Horseflies, midges, and other flies can bite, causing pain and skin irritation. Additionally, with no barbs, hornets don’t leave their stinger in the skin. Hornets are similar to wasps, and they also can tend to be more aggressive than bees. What makes that even more concerning is that wasps don’t leave their stingers in place and can attack more than once. Wasp stings are among the most painful insect stings, according to the Schmidt Sting Pain Index developed by entomologist Justin Schmidt. Instead, yellow jackets sometimes bite the skin to get a firm grip, and then can sting several times in the same location. A yellow jacket is a type of wasp and tends to be more persistent than honeybees or bumblebees.Īnd unlike honeybees, yellow jackets don’t have a barbed stinger that gets left behind. The more you know about the stinging insects that may inhabit your yard or anywhere you spend time outdoors, the better prepared you’ll be if you’re ever on the receiving end of a painful sting. The steps for how to remove a bee stinger are the same for how you would want to remove the stinger of a wasp or hornet. If there’s no epinephrine injector available, call 911 immediately. Then call 911 or your local emergency services number. If you’re stung and allergic to bee strings, or the sting victim close to you is, use an epinephrine auto-injector, such as an EpiPen, to reverse the symptoms. Family members and friends should also have this information. Individuals who know they’re allergic to stinging insects should talk with their doctor about how to respond to stings. Just be sure these medications don’t interact with other medications you already take. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).If swelling or other symptoms develop elsewhere on the body, such as the face, call 911. Repeat this pattern until the pain subsides. Wrap the cold pack in a clean towel or cloth and place it on the site for 10 minutes, then take it off for 10 minutes. Apply a cold pack to the site to reduce swelling and pain.Wash the affected area with soap and water.Once the stinger is removed - if one was left behind - you should begin treating the wound and addressing your symptoms. There’s little research on the subject, but one older study says regardless of the method used, such as pinching the stinger to remove it or scraping it out, the key is to remove the stinger quickly. However, other healthcare providers suggest that the speed of stinger removal is more important than the method. Some experts advise against using tweezers or squeezing the skin to help push the stinger out, because it might cause the release of more venom. If the location of the sting is in an area with folds of skin, like between the thumb and forefinger, you may need to stretch the skin a little to expose the stinger. If possible, try to gently scrape the stinger out with your fingernail. Once you’ve identified the location of the sting, take a second to examine the stinger. The barb is part of what makes a bee sting painful, and why removing bee stingers takes a little effort. You want to work fast, but you don’t want to make the injury worse.Ī bee’s stinger is barbed, (unlike a wasp’s, which is straight and doesn’t come off the wasp). Midge bites are usually small and raised in groups.It’s not always easy, especially if you’re dealing with a frightened, crying child, but remaining calm after a bee sting is very important.
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