Wasp Stings Are Painful To All, Dangerous To Some

 

Wasp stings are something we would all like to avoid, although there is a good chance everyone will experience at least one at some time in their life. There are many types of wasps, and they come in many different sizes. Most wasps are beneficial, preying on other insects, or on spiders, and generally leaving people alone.

 

Three Bad Guys - Of all the different types of wasps, wasp stings are most apt to occur when coming into contact with one of three different types. These are the paper wasp, the yellow jacket and the bald faced hornet. The paper wasp is in some ways more fierce looking than either the yellow jacket or the hornet. In fact, when we think of the word wasp, it's the paper wasp that more often than not comes to mind. It looks for all the world like a stinging machine, but in truth, it is the least aggressive of the three types, and the venom from its sting is not quite as toxic. That doesn't mean you shouldn't keep a respectful distance from a paper wasp, but it will more than likely not bother you if you don't bother it. Yellow jackets and hornets are, on the other hand, far less sociable.

 

Wasp stings often occur when we're in close proximity to a nest, or by accident or design, disturb the nest. Forget about batting down a large next with a long stick, figuring you can run faster than a wasp can fly. You can't, and the wasps will be irritated to say the least. Yellow jackets can pose quite a problem in this respect, as they sometimes nest in a hole in the ground, a crevice in a rock, or a rotten tree stump, and it's easy to disturb their nest without even realizing it, until you find yourself in the middle of a swarm. Only female wasps sting by the way, but don't trust your luck to happening upon a nest holding primarily males. In almost all instances the males have long died off, and you'll find only females in a nest. They all can sting, and they all can sting more than once.

 

Wasp Stings And Bee Stings - We usually lump wasp stings into the general category of bee stings. One difference is that when you're stung by a honey bee, the stinger is left behind, and the bee will die, never to bother you again. Bumble bees can sting more than once, but are generally quite mellow fellows, unless you actually sit one, or grab one by mistake. Wasps can sting more than once, and their venom is generally more potent than that of the bee. A person allergic to the venom however can become quite sick, regardless of whether a bee or wasp is the culprit. The treatments described here for wasp stings applies equally well to bee stings.

 

The best way to avoid wasp stings is obviously to keep at a distance from the wasp. This isn't always possible, or even practical, but should you find yourself in the company of several flying wasps, it would be best to move away from the area when possible. The worst thing to do is to swat at a wasp. You may kill it, you may drive it away, or it may come after you. If you disturb a nest, exit the area as quickly as possible, covering your head, and protecting your face if you can. You can avoid problems sometimes by not wearing perfume or cologne when working out of doors. Odors often attract insects, and some even irritate them. Bright colored clothing can also attract bees and wasps, and if you are sweating, a wasp may land on you for a drink of water and a bit of salt. If you leave it alone, it will probably leave of its own accord. But if you find you are being a magnet for thirsty wasps, it's best to move away. If an occasional wasp visits you while working in your garden, an application of insect repellent will usually keep them at a safe distance.

 

Local Reactions To Wasp Stings - The reactions or symptoms you can get from wasp stings fall within one of two categories. The first, and most common, is a local reaction. The only place you will experience discomfort is in the part of the body where the sting occurred. Besides immediate pain, which can vary from a pin prick to something that really hurts, you'll probably experience some redness and swelling, and later, some itching may occur. All of this happens right at the place where the sting occurred. If the swelling and redness begin to cover a larger area, often after a day or two, it's possible that an infection has occurred at the location of the sting. This is something that is rather uncommon, but can happen.

 

Multiple Wasp Stings - Most people have only a local reaction to a wasp sting, and are in no particular danger unless they are a victim of multiple stings. A healthy adult can survive quite a number of stings, although may feel very uncomfortable in the event something like that happens. If you should incur more than a dozen or so wasp stings at one time it would be highly advisable to get immediate medical attention if possible, since you may experience a delayed reaction which could be quite serious. Small children and elderly people, especially those with cardiovascular problems, are much more at risk of a serious reaction, or even death, from multiple stings. (continued...)