Bee stings are at least painful and can be deadly, depending on if the victim is allergic to the bee venom. The best way to reduce any reaction to bee venom is to remove the bee stinger as quickly as possible. If a bee sting victim has had any allergic reactions to bee stings in the past, consider the possibility of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction.

Hornets and wasps are related to bees and their venom often causes anaphylaxis in people allergic to bee venom. Treatment of hornet and wasp stings is the same as for bees, except that hornets and wasps don't leave their stingers behind and each insect can sting multiple times.

Treating a Bee Sting

Safety first! Get away from the bee. Bees release a scent when in danger to attract other bees. If you're still around when reinforcements get there, they'll sting you.
Remove any stingers immediately! No need to scrape off bee stingers, just remove them. It's OK to pull stingers out with your fingers, brush them off or get them out any way you can. The longer bee stingers are allowed to remain in the body, the more severe the reaction will be.
If the victim is allergic to bees, check to see if the victim is carrying an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen). If so, help the victim use the EpiPen. If the victim is supposed to carry an EpiPen and does not have it, call 911 immediately! Do not wait for

Stinging insects, such as honeybees, can cause severe allergic reactions by injecting venom into the skin of a person who is allergic to proteins contained within the venom.

Nearly everyone, even people without a bee sting allergy, will experience symptoms of pain, redness, swelling and itching at the site of the sting. These symptoms are not dangerous and can be treated as outlined below. However, if the person was stung on the lips, tongue, inside the mouth or throat, then severe swelling at the sting site could become an emergency.

Symptoms of a more severe allergic reaction (called anaphylaxis) include (but are not limited to):

trouble breathing (coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath)
lightheadedness
fast heart rate and sense of fainting (perhaps due to low blood pressure)
upset stomach (and perhaps nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and diarrhea)
skin rashes or swelling away from the sting site (such as hives, angioedema, itching without rash, sweating or flushing).

These symptoms, if they are going to occur,

If the only symptoms are pain, redness and swelling/itching at the site of the sting, and the bee sting was not on the face, then the person is not likely to be experiencing a severe allergic reaction. I would recommend giving the person a single dose of an oral antihistamine (such as Benadryl, Allegra, Zyrtec or Claritin) as quickly as possible. This may help the local reaction and possibly reduce the chance, or lessen the severity, of an allergic reaction occurring later. These medicines are available over-the-counter without a doctor’s prescription – just be sure to carefully follow the instructions on the package.

Continue to closely monitor the sting victim for signs of an allergic reaction, particularly for the first 30 to 60 minutes after getting stung. Most severe allergic reactions occur within this time period, and would be unusual 4 hours or more after getting stung (If signs of an allergic reaction develop, get medical attention immediately). Localized swelling, redness and itching at the site of the sting may worsen over many hours to days. Treatment of local reactions may include applying ice packs and topical steroid creams to the sting site, as well as taking oral antihistamines and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Some insect stings, particularly those from yellow jackets, develop into cellulitis (skin infection). If pain, swelling or redness develops, worsens or spreads after 2 to 3 days, or if the person develops fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, medical care should be sought.

How to Treat a Bee Sting

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11 Methods:Home Remedy 1: Ice Home Remedy 2: Toothpaste Home Remedy 3: Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Meat Tenderizer Home Remedy 4: Calamine Lotion with Analgesic Home Remedy 5: Hydrocortisone Cream Home Remedy 6: Honey Home Remedy 7: Antihistamines Home Remedy 8: Benzocaine Sticks Home Remedy 9: Deodorant Home Remedy 10: Raw Onion Home Remedy 11: Raw Potato

Ouch! Did you just get stung by a bee? It can hurt, but there are some ways to reduce the symptoms. This article will show you how to provide first aid for a bee sting, followed by a list of remedies and some notes on their effectiveness.

Steps

1
If the bee that stung you was a honeybee, remove the stinger as soon as possible. Contrary to popular belief, it does not matter how you remove it. Simply pulling out with fingers is fine.^[1]

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2
Look for symptoms of an allergic reaction:^[2]
- Difficulty breathing

1
- Hives that appear as a red, itchy rash and spread to areas beyond the sting
- Swelling of the face, throat or mouth tissue
- Wheezing or difficulty swallowing
- Restlessness and anxiety
- Rapid pulse
- Dizziness or a sharp drop in blood pressure
- If the symptoms are present, seek emergency medical attention. Take an antihistamine as soon as possible and be ready to use the epinephrine part of an emergency allergy kit, if it has been prescribed in the past.^[3] See How to Use an Epipen.
2
Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.^[3]
3
Wash the sting site with soap and water.
4
Apply one of the following remedies (ordered from most effective to least effective).^[4]

Method 1 of 11: Home Remedy 1: Ice

1
Apply ice wrapped in fabric to the bee sting for 20 minutes.
2
The symptoms should disappear almost immediately, and stop bothering you for about 5 hours before you need to reapply. The coldness constricts blood vessels (which slows the flow of venom-tainted blood) and numbs the pain and itching. And ice is practically free!^[4]

Method 2 of 11: Home Remedy 2: Toothpaste

1
Apply toothpaste on the bee sting. The tingling action will make you feel like you're scratching the itch, which is relieving.^[4]
2
Wait 15 minutes for the symptoms to be alleviated.
3
Reapply in 5 hours.

Method 3 of 11: Home Remedy 3: Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Meat Tenderizer

1
Mix vinegar, baking soda, and meat tenderizer into a paste.
- Meat tenderizer contains an enzyme called papain that can break down toxins in bee venom.
- This mixture will make you smell like an antipasto sampler.
2
Apply it to the bee sting. It will fizz.
3
Wait 20 minutes for the symptoms to subside; they should disappear about an hour after application.^[4]
4
Reapply after several hours.

Method 4 of 11: Home Remedy 4: Calamine Lotion with Analgesic

1
Apply a calamine lotion with analgesic (e.g. Caladryl). You'll start feeling a soothing tingle.
2
Wait 45 minutes for the symptoms to be relieved.
3
Reapply 4 hours later. The symptoms will return suddenly, unlike with other remedies.^[4]

Method 5 of 11: Home Remedy 5: Hydrocortisone Cream

1
Apply maximum strength hydrocortisone cream on the sting site. It'll dry visibly white.
2
Expect the symptoms to be slightly relieved.^[4]
3
Reapply after four hours, when the symptom return full-force.

Method 6 of 11: Home Remedy 6: Honey

1
Apply honey to the sting.
2
Expect the cool and soothing sensation to alleviate the symptoms slightly for 30 minutes.^[4]

Method 7 of 11: Home Remedy 7: Antihistamines

1
Apply an antihistamine cream to the bee sting. Most creams are odorless and dry invisibly, which can be beneficial depending on your situation.
2
Expect the symptoms to be relieved slightly for about 30 minutes to an hour.^[4]

Method 8 of 11: Home Remedy 8: Benzocaine Sticks

1
Rub the stick against the bee sting. The Benzocaine deadens nerve endings, and the sticks are convenient to carry, although the relief is fleeting.
2
Expect slight relief for 15 minutes.^[4]

Method 9 of 11: Home Remedy 9: Deodorant

1
Apply a deodorant (such as Ban Roll-On) on the site.
2
Expect for the symptoms to be displaced, rather than relieved. The area immediately surrounding the sting will be soothed, but the area surrounding that might get worse.^[4]

Method 10 of 11: Home Remedy 10: Raw Onion

1
Hold a slice of raw onion on your sting at your own risk.
2
Prepare for the possibility that the symptoms will get worse, and you'll smell.^[4] You might need these articles:
- How to Chop Onions Without Tears
- How to Remove Onion Smell From Hands

Method 11 of 11: Home Remedy 11: Raw Potato

1
Peel open a raw potato or cut it in half.
2
Put the potato on the bee sting.
3
This will provide a temporary soothing and can cause the sting to heal more quickly.

Yellow Jacket

IDENTIFICATION AND LIFE CYCLE

In Western states there are two distinct types of social wasps—yellowjackets and paper wasps. Yellowjackets are by far the most troublesome group, especially ground- and cavity-nesting ones such as the western yellowjacket, which tend to defend their nests vigorously when disturbed. Defensive behavior increases as the season progresses and colony populations become larger while food becomes scarcer. In fall, foraging yellowjackets are primarily scavengers, and they start to show up at picnics and barbecues, around garbage cans, at dishes of dog or cat food placed outside, and where ripe or overripe fruit are accessible. At certain times and places, the number of scavenger wasps can be quite large.

Paper wasps are much less defensive and rarely sting humans. They tend to shy away from human activity except when their nests are located near doors, windows, or other high-traffic areas.

Typically, previously mated, overwintering yellowjacket and paper wasp queens begin their nests in spring when the weather becomes warm. The queen emerges in late winter to early spring to feed and start a new nest. From spring to midsummer, nests are in the growth phase, and larvae require large amounts of protein. Workers forage mainly for protein at this time—usually other insects—and for some sugars. By late summer, however, the colonies grow more slowly or cease growth and require large amounts of sugar to maintain the queen and workers; foraging wasps are particularly interested in sweet things at this time. Normally, yellowjacket and paper wasp colonies live only one season. In very mild winters or in coastal California south of San Francisco, however, some yellowjacket colonies survive for several years and become quite large.

Yellowjackets

The term “yellowjacket” refers to a number of different species of wasps in the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula (family Vespidae). Included in this group of ground-nesting species are the western yellowjacket, V. pensylvanica, which is the most commonly encountered species and issometimes called the “meat bee,” and seven other species of Vespula. V. vulgarisis common in rotted tree stumps at higher elevations, and V. germanica, the German yellowjacket, is becoming more common in many urban areas of California, where it frequently nests in houses.

These wasps tend to be medium sized and black with jagged bands of bright yellow—or white in the case of the aerial-nesting D. (formerly known as V.) maculata—on the abdomen and have a very short, narrow “waist,” the area where the thorax attaches to the abdomen.

Yellowjackets commonly build nests in rodent burrows, but they sometimes select other protected cavities, such as voids in walls and ceilings of houses, as nesting sites. Colonies, which are begun each spring by a single reproductive female, can reach populations of between 1,500 and 15,000 individuals, depending on the species.

The wasps build a nest of paper made from fibers scraped from wood mixed with saliva. It is built as multiple tiers of vertical cells, similar to nests of paper wasps, but enclosed by a paper envelope around the outside that usually contains a single entrance hole. If the rodent hole isn’t spacious enough, yellowjackets will increase the size by moistening the soil and digging. Similar behavior inside a house sometimes leads to a wet patch that develops into a hole in a wall or ceiling.

Immature yellowjackets are white grublike larvae that become white pupae. The pupae develop adult coloring just before they emerge as adult wasps. Immatures normally aren’t seen unless the nest is torn open or a sudden loss of adult caretakers leads to an exodus of starving larvae.

Aerial-nesting yellowjackets, D. arenaria and D. maculata, build paper nests that they attach to the eaves of a building or that hang from the limb of a tree. The entrance normally is a hole at the bottom of the nest. These aerial nesters don’t become scavengers at the end of the season, but they are extremely defensive when their nests are disturbed. Defending D. arenaria sometimes bite and sting simultaneously. Wasp stingers have no barbs and can be used repeatedly, especially when the wasp gets inside clothing. As with any stinging incident, it is best to leave the area of the nest site as quickly as possible if wasps start stinging.

Paper Wasps

Paper wasps such as Polistes fuscatus aurifer, P. apachus, andP. dominula are 1-inch-long slender wasps with long legs and a distinct slender waist. Background colors vary, but most Western species tend to be golden brown or darker with large patches of yellow or red.

Preferring to live in or near orchards or vineyards, they hang their paper nests in protected areas, such as under eaves, in attics, or under tree branches or vines. Each nest hangs like an open umbrella from a pedicel (stalk) and has open cells that can be seen from beneath the nest. Sometimes white, legless, grublike larvae can be seen from below. Paper wasp nests rarely exceed the size of an outstretched hand, and populations vary between 15 to 200 individuals. Most species are relatively unaggressive, but they can be a problem when they nest over doorways or in other areas of human activity such as fruit trees.

Mud Daubers

Mud daubers are black and yellow thread-waisted solitary wasps that build a hard mud nest, usually on ceilings and walls, attended by a single female wasp. They belong to the family Sphecidae and aren’t social wasps but might be confused with them. They don’t defend their nests and rarely sting. During winter, you can safely remove the nests without spraying.

INJURY OR DAMAGE

Concern about yellowjackets is based on their persistent, pugnacious behavior around food sources and their aggressive defense of their colony. Usually stinging behavior is encountered at nesting sites, but sometimes scavenging yellowjackets will sting if someone tries to swat them away from a potential food source. When scavenging at picnics or other outdoor meals, wasps will crawl into soda cans and can sting your lips or the inside of your mouth or throat.

Reactions to wasp stings vary from only short-term, intense sensations to substantial swelling and tenderness, some itching, or life-threatening allergic responses. These reactions are discussed in detail in Pest Notes: Bee and Wasp Stings. Of specific concern is a condition that results from multiple-sting encounters, sometimes unfamiliar to attending health professionals, that is induced by the volume of foreign protein injected and the tissue damage caused by destructive enzymes in wasp venom. Red blood cells and other tissues in the body become damaged, and tissue debris and other breakdown products are carried to the kidneys, to be eliminated from the body. Too much debris and waste products can cause blockages in the kidneys, resulting in renal insufficiency or renal failure. Patients in this condition require medical intervention, which can include dialysis.

MANAGEMENT

Most social wasps provide an extremely beneficial service by eliminating large numbers of other pest insects through predation and should be protected and encouraged to nest in areas of little human or animal activity. Although many animals prey on social wasps—including birds, reptiles, amphibians, skunks, bears, raccoons, spiders, praying mantids, and bald-faced hornets—none provides satisfactory biological control in home situations.

The best way to prevent unpleasant encounters with social wasps is to avoid them. If you know where they are, try not to go near their nesting places. Wasps can become very defensive when their nest is disturbed. Be on the lookout for nests when outdoors. Wasps that are flying directly in and out of a single location are probably flying to and from their nest.

Usually, scavenging wasps won’t become a problem if there is no food around to attract them. When nuisance wasps are present outdoors, keep foods including pet food and drinks covered or inside the house, and keep garbage in tightly sealed garbage cans. Once wasps discover food, they will continue to hunt around that location long after the source has been removed.

If wasp nests must be eliminated, it is easiest and safest to call for professional help. In some areas of California, personnel from a local mosquito and vector control district may be available to remove nests. To determine if this service is available in your area, call the Mosquito & Vector Control Association of California at (916) 440-0826. If a rapid solution to a severe yellowjacket problem is essential, seek the assistance of a professional pest control operator or consider installing bait stations.

Trapping Wasps

Trapping is one method that can be employed to try to reduce yellowjacket problems. Trapping isn’t suggested for other social wasp species.

Lure traps

The easiest to use are lure traps, which are available for purchase at many retail stores that sell pest control supplies. Lure traps can help reduce the number of localized foraging workers, but they don’t eliminate large populations. Lure traps contain a chemical that attracts yellowjackets into the traps, but the common lure in traps, heptyl butyrate, attracts primarily the western yellowjacket and not other species. Meat such as chicken can be added as an attractant and is believed to improve catches of the German yellowjacket and V. vulgaris. Replace meat frequently, because yellowjackets aren’t attracted to rotting meat. Also, periodically check the trap to remove trapped yellowjackets and make sure workers are still attracted to the trap. Lures need to be replaced periodically; follow trap directions regarding replacement.

To reduce the number of yellowjackets foraging in specific areas such as patios, picnic tables, concession stands, and Dumpsters, place lure traps with hepytl butyrate around the periphery. In large areas such as parks, place traps about 200 feet from the area to be protected and about every 150 feet along the circumference. In backyards, place them along the edge of the property line as far away from the patio or other protected area as possible. To intercept foraging yellowjackets, it is important to place the traps between the area to be protected and the native landscapes serving as nesting sites. Typically yellowjackets will forage about 1/4 mile.

Water traps

Water traps generally are homemade and consist of a 5-gallon bucket, string, and protein bait such as turkey, ham, fish, or liver. Fill the bucket with soapy water, and suspend the protein bait 1 to 2 inches above the water. A wide mesh screen over the bucket will help prevent other animals from reaching and consuming the bait. After the yellowjacket removes the protein, the yellowjacket flies down and becomes trapped in the water and drowns. Like the lure trap, these traps also work best as queen traps in late winter to early spring. In summer and fall they might assist in reducing localized foraging workers but usually not to acceptable levels. Place water traps away from patio or picnic areas, so wasps aren’t attracted to your food as well.

Bait Stations

In the past, poison bait products were available to reduce yellowjacket populations later in the season when their prey is no longer available and some species turn to scavenging. However, reliable products were taken off the market in the early 2000s. Esfenvalerate products that recently became available haven’t been shown to be effective in research trials.

Discouraging or Eliminating Nests

Early in the season, simply knocking down newly started paper wasp nests will cause the founding female to go elsewhere to start again or to join a neighboring nest as a worker. As there is little activity around newly started wasp nests, they are very difficult to find. Wasps are more likely to be noticed after nests and populations grow. Nest removal for controlling subterranean or cavity-dwelling yellowjackets isn’t practical, because the nests are underground or otherwise inaccessible.

Nest Sprays

Aerosol formulations of insecticides labeled for use on wasp and hornet nests can be effective against yellowjackets and paper wasps, but the products must be used with extreme caution. Wasps will attack if they sense a poison being applied to their nests, and even the freeze-type products aren’t guaranteed to stop all wasps that come flying out. It is prudent to wear protective clothing that covers the entire body, including a veil over your face and gloves. In addition, you need to wear protective eyewear and other clothing to protect yourself from pesticide hazards.

Wasps are most likely to be in the nest at night, but even after dark and using formulations that shoot an insecticide stream up to 20 feet, stinging incidents are likely. Underground nests can be quite a distance from the visible entrance, and the spray might not get back far enough to hit the wasps. Partially intoxicated, agitated wasps are likely to be encountered at some distance from the nest entrance, even the day after an insecticidal treatment. Hiring a pest control professional will reduce risks to you and your family; in some areas of California, this service might be available through your local mosquito and vector control district.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7450.html

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