What to do if a hornet has bitten

The hornet's bite feels like beeHowever, due to the toxicity of the poison, it is dangerous for people prone to allergic diseases and can be fatal. Therefore, information about whether the hornet is biting painfully and about providing first aid with the subsequent treatment of bites will be necessary for every person.

Who are the hornets?

Hornets belong to hymenoptera predatory insect hornet familywhich they resemble and their appearance. Their size and the consequences of a bite depend on the variety: the European species has a length of up to 30 mm, but Asian giants can reach 55 mm. It is the latter that pose the greatest threat to human health and life, because they carry very strong toxic poison in their sting.

Hornets are also tireless builders, building from pieces of bark nestssimilar to cocoons that can be hung in the forest on trees, in hollows or near human habitation: in the attic, in the barn, etc. In such houses, the female lays eggs, and all working individuals are engaged in the production of food and the feeding of insatiable and rapidly growing offspring .

How and how does a hornet bite

The hornets have a weapon of protection against the attack of enemies at the stinger located below the abdomen, and only in females. It is designed in such a way that the insect has the ability to sting or bite several times in a row.

One of the main questions - whether hornets bite for no reason and whether they can attack people unexpectedly, require a detailed explanation. An insect can never bite just like that, it usually attacks only when it threatens its life or colony, if someone disturbed the nest.

When a person simply walks past and does not touch a hornet, he will never attack himself. But in the case of sudden movements, attempts to kill or catch him, he not only bites the offender, but with the help of the pheromones released during the introduction of the sting, calls all his brothers to help. And then an attack of a whole flock is possible, which is able to bite the victim to death.

On a note!

Every year in Asian countries, 70-100 people die from hornet stings, which most often occurs when an attack is made by a large family and a large amount of poison enters the body. How many bites are fatal to humans? For healthy people who do not have allergies, the maximum danger is more than 20 injections of insect stings.

What does a bite look like?

With the introduction of the sting, the hornet injects a toxic substance in the amount of 0.5-2 mg into the wound, which includes histamine and other toxins that cause an acute negative reaction in the victim's body.

After that, certain initial symptoms immediately become noticeable:

• redness and swelling of tissues in a bitten place, as seen in the photo of a hornet bite;
• at the bite point severe pain is felt and the skin turns pale (papule);
• edema can spread to neighboring areas, so with a bite on a finger, edema passes to the entire arm, if the lower limb is affected, then the tumor covers the entire leg;
• the appearance of tachycardia and jumps in blood pressure, often in the direction of lowering, is possible.

Important!

The symptoms listed above are determined in 96% of people who were bitten by a hornet, and only 4% belong to those "lucky ones" who have no negative symptoms, and there is no need for treatment.

If you compare who bites a hornet or a wasp, it depends on the individual reaction of the body and the type of insect. European predators sting less painfully than asian giantshowever compared to bee and wasp stings the sensations are still more acute and painful.

Consequences of a bite

If a person who has a predisposition to allergic reactions is injured, then more severe signs of poisoning and severe intoxication are added, as can be seen in the photo of the consequences of a hornet bite:

• sensations of nausea, vomiting is possible;
• a sharp decrease in limb temperature, increased sweating;
• blue face, eyelids, neck and ears, swollen lymph nodes;
• the tissues around the wound begin to swell strongly;
• possible shortness of breath or an attack of suffocation;
• dizziness, difficulty speaking and loss of consciousness, which is often manifested in children or adults with weak immunity;
• signs of urticaria: red spots throughout the body, exfoliation of the skin.

The condition of the patient and its severity depends on the immunity and condition of the body, on age. Hornet sting is especially dangerous for a person who is prone to allergies, who may have complications in the form of Quincke's edema, when laryngeal edema and suffocation, or anaphylactic shock occurs. With a strong increase in heart rate, even cardiac arrest is possible. Such situations are deadly and require urgent medical attention.

Important!

If the attack of deadly insects occurs repeatedly, then the consequences for the body will be necessarily more severe than in the first case. A strong negative reaction is also observed if a hornet bites a child due to an imperfect immune system. The place where the hornet stung also matters for the state of the victim. The greatest danger is bites in the head or neck, as well as in areas where arteries and large blood vessels pass.

First aid after a bite

If there was an attack of a black-striped big wasp on a person, then it is necessary to give him first aid as soon as possible with a hornet bite:

1. Move away with the victim away from the place of attack of the insect, plant and loosen tight-fitting clothing (collar, belt, etc.).
2. Visually inspect the affected area for detection of the left sting and remove it from the skin with tweezers.
3. Try to suck the poison out of the wound as quickly as possible.
4. Wash the place with cold water, treat and disinfect with alcohol, a solution of potassium permanganate or soap, wiping with a cotton swab to remove the pathogenic bacteria.
5. You can attach a moist piece of sugar, which will help partially delay the poisonous liquid, but no more than 10 minutes.
6. To neutralize the toxic poison for the treatment, acids are used in the form of squeezed juice of lemon, onion, cucumber or acetylsalicylic acid.
7. Apply ice or a frozen product wrapped in polyethylene to help anesthetize the tissue.
8. Give a person an antihistamine when determining an allergic reaction: loratadine, dexamethasone, suprastin, etc.
9. If the bite occurred in the throat or mouth, then doctors must be consulted, because there may be breathing problems;
10. Seek help from specialists if the condition is alarming.

Information for allergy sufferers

It is especially important to find out what to do with a hornet bite at home, to people who are predisposed to allergic reactions. There are special rules of conduct for them:

1. It is imperative to always have an effective anti-allergenic drug with you, prolonged-acting agents include: Cetrin, Claritin, Erius, Fexofenadine, etc.
2. Have in the medicine cabinet preparations for the elimination of toxins: activated or white coal, Polysorb, Smecta, Enterosgel, etc.
3. Issue a special medical passport with possible reactions, which contains information about drugs and their effects to relieve negative symptoms.
4. Inform relatives and friends about a possible allergy to insect bites or other types of illness.

In order to properly deal with insect bites, you must clearly know what you can not do:

• rub the bitten place or press on it;
• try to squeeze out the poison;
• cauterize or warm the wound and the surrounding area;
• smear the bite with iodine or brilliant green;

Important!

It is strictly forbidden to take alcoholic drinks inside the patient, since they can enhance the effect of poison and swelling. It should be borne in mind that some consequences do not appear immediately, but on the second day after the bite. It is impossible to determine exactly how much a bitten place will hurt.

Post-bite treatment

A large part of tourists or travelers traveling to nature incorrectly assemble a first-aid kit. Therefore, to treat a hornet bite, you can use various plants that are found in the forest and will help to cope with such a problem.

Herbal remedies for hornet sting will help relieve swelling and redness:

• plantain juice and leaves;
• chopped parsley greens;
• aloe leaf and juice;
• dandelion juice.

Before use, all leaves must be washed, then with the chosen product anointed the bite or put on pulp, then bandaged with a clean handkerchief. Change the therapeutic mass every 20 minutes.

If the condition of the victim is not accompanied by allergic symptoms, then it is not necessary to consult a doctor. The negative consequences after a bite can be treated independently with the help of medications:

• ointments Fenistil-gel, Soventol, Mosquitol balm, Hydrocortisone, etc. - to lubricate the bite, which will help to anesthetize and relieve swelling;
• with increasing temperature: antipyretic drugs;
• drink more liquids: sweet tea, compotes, fruit drinks.

In order to cure the consequences after a bite of stinging insects as soon as possible, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will assess the patient's condition and prescribe symptomatic treatment. In the presence of an allergic reaction, he can prescribe an injection with adrenaline, which will help stimulate the work of the heart and improve the expansion of the respiratory tract.

Hornet Bite Prevention

In order not to think about what will happen if a hornet bites, it is best to know the rules of conduct that will prevent this situation:

• Before starting a picnic in the forest, carefully inspect the selected place, check for stinging insects and their nests;
• if a hornet cocoon house is found, move away from it at least 5 m;
• in order to avoid aggression and hornets attack, one should not start waving arms when they appear, but behave calmly;
• Do not touch the nest of stinging insects, try to get them or smoke them;
• categorically it’s impossible to kill a hornet near his colony, because when he dies he emits a smell that signals help to his brethren, which will inevitably lead to their mass attack;
• if you want to enjoy fruits, you should first examine them for the presence of insects;
• hornets can be attracted by chance using perfumes with fruity or floral scents, so it’s best not to use them at risk.

A person who has been attacked by a hornet may die from the bite of even one of them. Therefore, it is better to behave carefully and not provoke them to aggression. If it so happened that the predator attacked and bit, then the best option would be to urgently see a doctor in order to avoid negative consequences for health.