Does it bug you as much as it bugs me when people start screaming, flailing and scattering at the first sign of a stinging insect? It sure annoys me. So I did a bit of research..........
And here are some of my conclusions:
Prevention
of stings lies in identifying your bug and knowing what to do about
it. A honey bee sting produces the worst response because it injects considerably more venom than wasps. A wasp is much much more likely to sting than a hornet.....forget about the myths about hornets.
First
of all, flailing arms about in the air is NOT a good idea. Most of
these members of the hymenoptera family of insects don't sting unless
threatened so if you accidentally hit the insect while throwing your
arms around, you are more likely to be stung. The precautionary
approach is to either ignore the insect or get up and leave, quietly
informing others in your vicinity.
Identifying
the insect?
The
most common stingers around Wynyard are yellow jackets - a 1.3 cm
long wasp with prominent yellow stripes on its body. It is fairly
aggressive in protecting itself and its nest. If a yellow jacket
perceives a threat it will sting and release anywhere between 2 and
15 micrograms of toxin into the skin. It also gets bored quickly so
when people are eating outside, hiding any dishes that might attract
wasps, sitting still while one is exploring and waiting for it to
leave (unnerving as it might be) will leave everyone unbitten.
(Swatting air at it is ok but be careful not to strike it.)
A
honey bee is less aggressive, same size but fatter than a wasp with
dull yellow stripes - if it stings, it cannot withdraw its weapon -
leaving the stinger, parts of the muscles and its lower bowel behind.
It dies shortly thereafter. Release of the stinger sends a
pheromone into the air to attract other bees to the scene of its
death, so move away quickly even if you are not the victim. The
person who is stung should change any clothing that was in contact
with the bee as the pheromone might be on them.
Bumblebees
are a larger (about 2 cm long) and even more passive version of the
honey bee; it is safe to watch them gather nectar from a flower
garden.
A
hornet is less common, larger, almost 2.5 cm long, thin-bodied and
rather passive - they are big vicious-looking insects that
occasionally find their way into warm parked cars. They need
considerable provocation to use their stingers which contain about
the same amount of toxin as a wasp.
The
actual venom contain enzymes (hyaluronidases) that break down
cellular membranes, melittin which stimulates an inflammatory
response and some histamine releasing agents.
The
first sign of being stung is intense pain. Within an hour, swelling
around the sting site, usually about 2 - 4 cm in diameter, occurs
followed by intense itchiness. Scratching the site increases the
swelling. Both swelling and itch last about five days. The amount
of swelling varies with the amount of toxin injected and the location
on someone's body - stings on faces, especially on eyelids as well as
fingers, inner wrists and ankles all have the potential to swell
dramatically.
Ice,
applied as soon as possible after the sting is most important to
decrease the size of reaction. The first hour of pain provides the
victim with time to remove rings, earrings and watches from the
vicinity of the sting. Application
of various forms of
pastes of turmeric, tobacco, salt, meat tenderizer, aspirin,
garlic,and baking soda, or liquids like vinegar, urine and diluted
ammonia do not “neutralize” the toxins but decrease pain by
distraction and probably prevent the victim from scratching. Some
people place a copper coin over the site. The only thing that
actually works to reduce the size of reaction is the application of
ice.
Stingers
of bees contain about 50 micrograms of toxin and contain barbs that
pull it further into the skin. The stinger must be removed from the
skin - quickly and without squeezing because it continues to release
toxins. Usually simply scraping the surface with the edge of an
ordinary table knife will work. If not, use tweezers close to the
skin or simply pick it out trying not to squeeze it.
One
person in ten will experience a very large local reaction - the
entire arm might swell from a single sting! These people benefit
from taking an antihistamine as soon after receiving the sting as
possible.
About
1 person in 50 has a life-threatening reaction to bee stings called
an anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis signals itself with a sense of
a rapid heart beat, feeling that airways are closing in on the
breathing tubes and feeling faint. Unfortunately, these are the same
signs as for a panic attack which is not life threatening. There is
not really time to differentiate so someone experiencing these
symptoms should be taken to the hospital. It is false reassurance to
think you are safe if you have never reacted before because
anaphylaxis can occur after the 2nd or 52nd sting. According to US
research there is no relationship between having allergies in
general and anaphylaxis from bee stings. Of the 8000 people who died
in a ten year study of the mid-Western US, half had never reacted to
stings before their final bee encounter.
If
you have had an anaphylactic reaction, you should carry your epi-pen
during the summer. If you live more than thirty minutes from an
emergency room or ambulance, you might want to keep an “epi-pen”
at your house and learn how to use it.
Final
word:
Learn to recognize your stinging insects. Apply ice as soon as
possible after a sting. Take an antihistamine - first choices are
benadryl and chlortripolon every four hours for the first twenty-four
hours, especially if you have had previous large reactions. If the
bite is on a sensitive area, expect swelling. But, most important,
unless you are unfortunate enough to have stepped on the insect or
nest, chill out and let the insect go about its business of stocking
up on food. Unlike the insects like mosquitoes and horse flies, it
really has no interest in you.
