. You’ll form lifelong friends who will support you in your homeopathic journey.

Plus, after going through the foundational lessons, Gatewayers gain access to a live question-and-answer session with me. Together, we’ll resolve any nagging concerns.

But for now, get back to the grill and pass on the good news of Practical Homeopathy®!

Warmly,

*I previously shared my homemade personal bug spray recipe in the Home with Homeopathy Tip #86. If you weren’t a subscriber during that time, I’ve made all my pandemic-year tips available in my Free Resource Library. Once you sign up for access, scroll down to the “Daily Home with Homeopathy Tips – Email Archive” section and click on Day 86.

Joette’s Mighty Members may also check out Memo to Mighty Members #55 for another recipe from my personal files for Joette’s Bug-Be-Gone — a less toxic way to kill creepy-crawly bugs that sneak into your home. Scroll down the page of your private Mighty Member site to the archives of my previous Memos and search for “Bug-Be-Gone” or “055”. If this recipe works in Florida (the bug capital of the world), I’m relatively confident it will perform well in other locales.