Bee or Wasp, Which One?

Posted on May 18, 2010 with 1 Comment

Ouch! Bee and Wasp stings are the worst! But how can you tell which one stung you? The Boston Globe published an article on May 17^th explaining the differences bees and wasps. Like most people have experienced, both are painful when they sting you. A bee goes right on the skin, making a sting which releases 50 micrograms of venom, and then gets right out, leaving their stinger in the skin.  A wasp, however, stings which releases only 2 to 15 micrograms of venom, and then leaves the skin only to try and sting a human again.  A wasp keeps its stinger intact, unlike a bee, so if stung, make sure you remove the stinger if it stays in the skin.  When removing the stinger, make sure you scratch it out and not pull so more venom does not come out.  Once a person is stung the best way to treat a sting is to put ice on the sting or numb the area quickly so the person will not feel the pain.  After the bee or wasp stings it is important for everyone to leave the area because once they sting, they will call others to the area.  People can be allergic to one type of venom and not the other, but both stings will result in hives if the person is allergic.  Make sure you notify a doctor immediately if the person experiences an allergic reaction and for severe cases, call 911.

(Wasp on left, Bee on right)

To learn more about bees or wasps and to see how JP McHale Pest Management can help you manage a bee or wasp problem, feel free to contact us by email, live chat, twitter, facebook, or check out our website.  Have a great day and watch out for those stingers!

Boston Globe, Bee Picture, Wasp Picture