OT: Wasp Sting

[helsbels]

Sorry, it's not really relevant to Emet, but it is related to fear. All my life I've had (as well as Emet) a huge fear of wasps and bees, and this is primarily because I've never been stung, so I have a fear of the unknown (rather like v* I suppose). Anyway, I go into such a flap and a panic whenever there's a bee or a wasp in the room that my boyfriend always shouts at me for being such a wimp. Since I've got older and learned about that shock thing some people go into from a wasp sting I've panicked even more, in case I'm one of those people who's allergic... Anyway, I got stung on Sunday night!!! I went to the do the washing up, put on the glove and inside the end of one of the fingers a wasp was snoozing... of course when I stuck my hand in there I woke him up and he was none too pleased so he gave me a hefty sting! The pain was so bad I actually felt n* and I didn't know what to do with myself, I was running round the house, jigging about, doing anything to take my mind off the pain. After it calmed down a bit though, I had a huge grin on my face, I was so chuffed to have finally been stung, and I wondered if it would feel like this the day that I finally do v*??

[2jo2]

OMG. I have the same fear of bees and wasps. My parents used to get mad at me and tell me it was stupid and to just knock it off, etc. but I am so afraid of them. I haven't been stung ever either. Now that you say it's really that bad, I'm super scared too. I live in a cold climate so our bee season is over now. Sorry you got stung, but I'm sort of glad for you because now you know. I'm afraid to get stung but would like to just know if it's as bad as I think, you know what I mean? [img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]

[helsbels]

It's cold here too, it snowed last week, that's why I was not expecting a wasp of all things to be sleeping inside my washing up gloves!!! [img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img]Think they must be getting more hardened to the cold, I hope not, I like the Winter because it's wasp-free! Anyway, I can't lie and say it didn't hurt because it really did, and my finger was rock hard and throbbing for ages afterwards. However, I ran it under the cold tap and this made it sting so badly, I don't think I should have done that, on speaking to my partner's Mom afterwards, she told me if I ever get stung again by a wasp to stick it straight in vinegar and apparently that relieves the sting pretty much instantly. With bee stings you're supposed to use Bicarbonate of Soda. So if you are unfortunate to get stung, you could always try that. The other thing to do is cry a little bit so that your boyfriend makes a nice fuss of you, that and a glass of wine I found soon took my mind off it! And the fact that I got out of doing the washing up of course.... [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

[Melikasa]

I am terrifeid of bees and wasps as well. I am allergic though and when I was 6 I stepped in a nest of them. I had been scared of them before that though. My mom always said to just stay still and they will ignore you, but the panick wells up inside me and I know they can smell fear. [img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img]
As for the cold your little napper probably had been there for a while. They get all dopey and fall asleep anywhere once it gets cold. The chances of that happening again are slim too. So no need to worry about that happening again.
Vinegar is a great thing to put on it if you don't have After-Bite. Hope your finger is feeling better soon. Big hugs you poor girl.

[Scampi]

The vinegar for wasp stings and bicarb for bee stings is correct Helsbels - this is because wasp stings are alkaline, so need an acid to neutralise them, the bee stings are acidic, so need to to be neutralised with alkali. You can always tell if it's a bee that has stung you rather than a wasp - it leaves its sting in your skin as there is a little barb (like a fish hook) on the end of the sting - one sting and a bee dies. If this ever happens, don't try to pull the sting out with your fingers (you will squeeze the vemon sac and make the sting worse), but grasp the sting as close to the skin as possible with a pair of tweezers to pull it out.


Neither bees for wasps sting 'for fun' - they do it in self-defense. Flapping your arms and squealing when they are about will upset them and make them more likely to sting - the best course of action when there is one about is to sit still till it gets bored and goes away! As for allergies - they are not as common as the coverage inthe press would suggest, and your level of reaction to this sting suggests that you are not hypersensitive to wasp venom, so don't worry.


Wasps are not getting tolerant of the cold - last week's cold snap was the first this year, so the weather has not yet sent them packing, but they ARE dopey as the weather has not been warm enough to keep them properly active - this is the time when you are most likely to get stung, as the little blighters tend to find somewhere to 'hole up' and are less alert, so more likely to not see you coming. In summer, a wasp (or bee) will fly away from you almost as quickly as a fly when it sees you coming - you are a threat. But at this time of year, when their senses and reactions are dulled, they are more likely to stay put and sting as a reaction to being touched. Just take care and watch were you put your fingers. Another cold snap will finish them off!


One more thing, then I'll stop this bee/wasp lesson (!) - big fluffy bumble bees don't sting - they don't live in hives and basically just get on with life, pollinating our nice flowers for us and looking after their babies. Bumble bees are lovely and should be encouraged!


By the way - all this info is correct for the UK - I don't know about US/Canadian bees and wasps - you might have different ones to us!


Best wishes, Jill xxx

[sparky2004]

I dont like wasps and bees. I got stung when I was younger, and it was painful, but there are quick and fast remedies to stop the pain. Remeber that the pain associated with a bee sting only lasts for less then a minute. Residual pain afterwards is to be expected, you just got stung! But the pain doesn't last forever. Rub a Tylenol riht on the bee sting, or you can make a paste with baking soda and water, than apply it to the affected area.


They may look big, but their stingers are, in comparsion, pretty tiny.

[Melikasa]

actually tweezers aren't the BEST idea if you can scrape the stinger out with a credit card or something flat and hard like a credit card you don't risk squeezing the venom sac at all. Of course there isn't anything "wrong" with tweezers of course.