What to do when a bug flies in your ear!
By JoyfulOne
@JoyfulOne (6232)
United States
July 30, 2008 8:00pm CST
I had a flying insect fly into my ear canal yesterday while I was gardening. I could hear it buzzing and I thought I'd go nuts lol. I immediately ran into the house and grabbed a flashlight and pulled back on my earlobe and shined the light inside...and out flew the bug! (Boy, was I relieved!!!) If you pull just above your earlobe and pull it back some, the ear canal straightens out some so the light can get back in there. When the bug sees the light they crawl or fly right out. I was telling my daughter and she said 'gee, I never would have ever thought of that.' I thought I'd share that method with you all. That got me thinking, have you ever had a bug fly in your ear? Ever heard of or tried the flashlight method to get it out?
3 people like this
13 responses
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
31 Jul 08
OOOOOOO!! Twoey, that's terrible!! I cannot even imagine how painful that must have been! Yowch!! I've never been stung in the mouth, but my brother did once when he accidently hit a hornet nest.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
31 Jul 08
The last time it happened was when we lived up by Hubby's mom and I was coming in from taking the trash out and all of a sudden I felt a stab inside my mouth on the inside of my bottom lip and cheek. I opened my mouth to yell for Hubby and out flew a wasp (which I'm allergic to) and before I could get the 10-12 feet into the house my lip had swollen up so big I couldn't talk and my mouth felt like it was on fire. I got inside, crying, and Hubby was trying to figure out what happen. The only thing I knew to do was rinse it with cold water to try to get the fire out. Then I made a paste of baking soda and cold water and kept rubbing it around the area. I had a fever from it as well and finally fell asleep. When I woke up it was still swollen but not burning anymore and the fever was gone. It took about 3 days for the swelling to go down and I had to live on jello and water for that time b/c I couldn't stand anything else in my mouth. I'm alot more careful now but at least I avoided a hospital visit.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@mlhuff12 (797)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Luckily that has never happened to me. And I just hate any type of bugs or insects. I would have gone crazy, possibly even start to cry. I'm such a wuss when it comes to bugs.:\ ...I think once I saw something on a show where there was a bug in someone's ear and they put some type of liquid in the ear. Possibly rubbing alchohol, I'm not sure.
1 person likes this
@NiceCezle (57)
• Philippines
22 Oct 08
This is what exact happened to me.... what did u do? flashlight didnt worked on me.. and i can still fell it until now inside my ear
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Thats a great idea, I have been lucky so far, no bugs in the ears. Plenty of potatoes though, hehe. I have had bugs flying around my ears and have been concerned with what I would do, if one went in there and wouldn't come out, now I know what to do. My first thought would have to put some water in my ear and hope that would make him come out. The flashlight is much easier and quicker.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Potatoes?! Hehehehe, you're too fun lol. You know, a bug never sounds as loud as it can except when it gets into your ear, then it becomes deafening. Guess I've watched too many sci-fi movies, I never freak out (usually) but man, I ran into the house so fast and took a shortcut through the dog kennel...my son-in-law thought it was hilarious because he never saw me freak in all these years lol. Hope this hint helps others...it's wayyyyyy too easy, and I learned it long ago from a friend I have that's a Dr. (Works a lot better than just telling it to 'bug off' yuk, yuk, yuk, hahaha )
@brclark2058 (1)
• United States
9 Aug 09
I was mowing the lawn on a rider mower. I got done with what I was going to mow that night. After putting the mower away, I heard a scratching sound and felt it also. I looked around the house for some Hydrogen Peroxide and couldn't find any. Usually if you pour some in your ear the bug would float out. Then I thought,"Why not go online and ask". While I was online and every section made it like there is no way a bug can get in your ear, the inside edge of my ear canal started tickling. Much to my surprise, out comes the little black winged bug on my shoulder. I grabbed it and sense I hate bugs so much, I squished it to nothing.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
4 Oct 08
No Joy I never had that happen to me before, that is good to know, I have to remember that. Is that something that you have thought of, or did someone tell you that? I am just curious? well If it worked for you. I will try that if it ever happens to me. I i doensn't though. LOL. Have a nice week-end.
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I learned this hint a long time ago from a friend of mine that's a physician. It has always worked really well, and it's just one of those things that I thought I'd share because it's so easy too. I had it happen to me twice this summer while I was working in the garden, both times the bug came right back out towards the light. Gee, I hope it never! happens to you either lol!!
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Yes I had this happen to me to. I was out one evening talking a walk with a friend of mine and a insect flew into my ear. I did not have a flashlight with me. My friend had a bottle of water and she poured some in my ear and washed the insect right out.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
31 Jul 08
That's good that your friend had some water with her and that it got it out. Isn't that just the most annoying feeling & sound?!
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
31 Jul 08
yes it was just terrible!! I would not want this to happen again.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
1 Aug 08
Ewww a cockroach?! Man, now that would have totally flipped me out. I got goosebumps just thinking about it lol.
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Never have had that excruciating experience, thankfully. I have heard of putting oil in your ear, like sweet oil, to kill the bug and having someone get it with tweezers. I think the flashlight method sounds much more humane for all involved. I will have to add that to my mental preparedness.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Glad you never had that happen! It's irritating to say the least lol. I've known people who put the sweet oil in, or water, and the bug just got stuck there and had to be removed. I like this method because it's not dangerous like sticking tweezers in there. Hope you had a great day today :-) Joy
@sweetpeasmom (1325)
• United States
31 Jul 08
I run screaming whenever a but gets near me so I guess that I would really panic if one got in my ear!!!!!
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
1 Aug 08
That's what I did, ran lol. And although I wasn't screaming out loud, my brain was screaming the whole way.
@roshand8 (1478)
• Sri Lanka
31 Jul 08
No..not yet,If a bug get in to your ear,tilt your head and turn immediately towards the sun or artificial light,don't poke anything in to your ear.Chances are the bug will fly out,like what happen to you 
unless if the bug stuck in the ear wax..in that case you may need medical need.cheers... 
unless if the bug stuck in the ear wax..in that case you may need medical need.cheers... 1 person likes this
@crunkyjens (463)
• United States
31 Jul 08
Oh my. I would have a fit if a bug flew in my ear!! I have never heard of the flashlight method before. That is very interesting. Where did you hear about this? From someone or did you read it in a magazine? I will have to remember that, but hopefully I'll never put it into action. LOL
It makes sense though because if you think about it, at night you always see a lot of bugs hovering around street lamps. I wonder what it is that attracts them to the light?
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
31 Jul 08
I heard about it from a friend that's a Doctor, it works really well. Hmmmmm, gee, I don't know what attracts bugs to the light, but for some reason it does.
@angelodamroot (73)
• United States
31 Jul 08
I have never had anything like this happen. I am definently writting this tip down in my "Mom Knows Best" book. Ok yeah, I have kept a notebook since i got pregnant with my son (who is now 3)in it i write all the great tips people give me. well all of them that i think may come in handy while raising a boy. I agree with your daughter I would have never thought of what you did. I would have paniced and to the ER I would have went.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
31 Jul 08
What a really great idea that is to have a 'Mom knows best' book! Thanks for passing that idea along :-) I see you're fairly new, so welcome to mylot...have fun posting! Joy
@munchiez117 (539)
• United States
14 Nov 09
well i had one fly into my eye and get stuck there it sucked getting the remains of the insect out of my eye,
cant believe a small fruit fly can cause so much pain though it was annoying
pain it happened to me twice the first it was still alive
@H3idimich3ll3 (150)
• United States
25 Feb 10
i never had a bug fly in my ear but i did have a ant crawl into my ear. and i kept hearing this weird cry in my left ear but i didnt know where was it was coming from and i thought i was going crazy, so i put my pinky n my ear and when i pulled my finger out it was an ant. so weird ..but that flash light trick is a really smart idea thanks for posting it.
