Preventing and Treating Insect Stings

Insect Stings and Insect Bites

Insect stings should not be confused with insect bites.

An insect uses its sting as a form of defence when it perceives a threat either to itself or its colony. It stings by injecting poison into or under the skin. The effect is immediate and results in a sharp, burning sensation.

While a sting is used as a form of defence, insects bite to draw blood. To give the insect time to feed, insect bites have evolved so that the pain is not as sharp as a sting (although the bite of a horse fly is very painful).

Treating an insect sting

Contrary to popular myth, the wasp sting is not alkaline and the bee sting is only weakly acidic. The chemistry of a sting is much more complex and so the traditional cures of bathing a wasp sting in vinegar or a bee sting in baking soda will provide only limited relief. However, there are practical steps that can be taken.

If stung by a bee, the pain will be reduced significantly if the stinger is removed promptly. This should be done carefully using sharp fingernails, tweezers or a knife – however, take great care not to squeeze the sting sac as this will inject more poison into the wound.

Wash the wound with soap and water and then reduce swelling by bathing in cold water or by covering it with a cold compress such as ice in a cloth (but never hold ice directly on the skin).

To relieve itching, apply an anti-histamine cream for bites and stings or take an oral anti-histamine tablet (a “hayfever tablet”).

Calamine lotion can also be applied to cool the wound and ease the itch. If the itching is severe, consult your pharmacist about steroid creams.