NHS ENGLAND has said there has been a surge in the number of searches for advice on bites and stings over the summer – all down to the four heatwaves we have had. Analysis by NHS England found there were 454,238 visits to the page on bites and stings between June 25 and August 25 this year. This was a rise of almost 20 per cent on the same period last year, when there were 386,352 visits. Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better after a few days, but they can cause infection or serious allergic reaction. Visit the website – at NHS.uk – for more information via the dedicated ‘insects bites and stings’ page.