Control Home Pest, So You Don’t Get Stung
February 12th, 2010 Posted in Stinging Insects
Being stung by a wasp, ant, or spider is a terrible feeling. It is necessary to learn what to do when you are stung by these insects because you will eventually encounter them inside or outside your home.
If you ever get stung by a jellyfish most people try to alleviate the pain by having someone pee on the wound, but thankfully insect stings don’t require such a commitment.
This article will discuss:
Wasp Stings
You’re sitting in the backyard drinking lemonade and out of nowhere a wasp stings your elbow. First off, OUCH. Secondly, how do you proceed? Well, get away from the wasp as soon as you possibly can because it has the ability to sting you multiple times.
Unlike a bee, the wasp’s stinger stays attached to its abdomen and can easily be used again and again on your body. Try to remove any part of the stinger that possibly got stuck and then quickly proceed to cleaning the wound with soap and water. Continue to clean the wound with soap and water for a couple days up until it heals.
Applying a decent sized ice pack will go a long way towards reducing swelling and the pain in your elbow. If the pain continues try taking an acetaminophen or an ibuprofen. If your skin is extremely irritated, try getting an over the counter antihistamine cream and apply it to your wound.
If you experience any of these symptoms please seek medical attention:
- Excessive coughing or difficulty breathing
- Tight or constricting feelings in your throat or chest
- Dizziness or fainting
- Nausea or vomiting
- Swelling of either your lips, tongue, or face
Spider Stings
Bug bites and stings are awful. Spider bites are a little harder to identify then other types of bites because a spider’s mouth area is often very small. Once you discover your bite, wash it with soap and water for a couple days until it heals.
Applying a cool compress also helps to limit the amount of swelling caused by certain spider bites. To help protect yourself from infection, apply ointment to the wound after washing it with soap and water. If you suspect the bite to be from a black widow or a brown recluse spider then go to the emergency room immediately.
These are the most serious spider bites to have and can cause serious damage. Most bites are harmless (minus the pain), but the brown recluse spider and the black widow are a much more serious threat.
Ant Stings
Most species of ants only pinch your skin, but don’t cause any pain or discomfort. However, the fire ant sting is a far more than a pinch. The bite of a fire ant leaves a white bump like wound that often hurts very badly. The venom they inject into your sting is very strong (considering their small size).
The fire ant can sting repeatedly and then survive to return to their regular lives. The wound from a fire ant sting can potentially get infected and cause secondary problems for people suffering from diabetes or other immune system diseases.
Therefore, wash the wound immediately after being stung and check if swelling continues to prevent complications. If the swelling and pain continues please consult a doctor to deal with possible infections and prolonged symptoms.
For the brave, try using EcoSMART’s control home pest to prevent the fire ant from coming into your home and biting you or your family. Natural ant killers from EcoSMART work to prevent and stop ant invasions from taking over your home. If you’d rather have a professional attack fire ants, EcoSMART’s partners are the ones for the job.
