Hornets evoke legitimate fear - their stings are not only very painful, but can also end up in hospital, serious complications, and even death. Hornet stings are dangerous for everyone, but especially for allergy sufferers and young children. What to do if you are stung by a hornet? And what to do when a hornet stings a child?
The European hornet, otherwise known as the dangerous hornet, is an insect that commonly occurs throughout Poland. It is easy to meet in meadows, parks, gardens, and even on a playground, street or in your own bedroom - due to the fact that the natural habitats of hornets have been largely destroyed or disappeared, among others. as a result of industrialization and deforestation, hornets more and more often live in areas inhabited by people.
In natural conditions, hornets build nests in hollows and in the canopy of deciduous trees (mainly oaks), but they can also be found more and more often in attics and attics, bird nesting boxes, under eaves or even in hollows and holes in the walls buildings.
What does a hornet look like?
The hornet looks like a wasp, but it is easy to distinguish from it by its size - on average, hornets are about 2-3 cm long (the queen of this species is about 3.5 cm long), so they are the largest of all insects, that can sting us.
The hornets living in Poland have a black body with red spots and a yellow abdomen with black stripes. There is a clearly visible yellow spot on their head.
See the gallery of 6 photos
Can a hornet sting kill?
Hornets are less aggressive than wasps and are more difficult to provoke to attack. Once stung, however, their bite is much more painful and reactions to the sting are more severe than to bee or wasp stings. The hornet's sting is much bigger (that's why the sting hurts more). Moreover, when the hornet attacks, it releases more venom. While a wasp injects up to 3.1 micrograms of venom, and a bee - about 70-80 micrograms of venom, a hornet - even 260 micrograms (if it empties the entire venom sac during an attack).
This is why the reaction to a hornet sting can be very dangerous - and being stung by several hornets at the same time can trigger a dangerous toxic reaction. After a hornet stinganaphylactic shock may also occur.
What to do when a hornet stings?
It is worth knowing that hornets are the only Hymenoptera insects that can also sting at night. When a hornet stings, the sting must be removed as soon as possible - but this must be done very gently so as not to damage the venom sac and squeeze out the rest of the venom.
Then apply a cold compress, e.g. made of ice.
What you do next depends on how your body reacts to the sting.
After a hornet sting, the following may appear:
- swelling
- blush
- fever
- headache
- feeling broken
- chills
- excessive sleepiness
In case of swelling and erythema, simply cool the site of the sting. However, if systemic symptoms appear, prompt consultation with a doctor is necessary.
Rapid medical assistance is necessary in a situation where several hornets bite one person at a time: then the concentration of toxins can lead to disorders in the work of internal organs, including the liver and kidneys, or even to damage to the heart muscle.
A sting in the throat mucosa is very dangerous (if we swallow an insect, e.g. while eating ice cream or drinking a sweet drink). Swelling at the root of the tongue or around the throat following a sting may then make it impossible to breathe. In such a situation, the stung person must quickly choke ice or a cold drink, which will delay the swelling. You also need urgent medical attention.
A hornet sting is very dangerous for people allergic to Hymenoptera venom. They must always have an anti-shock kit (adrenaline pre-filled syringe, oral glucocorticosteroid and antihistamine) with them at all times, and medications must be in a deducted, ready-to-take dose.
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