Don’t be afraid of insects – They’re life savers

Blow Fly
Blow Fly

When we talk about bugs, usually people make funny faces that tell you indirectly that insects are the most disgusting thing in the world.

You don’t have to love them or have them as pets sleeping in your bed, but you need to admit that the bugs have many positive uses.

If you are not a bug fan, you will change your mind after reading about these examples on how different bugs can save your life, particularly in a survival situation.

Stop avoiding them and instead, learn as much as you can about how can you use them in an emergency.

 

Ants
Ants

Blow Fly larvae to treat wounds and bone infections

When a Blow Fly lands on an open wound, you don’t need to panic. Yes, it will lay maggots, but these maggots are special ones. They secrete a curative chemical called allantoin that helps the infected bone to get better. Modern medicine doctors use allantoin extracted from blow fly maggots to cure osteomyelitis.

 

Blow Fly – Author: Muhammad Mahdi Karim – GFDL 1.2
Blow Fly – Author: Muhammad Mahdi Karim – GFDL 1.2

Maggot Therapy

If you find yourself in a survival situation and there is no allantoin, you can just put the maggots in the open wound and let them eat the bacteria that causes the infection. The maggots will clean your tissue and save you from gangrene.

 

Maggots – Author: Paul venter -CC BY-SA 3.0
Maggots – Author: Paul venter -CC BY-SA 3.0

Bee Venom Therapy

Bee Venom is rich in enzymes, peptides, glucocorticoids, and other curative components that cure rheumatism and Multiplex Sclerosis. Getting stung by a bee ( if you’re not allergic to it) is very healthy for you.

 

Bees
Bees

Ant venom cures arthritis

Ant bites contain venom that reliefs joint pain, therefore it’s used to ease arthritis.

 

Ants
Ants

Cockroach’s brain is a powerful antibiotic

Yes, this sounds weird, but the brain of the cockroach is a powerful antibiotic that can eliminate E. Coli and MRSA infections. Think twice before you say you hate roaches again.

 

Cockroach
Cockroach

Spider webs as a wound dressing

Clean spider webs can be used as a bandage for a small wound. Just be sure the inhabitants are not poisonous before ripping apart their home.

 

Spider webs
Spider webs

Cochineal beetle as a cough remedy

Cochineal beetles are the ugliest insects that anyone had seen. But, dozens of them drown in alcohol make a great medicine for curing cough, asthma, and urinary tract infection.

 

Female Cochineal beetles – Author:Frank Vincentz – CC BY-SA 3.0
Female Cochineal beetles – Author:Frank Vincentz – CC BY-SA 3.0

Silkmoth to treat heart disease

Silkmoth is not used only for gentle silk items, but also for medical purposes. It produces a chemical called Serratia E15 that helps them dissolve their cocoons. For humans, the same chemical works as a heart disease remedy.

 

Silkmoth – Author: Ash Bowie – CC BY-SA 3.0
Silkmoth – Author: Ash Bowie – CC BY-SA 3.0

Caterpillar fungus reliefs stress

Caterpillar fungus is an old Chinese medicine that works as a stress reliever. Chinese doctors also believe it cures various diseases and jack up the sexual energy.

 

Caterpillar fungus – Author: L. Shyamal – CC BY-SA 3.0
Caterpillar fungus – Author: L. Shyamal – CC BY-SA 3.0

These are some bugs that can help you cure diseases or use them as a first aid if you find yourself in a survival situation. Many of these remedies sound crazy and will make you feel suspicious, but the truth is that Nature has a cure for everything.

In the old days when there were no pharmacies, people knew how to use natural sources to cure almost all diseases. If you want to be a real adventurer and survivor, then you need to learn old-fashioned survival tricks.

Although all of these insects have a medical application it’s worth noting that only some of them could be used in the wilds, but they can all help you with certain conditions when combined with modern medical practice.

 

If you have any comments then please drop us a message on our Outdoor Revival Facebook page

If you have a good story to tell or blog let us know about it on our FB page, we’re also happy for article or review submissions, we’d love to hear from you.

We live in a beautiful world, get out there and enjoy it.

Outdoor Revival – Reconnecting us all with the Outdoors.

stef-zisovska

stef-zisovska is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival