Severe allergic reactions to snake bites are rare. Severe reactions to insect bites from mosquitoes, midges, March flies and ticks are less common, although bites can cause milder allergic reactions. Insect stings from bees, wasps and the Australian jack jumper ant are a common cause of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in Australia.
Bites and stings usually cause irritation of the skin, which is not an allergic response, but some people can also have allergic symptoms that range from mild to severe and life threatening.
