Nobody likes to get stung by a wasp.
It’s painful, itchy, and most importantly, they rarely stop after just one sting.
Whenever someone tries to get rid of wasps, there’s always a chance these stinging insects will come out the winner.
So just how many times can a wasp sting? What do you do to treat the wound and why are their stings so painful? Read on to learn the answers to these questions and more.
How Many Times Can a Wasp Sting a Person?
You might not want to hear this, but a wasp can sting you multiple times until it decides you’ve had enough.
This is different from a honeybee which can sting you only one time. That’s because when a bee stings a person, its barbed stinger gets stuck in the skin of the victim and part of the abdomen is ripped off in the process.
One bee stinging someone is essentially a death sentence for it. But this is not the case with wasps.
In fact, wasp stingers are smooth, just like a small needle. So they can sting you, remove it from your skin, and then do it again like an angry tattoo artist.
Related: Can Bumble Bees Sting Multiple Times?
How Many Times Can a Wasp Sting Before Running Out of Venom?
While nobody knows how many stings it would take for a wasp to run out of venom, it is possible. Wasp venom is finite and needs to be replenished over time.
That said, it would be incredibly rare for a wasp to sting a person so many times that it would actually run out of venom during a single attack. It’s much more likely to get bored and fly off.
See Also: Do Wasps Sleep at Night?
Why Do Wasp Stings Hurt So Much?
The stingers of wasps are full of venom, and when they sting you, they deliver the venom to your skin. It’s been said that wasp stings and bee stings cause about the same brief, sharp pain. However, because wasps can sting more than once, a wasp attack has the potential to be more painful.
In addition, everyone reacts differently to a wasp’s sting (or a bee’s sting). On top of that, some species of wasp (namely the tarantula hawk wasp) can inflict MUCH more pain than others. Mud dauber wasp stings are very mild on the other hand.
But, the question is: why do they have venom in their stingers in the first place? There are mainly two reasons for that.
Offensive Use
Firstly, they use their stingers as a weapon against their prey.
They prick their prey with the stinger, and the venom paralyzes them so that they can easily transport their source of food to their nest.
So the stinger is important for them as it helps them to secure food and stay alive in the wild.
Related: Hornet Nests vs Wasp Nests
Defensive Use
The second reason is because the venom gives them them protection against larger animals and hunters.
Their sting causes enough pain to deliver a strong message to their predators or anything trying to come close to them.
That’s why, when you try to harm one or knock down their nest, they sting you. They’re really just attacking you to protect their nest and the baby wasps inside. The fact that there can be dozens or hundreds of wasps in a nest can be a recipe for disaster if you’re not careful.
Like snakes and other venomous creatures, wasps can also control the amount of venom they want to deliver to their enemy. When they sting you, they can deliver a lot of venom along with it, so it’ll be harrowing. It’s also possible that wasp stings you without using any venom but don’t count on it.
Treating a Wasp Sting
If you’re having an allergic reaction to the sting, seek medical attention immediately, especially if it’s a severe reaction.
But if you don’t have a severe reaction to wasp stings, it’s easy to treat them at home.
Each subsequent sting after the first will make the wound feel worse, but the same method applies to one sting or ten.
Begin by washing the wound, then put an ice pack or cold compress on it. This will reduce swelling and also numb the nerves.
You can then apply some calamine lotion to prevent itching.
Remember, you can develop an allergy at any point in your live, so if an insect sting produces an allergic response, it’s best to let your doctor know.
Allergies can fade or get worse over time, and severe reactions to wasp stings can include potentially life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing or increased heart rate and even fainting.
Dealing with Wasps through Pest Control
Eliminating wasps through home remedies & mere foggers can be challenging if you are facing an infestation.
In such circumstances, it is best to hire a professional exterminator to deal with this problem more permanently and for a lower cost in the long-term.
Final Words
So now that you know the risks, please be careful while dealing with these stinging pests and their nest.
If you ever face a wasp problem around your home, there are several solutions you can implement to get rid of them. From using pesticides to home remedies such as peppermint oil or soapy water, you have a lot of options.
But in the case of a heavy infestation, it’s always better to call an exterminator rather than trying to deal with them alone.
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