Home Remedies for Insect Bites and Stings
Insect bites and stings are a near-universal experience, and traditional medicine offers a range of plant-based poultices and washes to soothe them. This page collects every insect bite remedy in our archive, with preparation methods, cultural background, and the current scientific view.
Dragon's Blood (Sangre de Grago)
Open cuts, insect bites, ulcers, skin rashes
Amazon Basin
Kawakawa Leaf Balm
Eczema, insect bites, minor burns, skin infections
New Zealand
Sutherlandia / Cancer Bush
Cachexia (wasting syndrome), chronic fever, fatigue, anxiety
Southern Africa
Witch Hazel
Hemorrhoids, bruises, minor cuts, insect bites, sore muscles
North America
Stinging Nettle Tea
Hay fever, seasonal allergies, allergic rhinitis
Europe
Plantain Leaf Poultice
Insect bites and stings, minor cuts, nettle rash
Europe · North America
Baking Soda Paste for Stings
Insect bites and stings, itching
North America · United States
Related ailments
This is a historical and cultural reference, not medical advice. Many of these remedies have never been scientifically validated, and folk reasoning (humoral theory, “hot/cold” classifications, spiritual causation) reflects older explanatory traditions rather than modern medicine. Ratings reflect community opinion, not clinical evidence.