Even the best backyard gathering can take a turn for the worse when stinging intruders make a beeline for you and yours. Throw in someone with allergies, and things might not ever be the same. As summer insect season reaches its apex, make sure you've taken the right precautions to keep stings at bay.
Summer Hives
A list of the most common stinging insects includes the usual suspects: bees, wasps and hornets. Throughout the winter, they remain out of sight and out of mind since most of them die, although some find sheltered places in which to slumber away during the colder weather.
When spring and summer hit, the egg-laying and food-production cycles for these insects go into overdrive, resulting in nests and hives that hit peak activity levels in late summer. Some nests and hives become very large, with as many as 50,000 or more active insects working to bring in food to feed the drones and the queens. The sole purpose of the insect community at this point is to feed and protect the queens as they lay egg upon egg, all in preparation for the approaching winter slumber and subsequent spring renewal that allows the colony to live on each year.
Stings: The Importance of Anatomy
Certain stinging insects, such as honey bees, are generally docile. However, when they fear that the colony is being threatened, they will sting. When honeybees do sting, they leave their stingers behind, a process which results in their death.
Other stinging insects have anatomy that works in their favor, allowing them to be far more aggressive when swarming and stinging in defense of their hives. Wasps, hornets and yellow-jackets do not lose their stingers when they attack and because of that, they may sting a single victim multiple times.
Unpleasant for any of us, these stings can be dangerous for anyone allergic to the venom.
Ensure a Sting-Free Summer
Common summer activities can trigger swarming and stinging, particularly with the yellow-jacket, which is the most common. They nest in many places, including the ground, and are easily disturbed by the lawnmower or children playing in the grass. By late summer and fall, their populations are at their largest numbers and their aggressive behavior increases.
Here's how to prevent unpleasant, and potentially dangerous, encounters.
- Inspect your home and lawn for hives. Each insect produces a different type of hive and you should be familiar with what you need to look for. It may be easier to hire a professional pest expert who can both identify the homes of stinging insects and remove them safely without any risk to you or your family.
- Take extra precautions when dining outdoors: Keep food and drinks covered, particularly if they are high in sugar. Be careful with straws and canned drinks as insects often get inside - stings to the mouth are VERY COMMON. Throw trash into containers with lids.
- Avoid brightly colored clothing and perfume. These tend to attract stinging insects if you are planning to spend time outside.
Treat a Sting
- Move to a safe area to avoid more stings.
- Scrape the stinger out with a fingernail or the edge of a credit card. Don't squeeze the venom sac or pull on the stinger since you may release more venom.
- Wash the sting area with soap and water.
- Apply a cold pack or cloth filled with ice, which reduces pain and swelling.
- Apply hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or a baking soda paste (3 teaspoons of baking soda to 1 teaspoon of water).
- Take an antihistamine such as Benadryl, Tylenol or Actifed.