Stung by a bee or wasp

Nature Talk
#41

The worst sting I had was when a bee had gotten in the car and I didn’t realize and put my bare foot on it! We were at the beginning of a vacation trip and my whole foot and ankle swelled up and really hurt! Had to get Benadryl but the pain and swelling lasted several days.
Last year I was stung twice in the garden when I was deadheading flowers. Both times I immediately grabbed a plantain (Plantago major) leaf and chewed it up and plastered it on. Within a minute the pain subsided and I had hardly any swelling or further pain!
I enjoy observing bees, hornets etc. and usually don’t have any issues with them.

The most incredible thing I ever observed was when a hornet got caught in a spider’s web on the side of my house. I cold hear it buzzing angrily and as I watched it managed to break free. It flew in a loop and came back and grabbed the spider and dropped to the table where I was sitting. It then proceeded to bite off the spider’s legs one by one and flew off with the helpless spider! I happened to have my camera and got pictures of this unbelievable occurrence!

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#42

I have dozens of species of bee and wasp in my garden, and I’ve only been stung twice, and I “deserved” both of them. The first time I grabbed a board and didn’t realize there was a wasp under the board, and it stung my finger; and the second time I picked up a pot and smashed a small nest that was hidden under the lip of the pot and got stung on my hand. I observe many of the bees and wasps very closely, and none really bother me if I’m not bothering them.

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#43

That sounds like a handy thing to have on hand. Where do you get it?

I’ve used bee sting wipes, and they are effective until they dry out or expire.

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#44

Gee, that stuff grows all over ! Clever of you to know that herbal lore about it.

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#45

That’s what it’s famous for: healing cuts and bruises.

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#46

One summer as a child I was repeatedly stung by Vespula vulgaris (yellow jackets), rural NY. We also had a hornet nest (but probably Sphex pensylvanicus,great black wasp) near my room, and they occasionally had a misadventure.
In the following years I was highly allergic to their stings, would feel tingling in my spine and flushing, hives, itching. Over many years I seem to have become desensitized, but don’t care to try it out.

Even the thought of being exposed to yellow jacket sends chills down my spine.

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#47

I buy it at a department store. If you are in the US try Walmart or maybe Amazon. This is what it looks like, but the package design could be slightly different in other countries. Usually marketed as a shaving cream, it has many uses. If I get bitten by a mozzie I put it on immediately the bite never gets itchy.
http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/471/2977471/2977471_150723104938_Prep2.JPG

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#48

Do any of you own beehives

#49

So far only one of my iNat observations have stung me, this beauty took offence to me adjusting the sheet she had gotten comfortable on.

I deserved to be stung by this one, and after she rubbed her ovipositor on my finger I could swear it went numb over the course of a few hours.

I’m going to try to take observations of any thing that stings me this year but in the heat of the moment I’m usually running and cursing. Last year I angered a ground yellow jacket nest while removing some Winged Euonymus at a local preserve. Pulling my shirt off and running down the trail was certainly not the most dignified look, and worst of all I don’t really know what species got me.

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#50

Bees and wasps are definitely not the worst stinging(and biting) critters that exist (in my experience)
We don’t have hornets here, but I’m sure that these are just as bad…They really hurt. Just to give you an idea, they are a species of tarantula hawk wasp, which are on top of the schmitt pain index. If you are interested, check it out here.
They buzz really close to you in summer, as if they are threatening you. They are probably the only animal I hold a little bit of fear for. Sharks are fine, spiders are great, snakes are awesome, but orange spider wasps…:persevere:
Bees are a lot more forgiving in my experience, although they hurt a little.

We need a thread on "what animals have injured/stung/bitten you?":joy:

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What animals have injured/stung/bitten you?
#51

That’s kind of funny…

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#52

I saw a friend do it once!

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#53

My mom taught me that same trick.

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#54

I taught my mother that trick.

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#55

Last month I rescued this from a trough https://inaturalist.nz/observations/70771827
Then next week in the newspaper there was an article saying that they had spent 130 million dollars on wasps. ‘‘introduced wasps cost New Zealand’s economy more than $130 million dollars a year’’-DOCnz.
Is it worth it to save a wasp or let it die?

#56

It depends. If I found an introduced feral species that is not good for the environment, I would actually consider killing it (humanely of course) For example foxes and rabbits I found injured will always be killed. Same with Introduced wasps.

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