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Wasp Stings
A sting from a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) or German wasp (Vespula germanica) is a painful and distressing experience. During the late summer months in Ireland, a seasonal shift in wasp behaviour makes them highly active, aggressive, and attracted to human food and sweet drinks.
While a wasp sting is usually a minor health inconvenience, it can be life-threatening if you are allergic to the venom.
Understanding how to treat a sting, identify the signs of a severe systemic allergic reaction, and remove the root cause, often a nearby nest, is essential for keeping your family and pets safe.
Do Wasps Die When They Sting You?
A common point of confusion is the difference between a bee sting and a wasp sting.
Unlike honey bees, wasps do not die after stinging you.
- The Stinger: A bee has a barbed stinger that gets lodged in human skin, ripping free from the bee's abdomen and causing its death. A female wasp possesses a smooth, needle-like stinger that slides out easily.
- Repeated Attacks: Because their stinger remains intact, a single wasp can sting you repeatedly in a very short period if it feels threatened or if its nest is disturbed.
How to Treat a Wasp Sting at Home
For the vast majority of people, a wasp sting causes a localised reaction, resulting in sharp pain, redness, itching, and minor swelling around the site of the sting. If you have no history of severe allergies, you can safely treat the sting using these steps:
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1. Wash the sting site (Immediately) - Gently wash the affected area with soap and warm water. This removes any bacteria or residual venom on the surface of the skin, minimising the risk of infection.
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2. Apply a cold compress (Within 5 minutes) - Place an ice pack, a cold damp cloth, or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel onto the sting for 10 to 20 minutes. This constricts blood vessels, dramatically reducing localised swelling and numbing the pain.
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3. Neutralise the sting venom (As needed) - Wasp venom is alkaline, unlike acidic bee venom. You can help neutralise the chemical reaction on your skin by applying a cotton pad soaked in an acidic liquid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, to the sting.
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4. Apply soothing creams or take painkillers (For ongoing comfort) - Over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen can ease the throbbing pain. Applying an antiseptic cream, hydrocortisone cream, or taking an oral antihistamine will calm the itching and swelling.
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Severe Allergic Reactions: Signs of Anaphylaxis
For some individuals, a wasp sting triggers a severe, systemic allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. This occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to the proteins in the wasp venom.
Emergency Warning: Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that can progress rapidly and become fatal if not treated immediately with an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) and professional medical care.
Symptoms of an Emergency Allergic Reaction
If you or someone nearby experiences any of the following symptoms after being stung, call 999 or 112 immediately for an ambulance:
- Difficulty breathing or severe wheezing
- Swelling of the face, mouth, throat, or tongue
- Difficulty swallowing or a feeling of throat tightness
- Extreme dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea
- A rapid drop in blood pressure or loss of consciousness
Simple Ways to Avoid Wasp Stings
You can easily lower your risk of being stung by making a few small changes to your habits during the summer:
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Ditch the bright clothes - Wasps are drawn to bright floral colours. Stick to neutral shades when spending time outdoors.
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Skip sweet perfumes - Highly scented perfumes, shampoos, and body sprays mimic the sweet floral smells that wasps hunt for.
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Cover your food and drinks - Never leave sugary drinks, cans, or picnic food sitting open. A foraging wasp can easily crawl inside an open soda can.
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Keep bin lids shut - Keep outdoor rubbish bins tightly sealed and place them far away from your house doors and windows.
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Stay calm and move slowly - If a wasp flies near you, do not wave your arms or swat at it. Flailing your arms scares the wasp, making it much more likely to sting you in self-defence.
Wasp Stings: Frequently Asked Questions
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How long does a wasp sting stay swollen?
For a normal localised reaction, the swelling and redness around a wasp sting will usually peak within 24 to 48 hours. After this point, the discomfort should steadily improve, with the swelling completely disappearing within 3 to 5 days. If the swelling continues to expand after 48 hours or becomes increasingly hot and painful, it may indicate a secondary bacterial infection, and you should consult a pharmacist or GP.
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What is the difference between bee and wasp sting treatments?
The main difference lies in the chemistry of their venom. Wasp venom is chemically alkaline, meaning it is best treated and neutralised with mild household acids like vinegar or lemon juice. Bee venom is acidic, which means it responds better to alkaline treatments like a paste made from baking soda and water. Additionally, when treating a bee sting, you must scrape the barbed stinger out of the skin first, whereas a wasp does not leave its stinger behind.
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Why do wasps get so aggressive in late summer?
Wasps become more aggressive in late summer because of a shift in their colony's diet. Throughout the spring and early summer, worker wasps forage for insects to feed the developing grubs in the nest, receiving a sweet, sugary secretion from the larvae in return. By late summer, the queen stops laying eggs, leaving the adult worker wasps with no larvae to feed and no source of sugar. Starved of their regular food, they aggressively hunt for alternative sugar sources, including your picnics, soft drinks, and fallen garden fruit.