What to do if you are bitten by a hornet: doctors warn. Urgent first aid, consequences

What are the consequences of a hornet sting?

A hornet's bite is dangerous for humans. The victim begins to suffer from intoxication, which is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• headache;
• weakness and dizziness;
• nausea and vomiting;
• heavy sweating;
• temperature jump;
• difficulty breathing;
• fever and chills;
• sometimes cramps.

Also, a hornet bite is dangerous because it can cause a heartbeat disorder, sometimes the heart stops. The consequences for all people are different, their severity depends on many factors, such as: the general condition of the body and its protective properties, the presence of allergies, age, chronic diseases. The severity of the consequences also depends on where the bite occurred: the greatest danger is from bites to the head, neck and areas where the arteries approach the skin. Children suffer the consequences of intoxication most severely: due to their small body size and weaker defense system, intoxication occurs faster.

What does a bite look like?

When a sting is inserted, the hornet injects a toxic substance in an 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 this, certain initial symptoms immediately become noticeable:

• redness and swelling of tissue in the bitten area, as seen in the photo of a hornet bite;
• At the point of the bite, severe pain is felt and the skin turns pale (papule);
• swelling can spread to neighboring areas, so when a finger is bitten, the swelling spreads to the entire arm; if the lower limb is injured, then the swelling covers the entire leg;
• Tachycardia and surges in blood pressure may occur, often downward.

The signs listed above are detected in 96% of people who have been bitten by a hornet, and only 4% are among those “lucky” ones who do not have negative symptoms and there is no need for treatment.

If you compare who bites more painfully, a hornet or a wasp, then it depends on the individual reaction of the body and the type of insect. European predators sting less painfully than Asian giants, but compared to the stings of bees and wasps, the sensation is still more acute and painful.

What to do if bitten by a hornet?

Therefore, the pain shock can be pronounced. In a normal situation, it is quite difficult to predict the consequences of a bite; each person’s body reacts individually. For some, a bite can only cause pain and swelling, while for others it can end in disaster, including asphyxia, loss of consciousness and even death.

1. The first necessary condition that you need to remember is that there is no sting in the wound, only poison.
2. Try to remove the poison by sucking it out.
3. Treat the bite site with a solution of citric or acetic acid.
4. Try washing with any soap solution.
5. Treat the wound with an alcohol-containing solution or hydrogen peroxide.
6. After this, you need to apply cold with wet sugar. This reduces the risk of poison spreading throughout the body.
7. You should not drink alcohol after a bite. This will cause even more swelling and worsen the person’s condition. Bites to the neck and head area are very dangerous.
8. From folk remedies, you can use the juices of plants such as dandelion, plantain or soda solution. Onion and garlic cloves are also suitable for treatment.

Signs of an allergic reaction from a bite:

• severe headaches;
• elevated temperature;
• cardiopalmus;
• hard breath;
• pain in the abdomen.

If you have these symptoms, you need to take painkillers in tablet form. This reduces the effect of histamine. You also need to drink a lot of water to reduce poisoning.

It must be remembered that if none of the methods help with a bite, and the condition begins to worsen, call a doctor immediately.

Hornets sting and bite

The hornet is a predatory insect with powerful jaws. When biting, it is capable of digging into the skin several millimeters; the wounds take more than a week to heal, often leaving pinpoint scars. But when attacking a person, in the vast majority of cases this insect uses a sting. However, as a rule, people in their speech understand stinging by a bite.

The danger mainly lies in the toxicity of the poison that the hornets inject into the wound at the time of the bite. The effect of the toxin is not limited to the area of ​​contact, but spreads throughout the body.

The blow of the sting is extremely painful, the sensations are comparable to the simultaneous attack of several wasps (if stung by an ordinary European hornet) or the blow of a hot nail (giant Asian one).

The consequences of a sting can be very serious, especially for people with a low pain sensitivity threshold, children, the elderly and allergy sufferers. The hornet's venom can even kill a person, especially if the insect stings the area of ​​the temples, mouth or throat, and also if the person is attacked by a whole flock of insects.

The most dangerous insects are found on the territory of the Japanese islands (Asian giant hornets), their attacks often result in hospitalization and sometimes have fatal consequences for the victims.

An attack by other species of hornets that live, in particular, in Russia and many European countries, can have fatal consequences, but in most cases, an insect attack ends with painful sensations at the site of the bite and a deterioration in health for several hours.

What to do if bitten by a hornet

Correct and competent actions during the first 15–20 minutes after a hornet sting will help to avoid many threatening consequences for a person and may even save a life if that person suffers from allergic reactions. The main thing in such a situation is to do all manipulations quickly and decisively.

First aid

If after a hornet attack it is not possible to take the victim to the hospital, then he needs to be provided with first aid, which consists of the following actions:

Inspection of the affected area. First of all, experts advise performing a visual inspection of the bite site for the presence of a sting or its remains.

If you manage to see a foreign object, you need to very carefully pull it out using disinfected tweezers.

Treatment of the wound. After removing the sting, it is recommended to treat the area with any disinfectant (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide solution, weak solution of potassium permanganate)

In the absence of antibacterial drugs, washing the wound with plenty of clean water is allowed.

Cryotherapy. In order to prevent the spread of a toxic substance through tissue cells, it is necessary to apply a cold compress, a small piece of ice, any frozen product, etc. to the skin.

Relieving itching. Experts advise to alleviate a person’s condition and relieve severe itching at the site of the bite using saline solution, crushed acetylsalicylic acid tablets, fresh cucumber juice, fresh parsley or dandelion greens.

Taking antiallergic drugs. To relieve or prevent allergies, the victim needs to take any antihistamine: Suprastin, Pipolfen, etc.

First aid to a person must necessarily be accompanied by providing him with plenty of drink, for example, warm tea, which will make it possible to significantly reduce the signs of poisoning in the body. Find out how long a bee lives.

Pharmacy remedies against bites

After a person has suffered from the negative effects of an insect, it is recommended in any case to take an antiallergic drug:

• "Suprastin";
• "Cetrin";
• "Erius";
• "Claritin."

In addition, special ointments and balms will help relieve itching, swelling and swelling at the site of the bite, among which the following are effective:

• "Fenistil gel";
• "Moskitol";
• "Soventol";
• "Gardex Family";
• "Psilo-balm."

Insect bites are often accompanied by an increase in temperature. However, experts do not advise lowering the temperature if it is below 38 degrees. A slight increase in temperature will allow you to quickly deal with toxins.

Important! Antihistamines should always be in your home medicine cabinet, because in special cases they can save a person’s life

Use of folk remedies

You can reduce pain after an insect attack, reduce tissue swelling and remove severe itching using folk remedies. In nature, plants will help overcome the main symptoms of bites - plantain leaf, dandelion juice, chopped parsley, which are applied to the affected area and left for several minutes.

In a home or apartment, it is recommended to use the following products:

• aloe juice or pulp;
• crushed aspirin tablet;
• weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate;
• compress of: 0.5 tsp. citric acid, ½ cup vinegar and 250 ml water;
• saline-soda solution.

Similar home remedies are applied in this way:

• the affected area is treated with clean water or an antiseptic;
• Aloe pulp, plantain leaf, chopped herbs are applied to the area and covered with a clean cloth;
• make new compresses every 15–20 minutes until the condition improves.

If an insect stings the tongue or mucous membranes, traditional healers suggest immediately eating 2-3 cloves of garlic or drinking 1 tbsp. l. wine vinegar, then seek help from a doctor.

Did you know? In biblical times, hymenoptera were used as weapons. Clay containers were filled with insects and thrown by catapults into enemy pens. The hornets flew out of the pots and attacked everything that got in their way.

Difference from bee, wasp, bumblebee

Spring and summer are the height of the active life of insects. Usually people do not see the difference between a wasp, a bee, a bumblebee and a hornet. How are they different from each other? Let's look at the comparative characteristics in the table.

The hornet can also be confused with other insects.

1. The gadfly is distinguished by its smaller size and color, which is dominated by gray and black shades. It belongs to synanthropic flies. Only one species attacks humans: the human skin botfly, which lives in Central America.
2. The difference between Scolia and Hornet is in size. Its length is about 3 cm in females and 4.5 cm in males. There is also a difference in color - Scolia is almost all black, with only two yellow spots.
3. A drone is a male honey bee. The difference from the hornet is in size (no more than 1.5–1.8 cm), less bright color and lack of a sting.

Let's summarize. The hornet is a large, brightly colored insect from the genus of social wasps. It has jaws and a sting hidden at the tip of the abdomen. People are bitten most often due to the instinct of self-preservation. This is facilitated by the fact that nests are often created in close proximity to human habitation. The consequences of a hornet sting are dangerous due to the appearance of an allergic reaction, with possible death from anaphylactic shock. Especially if the insect stung several times or a child, an elderly or senile person was injured. In this case, you should definitely seek professional medical help. If there was no allergy, then the inflammation goes away within a few days.

Why is a hornet sting dangerous for humans?

Meeting a hornet can sometimes be deadly for people. To attack the enemy, it releases two main weapons at once: on the one hand, it is a sting through which poison is injected, on the other hand, the insect bites with fairly powerful jaws.

What does a hornet bite look like and features?

The hornet is the most dangerous and poisonous Hymenoptera. Its bite is accompanied by pain, itching, and swelling. The stinging representative of the wasps releases poison, causing severe pain. In this case, the intensity of the pain will depend on the amount of toxic substance released. It should be noted that the hornet has twice as much toxic mixture as the bee.

The characteristics of the bite are complemented by the composition of the poison, the main active ingredients of which are:

• histamine, which provokes an immediate allergic reaction;
• acetylcholine, which contributes to severe pain;
• biogenic amines that provoke arrhythmia and rapid breathing;
• phospholipases, which cause cellular destruction, resulting in hemorrhage and suppuration;
• protein compounds that provoke the breakdown of cellular compounds that belong to the immune system.

Important! A hornet, unlike a bee, can bite multiple times. A Hymenoptera bite can be recognized by the following signs:

A Hymenoptera bite can be recognized by the following signs:

• swelling and swelling in the place where the parasite bit;
• acute pain at the point of impact of the sting and the appearance of a dense white papule;
• rapid spread of redness and swelling to other areas.

The human body's reaction to bites can vary. However, it can cause the most serious consequences in children and adolescents under 15 years of age, in whom the process of toxin poisoning occurs at an instantaneous pace, which is why experts advise immediately consulting a doctor.

Main symptoms of a bite

A hornet sting is accompanied by redness, swelling and swelling of the tissue at the site of the sting.

In addition, it can cause:

• increased body temperature;
• heavy sweating;
• rapid heartbeat and surges in blood pressure;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• nausea, dizziness, sometimes vomiting;
• confusion of speech.

Often, a person injured by an insect develops cyanosis of the lips, mucous membranes of the mouth, ears, and the lower and upper extremities begin to get cold.

If a person has an increased tendency to allergic reactions, then he may experience:

• allergic rashes in the form of hives, itching or rash on the skin;
• swelling of the eyelids and soft tissues;
• bronchospasms, laryngeal edema;
• feeling of suffocation in the chest;
• asphyxia, lack of oxygen;
• anaphylactic shock.

Important! As soon as an insect stings in the area of ​​a blood vessel, in the neck or head, a person can expect loss of consciousness, the development of convulsions, and acute hemorrhage in the eyes

A bite of an insect

The hornet's sting is remembered forever by the victim, even if the attacker was a calm and non-aggressive European representative. Many victims say it is comparable to an electric shock or a dagger. Indeed, this hymenoptera creature stings very painfully, and the consequences of the bite make themselves felt for a long time.

The severity of a hornet bite largely depends on the location where the insect injected its venom. The most dangerous areas are considered to be the head and neck area. At the same time, the tissues of the larynx, esophagus, upper respiratory tract and glands swell. If qualified assistance is not provided in a timely manner, the victim may suffocate.

Swelling occurs almost immediately after a hornet sting

Caution - hornet: video

Why is poison dangerous: possible complications

It is dangerous for hornet venom to enter the bloodstream, since allergens can quickly spread throughout all organs . Once in the brain, it can cause hemorrhage and swelling. A negative effect on the heart can be expressed in the form of paralysis of the heart muscle.

The body's reaction to repeated hornet stings is unpredictable. There is a dependence of the consequences of a bite on the amount of poison injected.

There are known cases when hornets, due to the inability to sting an enemy (for example, in the presence of a mosquito net), threw poison directly into the face. If it gets into the eyes, it can cause a burn to the retina.

The closer the bite is to vital organs, the higher the likelihood of serious consequences. Allergy sufferers and children are the most sensitive to the venom of hymenoptera insects.

The younger the child, the more dangerous a hornet bite is for him

Hornet venom contains:

• histamine, which instantly triggers an allergic reaction;
• acetylcholine, which sharply increases the activity of the nervous system, thereby increasing pain;
• biogenic amines, which provoke increased respiration and heart rate;
• phospholipases, which are the most dangerous substances in the poison, are capable of destroying cell walls, which leads to extensive hemorrhages and inflammatory processes;
• crabroline and mastopran are protein substances that can destroy mast cells and increase the release of histamine by the body itself.

All these components in large quantities, once in the human body, can be fatal if antihistamines are not used immediately. That is why in the spring-summer period, when going into nature, you should have at least some kind of anti-allergic drug with you.

First signs of a bite

When a hornet stings, a sharp, unbearable pain permeates the entire part of the body where the insect stung. And then within 5–20 minutes the following symptoms develop:

• swelling accompanied by severe redness. The tumor grows before our eyes;
• the temperature at the site of the bite rises sharply. The body seems to be “burning”;
• burning and increased pain when touching anything;
• itching, the intensity of which gradually appears.

An allergic reaction to a hornet sting is expressed by severe swelling and redness of a large area of ​​skin

Serious consequences for humans

In the future, if the sensations become unbearable, we can talk about serious intoxication of the body. Subsequently, under the influence of toxins on various organs, the following signs of poisoning by hornet venom appear:

• nausea and dizziness;
• vomiting and severe headache;
• decreased blood pressure;
• feeling of coldness in the extremities;
• chills;
• difficulty speaking;
• dyspnea;
• blue lips and ears;
• diarrhea;
• swollen lymph nodes;
• tissue necrosis;
• multiple pinpoint hemorrhages under the skin;
• hematomas;
• increased sweating;
• tightness in the chest;
• arrhythmia and tachycardia;
• Quincke's edema;
• hives;
• muscle cramps;
• loss of consciousness.

If no measures are taken, cardiac arrest may occur.

Distinctive characteristics

The ovipositor of a bee differs from that of a wasp in color: in the former insects it has a black, brown or gray tint, while in the latter there are bright yellow stripes. The wasp's sting is smooth and quickly comes out when pressed, while the bee's sting is jagged, making it difficult to move. Insects can sting in different ways, causing serious consequences: swelling, rash.

Gadflies are considered the most dangerous, as they bite off the skin of the victim, leaving eggs inside. Allergy sufferers need protection from hornets and bees. Doctors have proven that bee venom is beneficial for a healthy person. It not only normalizes blood pressure, but also strengthens the immune system, dissolving cholesterol, and having a positive effect on blood flow.

After stinging, the bee leaves part of the abdomen with internal organs on the victim, and later dies. It is difficult to remove a foreign body from the skin due to the presence of teeth.

How and with what does a hornet bite?

The hornets' weapon of defense against enemy attacks is a sting located at the bottom of 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.

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

When a person simply walks by and does not touch the hornet, then it will never attack itself. But in the event of sudden movements, an attempt to kill or catch him, he will not only bite the offender, but also, with the help of pheromones released when the sting is inserted, will call all his brothers to help. And then an attack by a whole flock is possible, which is capable of biting the victim to death.

Every year in Asian countries, 70-100 people die from hornet bites, which most often occurs when a large family is attacked 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 represented by more than 20 injections of insect stings.

How to avoid an attack?

Hornets are not curious like regular wasps or bees. These hymenopterans are not interested in people until they are close to the nest. Only by defending its home and life (its own or that of its relatives) will an insect rush headlong into battle. The danger of a hornet attack is that, sensing outside aggression, they begin to secrete a special anxiety hormone, which activates other individuals from the colony.

1. If you happen to be close to an insect, then you should not make sudden movements or try to kill the hornet. This will only make him angry. It’s better to wait quietly and calmly for him to fly away.
2. When going outdoors, you don’t need to wear sweet scents or wear bright clothes.
3. You should not stop near a Hymenoptera nest. Having stumbled upon a hornet's home, it is better to retreat as quickly as possible - these insects do not pursue strangers over long distances.
4. If the hornets try to bite, it is better to take refuge in some isolated room, car, or dive into the water and stay there as long as possible.

Hornets attack: video

Only coordinated actions in the event of a hornet bite will help to avoid the dangerous consequences caused by the insect's venom. Don't panic. The speed and correctness of manipulations, timely (if necessary) contact with a doctor will alleviate the victim’s condition and speed up his recovery.

The hornet's bite is one of the most dangerous among the bites of other flying insects found in our country. Attacks by a stinging insect should be feared throughout the warm season, especially in nature, in rural areas, but city residents are not immune from them. Like wasps, hornets are capable of making several stings in a row, since most often they do not lose their sting after an attack. And the sensations in the event of a hornet sting are similar to a wasp attack: a sharp piercing pain, in some cases the state of health worsens

And it is important to know what actions to take after such an incident.

• severe itching around the bitten area
• severe weakness, feeling of lightheadedness, nausea
• increased sweating
• tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)
• sudden and severe headache
• feeling of suffocation, shortness of breath
• febrile symptoms - fever, chills
• pallor or even blueness of the skin on the face, neck, ears
• a sudden change in blood pressure with accompanying symptoms is possible
• seizures (relatively rare)

It is important to remember that the lower the body weight, the more dangerous it is for health if poison enters the body

Therefore, if a small child is bitten, it is necessary to show increased attention to his condition and try to provide help as quickly as possible. Moreover, the child himself cannot monitor his condition

The danger also increases when there are several biting insects. One of the most serious risks from a hornet sting is the so-called anaphylactic shock, when the body’s allergic reaction can develop so rapidly that a life-threatening condition occurs before it is possible to receive full medical care.

Symptoms when stung

When stung (bited) by a hornet, the following is noted:

• Acute throbbing pain at the site of the sting, swelling and inflammation of the surrounding area. Insect venom contains substances that destroy the walls of cells and small blood vessels, and irritate nerve endings. This causes pain and hemorrhages - from small local to extensive hematomas; after some time, in severe cases, suppuration occurs.
• Signs of intoxication - dizziness, headache, increased body temperature, nausea, necrotic tissue damage at the wound site. The toxic components of the poison have a poisonous effect on the body, worsening overall health for several hours, sometimes days. But with a single bite, these symptoms, as a rule, do not occur, especially if a person in good health was attacked.
• Severe allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock. They pose the greatest danger, but are registered only in isolated cases. This reaction of the body is expressed in the inability to resist the poison, extensive swelling of various parts of the body, difficulty or cessation of breathing, and loss of consciousness. Hornet venom contains histamine, which “triggers” and intensifies allergic reactions. The victim may die if he does not receive medical attention.

Another danger that hornets pose lies in their predatory habits. Often these insects attack honey bees, destroying entire hives, which greatly annoys beekeepers.

In general, collisions between humans and hornets do not often end in an attack by these insects. Their disposition, especially large individuals, is relatively peaceful. For example, related groups of insects - ants and wasps - are much more aggressive.

The hornet attacks when there is a direct threat to its life: a person crushes or grabs the insect, tries to destroy its nest, or comes too close to it.

The danger increases significantly when several insects attack, which is not so rare, because hornets lead a gregarious lifestyle, and in a situation of conflict they attack the enemy together.

A menacing buzzing makes many people anxious, and if something similar to a hornets’ nest appears in sight, there is a desire to get as far away from the dangerous place as possible. This is how people react to a potential threat. And this is correct, because the maximum risk of a bite occurs within a radius of 2–3 m from the nest.

Who is a hornet and why is it dangerous to humans? What to do if it bites and what could be the consequences? How to get rid of them and how do they differ from bees, wasps and bumblebees? Let's figure it out.

What to do

Before providing first aid, you need to understand what to do if you are bitten by a hornet.

It is important to remain calm, because in a stressful state the victim will not receive the necessary help, which can have a detrimental effect on his overall well-being

If the victim is prone to allergic reactions, he should always carry “his weapon” with him - a medical certificate that specifies the characteristics of the allergy and medications that need to be taken in an emergency. If a person has been bitten by flying predators, and he does not have this information, he should contact his family to find out if he is allergic to anything.

First aid

First aid for a bite should be provided according to the following scheme:

the victim needs to be seated in a comfortable place, the chest freed from the squeezing collar, and the belt unfastened; if a hornet sting kills it on a person’s body, there may be pieces of the sting under the skin, they need to be carefully pulled out with tweezers disinfected in alcohol; the stung area should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or another antiseptic; Next, you need to apply cold to the affected area (it will slightly reduce swelling and dull pain); To avoid allergies, the victim should be given an antihistamine

ethnoscience

Since ancient times, healers have treated bites of various insects with herbs, decoctions, and infusions.

If hornet stings are treated with traditional medicine, only natural ingredients are used:

• to relieve swelling and redness, you can apply aloe juice, a plantain leaf, or any herbs (dill, parsley) to the painful area;
• to neutralize the poison, you can treat the wound with fruits of high acidity, for example lemon, orange, apple;
• To relieve inflammation, disinfect the bite site with finely chopped or crushed garlic.

If you receive a bite in the arm or leg, you can apply a slice of green or red tomato to the wound and secure the limb with a bandage. You can use raw potatoes in the same way, after chopping them on a grater.

Medicines for allergic reactions

To prevent serious consequences from a hornet attack, you should know what to do if you are bitten. Allergy sufferers should always have antihistamines with them.

The most common are:

• Suprastinex;
• Fexofenadine;
• Cetrin;
• Claritin;
• Erius.

To alleviate the general condition of the victim, Fenistil-gel, “Rescuer” balm, Fluorocort, Psilo-balm are also suitable.

Information for allergy sufferers

It is especially important for people who are predisposed to allergic reactions to learn what to do if they are bitten by a hornet at home. There are special rules of behavior for them:

1. It is imperative to always have an effective anti-allergenic drug with you; long-acting agents include: Cetrin, Claritin, Erius, Fexofenadine, etc.
2. Have drugs in your medicine cabinet to remove toxins: activated or white carbon, Polysorb, Smecta, Enterosgel, etc.
3. Draw up a special medical passport with possible reactions, which contains information about medications and their effects to relieve negative symptoms.
4. Inform family and friends about possible allergies to insect bites or other types of illness.

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

• rub the bitten area or put pressure on it;
• try to squeeze out the poison;
• cauterize or heat the wound and surrounding area;
• smear the bite site with iodine or brilliant green;

When an insect leaves a sting when biting

This situation is unusual for wasps. The female quickly draws her weapon and rushes away. Even if it remains under the skin, the insect does not die, it continues to live. The sting after a wasp sting remains at the site of the lesion if it was swatted during this process. The body fell away, but the rod remained inside. This situation rarely happens, since intuitively a person brushes the insect away or shakes his hand or foot to get rid of it.

After a sting, bees leave a sting, since their weapons differ in structure and appearance. It has many serrations that allow it to easily penetrate the skin, but do not allow it to escape back. To fly away, the bee makes a jerk, part of the abdomen comes off. The insect soon dies, and the abdomen remaining at the site of the bite continues to pulsate, delivering new portions of poison into the blood. For this reason, it needs to be removed as soon as possible.

Pulling out a wasp sting, if it still remains at the site of the bite, is very simple.

1. You need to use a needle or tweezers. Tools should be wiped with alcohol and disinfected.
2. In the first case, you can remove it with a needle like an ordinary splinter; in the second, you fix it at the base and gently pull it towards you.
3. It should be taken out millimeters at a time. Otherwise, the wasp weapon will break, part of it will remain under the skin.

Bite symptoms

The hornet does not leave a sting when it bites, so it can sting several times. This feature distinguishes it from bees. A large number of bites can be fatal to humans. Especially if you are allergic to wasp venom.

Symptoms that develop from a hornet bite:

• sharp, severe pain;
• swelling, redness;
• itching, burning at the bite site;
• increase in body temperature to high numbers;
• possibly manifestations of allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock.

The severity of symptoms depends on the age, initial condition of the victim, and the number of bites.

How to behave when surrounded by Hymenoptera?

There are situations when arriving at a dacha or in the forest confronts people with the fact that after their long winter absence, this territory is already occupied by wasps or hornets. In mid-April, the female begins to build her nest, designating the habitat in this area. If time is lost, the hornets have seriously and permanently settled on the site, you need to choose the right behavioral tactics to avoid a hornet bite.

If you are bitten by a hornet, take an antihistamine

Under no circumstances should you touch a nest that is found in the yard, hanging from the branches or located under the roof, or even approach it, not to mention stirring it with a stick. Angry insects will immediately rush towards the offender. You need to behave calmly and not provoke the “big wasps” to attack with sudden movements. An insect that lands on the body should not be killed. Firstly, you can get a portion of poison. Secondly, the enzyme secreted by hornets in case of danger serves as an alarm signal for relatives who immediately rush to help. When traveling outside the city, wear comfortable clothing, without bright colors, that protects the body, and closed shoes. Avoid perfumes with a strong smell. If, nevertheless, a decision is made to get rid of the hornets on the site and from the nest first, this must be done in overalls covering the body and gloves

Pay special attention to protecting the head, face, and eyes in particular. There have been cases when, through a mosquito protective net, the poison shot from the sting penetrated the mucous membrane of the eye and caused a burn to the retina. Having picked an apple or pear from a branch, the fruit must be carefully examined before washing and biting.

You can often find a hornet hidden in the ripe pulp.

Tactful behavior towards these highly organized insects will yield results. Some people live peacefully with hornets for years. In response to this, the striped “hard workers” protect their crops from garden pests, catching them and feeding them to the larvae. If such a nuisance as a hornet bite does happen, you need to be prepared to neutralize the unpleasant consequences.

How to get rid of hornets

Correct behavior will avoid bites and, if possible, save the life of a beneficial insect. How to deal with hornets?

Smells that repel them:

• soapy;
• essential oils contained in red hot pepper;
• aroma of mint, geranium, basil, wormwood;
• smoke.

If a hornet has flown into a room, it will explore the space in search of a way out until it finds one. Therefore, to get rid of it in a house or apartment, the best solution is to simply open the window wider and allow it to get out. If you try to catch it using a jar or vacuum cleaner, there is a chance of being bitten.

Remedies for hornets:

• insecticides - Get, "Medilis-Super", "Delta-Zone", aerosol from wasp nests Mosquitall;
• traps - Argus Garden, Swissinno Wasp Trap;
• smoke bombs - “Mukhoyar”, “Quiet Evening”, “FAS”, “City”;
• ultrasonic or acoustic insect repeller - EcoSniper LS-989, Sititek Flash, Grad Ultra 3D, Weitech WK-0180;
• insecticidal lamps - Well, Mo-El, Hilton.

What else are hornets afraid of? They are repelled by plants - basil, geranium, mint, lemon balm, wormwood, hanging red pepper pods. With their help, you can get rid of hornets in your garden, yard or attic of a private house. It is enough to plant or lay out dry plants near the nest and after a while the insects themselves will prefer to move to another place.

Hornet sting: harm of poison and consequences of toxic effects

Consequences of a hornet sting

If a person who is predisposed 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 sting:

• feeling of nausea, possible vomiting;
• a sharp decrease in the temperature of the extremities, increased sweating;
• blueness of the face, eyelids, neck and ears, swelling of the lymph nodes;
• the tissue around the wound begins to swell greatly;
• shortness of breath or an attack of suffocation may occur;
• dizziness, difficulty speaking and loss of consciousness, which often occurs in children or adults with weak immune systems;
• signs of urticaria: red spots all over the body, peeling of the skin.

The bite of this insect is more painful than a bite from a bee or wasp. It all depends on the individual body’s ability to tolerate pain. If a sting occurs, it is advisable to help the person as quickly as possible. Hornets have a needle with which they can pierce the human body repeatedly. Individuals from Asia are more poisonous than European ones. The bite is accompanied by sharp pain with severe swelling. May cause: severe pain and hemorrhage followed by suppuration.

The hornet has powerful jaws. His bites are very deep. The wounds take almost a week to heal. When attacking a person, hornets use a sting that leaves scars in the form of dots, but they can also simply bite with their claws. The poison is dangerous because it is toxic and can poison the body. The bite is very painful and the consequences can be unpredictable.

Bites pose the greatest danger to those people who have an allergic reaction. They can worsen a person’s condition from several hours to 2-3 days. The bite is dangerous because the body of a person with allergies does not fight well against the effects of the poison. As a result, large swelling and difficulty breathing may occur.

Who are these hornets

Hornets belong to the wasp family, but this genus is distinguished by its large size and aggressiveness. There are 23 species of such insects living in different parts of the world. On the territory of Russia you can meet different representatives: both giant Asian and small European ones.

To recognize this insect, you need to know its color. After all, many people confuse these “social” wasps with large horse flies and bees. A characteristic feature that distinguishes hornets from other stinging insects is the presence of a brown spot in the form of an arc on the upper part of the body and the base of the abdomen of the same color. In addition, even the smallest representative of hornets is almost 2 times larger than the largest wasp.

Large individuals are the most aggressive and dangerous to people. If a person is allergic to wasp and bee stings, then a hornet attack is fraught with mortal danger. Moreover, this insect can sting several times in a row, even on the fly, injecting a new dose of poison with each bite. To do this, it is not necessary to sit on the victim’s body.

The larger the individual, the more poison that enters the victim’s body when bitten, and the more dangerous the consequences. Therefore, the bite of Japanese giant hornets is considered the most terrible. About 40 people die every year from their attacks alone.

The hornet's sting is absolutely smooth and straight

Such different and dangerous hornets in the photo

The Asian hornet is terrifying, but quite peaceful

The eastern hornet is the most aggressive

The smallest representative of hornets is the European one.

The black hornet settles in the nests of other insect species

Japanese hornets are among the most poisonous

Hornet sting: first aid

After a hornet attack, inspect the bite site: if there are sting particles in the wound, you need to carefully remove them with tweezers. Be sure to remove tight, tight clothing and any rings from your fingers.

Carefully wash the affected area with soap and water, then disinfect with an alcohol solution - this will neutralize the infection that could be on the sting. To prevent allergic shock, you should take an antihistamine

To avoid a sharp drop in blood pressure, it is better for the victim to take Cordiamine. If the bitten person does not have problems with blood vessels, you need to apply cold to the affected area and consult a doctor for medical help.

Give the victim plenty of fluids, preferably sweetened water or warm sweet tea. Under no circumstances should you give alcohol, as it increases swelling. When observing anaphylactic shock in a victim, you should begin performing artificial ventilation and chest compressions, without stopping until medical help arrives.

Who is the hornet

This is the largest representative of the so-called paper or social wasps. Their Latin name is Vespa, which literally translates as “wasp”. However, these are different insects that belong to the same family - true wasps.

Initially, no difference was made between the two representatives, and only in the 19th century the Vespa genus was divided into two groups. The description was based on several characteristics, but the main one was size - hornets are larger and can reach a length of up to 5.5 cm. Insects that are today considered wasps are designated in Latin as Vespula, that is, “small wasp.” Their size is 1.5–2 cm in length.

Does the wasp bite or sting?

The wasp is known to have a sting. But it turns out that not every individual has it, but only females. With its help they defend themselves or attack. A wasp hive is mainly filled with females, so it is believed that all individuals have a sting.

These insects are also armed with sharp, strong jaws that can easily bite through chitin. A wasp bites when attacked by insects. But when faced with a person, she uses a sting to release her poison from him. She does not stop at one bite, but tries to hit the person several more times in order to inject as much poison as possible. Depending on the age, type and volume of poison, the wasp stings at least 5 times.

Who are hornets

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

Hornets are also tireless builders, constructing cocoon-like nests from pieces of bark, which can be hung in the forest on trees, in hollows, or near human habitation: in the attic, in a barn, etc. In such houses, the female lays eggs, and all working individuals are engaged in obtaining food and feeding their insatiable and fast-growing offspring.

First aid

After a hornet sting, you need to provide first aid to the injured person in order to prevent the development of serious complications:

• The affected area should be treated with cotton wool, previously soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. You can also use hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. The affected area should be washed with running cool water.
• To slow down the effect of toxins, it is recommended to apply ice or a heating pad with cold water to the bite site. If you don't have a heating pad, you can use a bottle of cold water.
• To reduce pain and relieve itching, it is recommended to lubricate the bite area with powdered aspirin (one tablet is enough). You can also apply a pain-relieving plant to the bite site. A leaf of plantain, parsley, and a slice of onion will do.
• The victim should drink a lot.
• If the bite was made in the larynx or tongue, you should urgently consult a doctor. This is a very dangerous condition, as swelling of the larynx may develop and the person may die.

Consequences

The hornet's bite is stronger than that of a common wasp, but weaker than that of a bee. The reaction of the victim’s body can be very serious, including death from anaphylactic shock. The risk of dying from a hornet sting increases for the following population groups:

• children;
• elderly and senile people;
• patients with a history of allergies, chronic diseases of the heart, blood vessels, and respiratory organs.

The severity of symptoms and the possibility of developing complications depends on the health status of the victim.

If there was no allergic reaction of the body, then the inflammation caused by the hornet sting goes away in a few days. This can be judged by the reduction in swelling, redness, and pain in the wound area.

The damaged area may itch for some time. How to relieve itching after a hornet bite? It is enough to apply cold. If this is one of the symptoms of an allergic reaction, then you should consult a doctor who will prescribe antihistamines.

How to treat bites

To alleviate the condition of the victim, it is necessary to take measures to provide first aid.

As already mentioned above, it is necessary to give any antihistamine to the person stung by the hornet as soon as possible. It could be:

• Diphenhydramine;
• Cetrin;
• Claritin;
• Suprastin;
• Diazolin and others.

To prevent the poison from spreading into the deep layers of subcutaneous tissue and entering the blood, the following actions must be taken:

1. As quickly as possible, suck out the contents from the wound before it has time to heal.
2. Apply a cold compress, such as ice, to the bite site.
3. Treat the damage with alcohol, a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide to disinfect and prevent secondary infection.
4. Apply wet sugar to the affected area, covering it with a napkin. This will draw out some of the poison.
5. Give the victim plenty of fluids.
6. After 10 minutes, you need to wipe the wound and replace the sugar with a napkin soaked in citric acid or vinegar. If you don’t have food acid on hand, you can use a slice of lemon, grapefruit, sour apple, garlic or sorrel leaf. A crushed aspirin tablet will do. Since hornet venom is alkaline, acid neutralizes it.

Medical assistance

It is necessary to urgently seek help from doctors in cases where:

• the victim’s health is deteriorating;
• the victim is a child or teenager, regardless of his condition;
• the bites were multiple;
• a hornet stung you in the mouth or eye;
• the victim is prone to allergies of various kinds.

How to anoint the bite site: treatment at home

In cases where there are no signs of an increase in the allergic reaction to a hornet sting, you can continue treatment at home. To do this you should:

• take antihistamines for several days in accordance with the recommended dosage indicated in the attached instructions;
• treat the bite site with special ointments: Soventol, Moskitol, Fenistil;
• during the rehabilitation period, refuse to eat rough and solid food, replacing it with liquid cereals, soups, fruits and compotes.

What is prohibited to do

After a person has suffered from a hornet bite, under no circumstances should you:

• drink alcoholic beverages, as this will accelerate intoxication of the body due to vasodilation;
• apply a warm or hot heating pad to the bite sites, as the swelling will increase and the spread of the poison will accelerate;
• apply clay or earth to prevent infection in the wound. Tetanus is the most dangerous;
• forcefully squeeze the liquid out of the wound, as this means there is a possibility that the poison will quickly move into the deeper layers of the body;
• take Diprazine as an antihistamine, since this drug can cause an extraordinary response of the body itself to a bite;
• try to kill the insect so as not to attract other individuals;
• ignore the hornet sting and refuse the necessary help.

First aid after a bite

If a large black-striped wasp attacks a person, then it is necessary to provide him with first aid as quickly as possible for a hornet sting:

1. Move with the victim away from the site of the insect attack, sit down and loosen tight-fitting clothing (collar, belt, etc.).
2. Visually inspect the affected area for any remaining sting and remove it from the skin using tweezers.
3. Try to suck the poison out of the wound as quickly as possible.
4. Rinse the area with cold water, treat and disinfect with alcohol, potassium permanganate solution or soap, wiping with a cotton swab to remove pathogenic bacteria.
5. You can apply a damp lump of sugar, which will help partially draw off the toxic liquid, but no more than 10 minutes.
6. To neutralize the toxic poison, acids in the form of squeezed lemon, onion, cucumber or acetylsalicylic acid are used for processing.
7. Applying ice or frozen food wrapped in plastic will help numb the tissue.
8. Give a person an antihistamine when determining an allergic reaction: Loratadine, Dexamethasone, Suprastin, etc.
9. If the bite occurs in the throat or mouth, then it is necessary to consult a doctor, as breathing problems are possible;
10. Seek help from specialists if the condition is alarming.

How dangerous are hornet stings?

The hornet's sting is both a tool for hunting and active defense. Unlike a bee, a hornet can sting a person multiple times. With each bite, this insect injects a certain amount of poison into the wound.

The hornet's venom gland contains approximately 5-6 “portions” of poison. Often, when attacked, hornets sting repeatedly in the same place, which greatly aggravates the consequences of such an “encounter” for humans. However, even a single hornet bite can be very dangerous.

Why is a hornet bite so dangerous? Here are just a few reasons for this:

• hornet venom causes quite severe pain;
• the components of the venom destroy the cell walls of the affected tissues, which leads to hemorrhages and inflammation at the site of the bite;
• in most cases, the bite causes an allergic reaction, the severity of which depends on the individual sensitivity of the stung person.

Pain and swelling at the site of the bite are observed to one degree or another in all victims. If a hornet bites a person who is sensitive to insect poisons, then in addition to these symptoms, headaches, rapid heartbeat and signs of general intoxication will appear.

The most dangerous hornet sting is for allergy sufferers. A large amount of histamine in the hornet's venom and its additional release from the decaying mast cells of the victim's tissues can lead to the development of anaphylactic shock and death even after one bite. That is why in some tropical countries several dozen people a year regularly die from hornet stings.

An important feature of the body’s reaction to a hornet sting is a constant increase in sensitivity to the components of the poison - from sting to sting. For example, if after the first bite a person may experience only swelling, then each subsequent hornet attack (for example, after a month or a year) will lead to increasingly severe consequences

It is this feature that underlies the fact that the hornet has a second name among the people - nine. It is believed that after the ninth insect bite a person will certainly die. Scientists are, of course, not so categorical on this issue, but there are still scientific prerequisites for such statements.

What kind of insects are hornets and what do they look like?

Outwardly they resemble a wasp, reaching a size of 1.8-5.5 cm. Depending on the variety, they have a large head with a black, yellowish, orange, or reddish color.
The antennae are dark brown, the jaws are black or yellow-orange. The abdomen is rounded, tightened by a thin waist. The alternation of multi-colored stripes is weakly expressed. The body is covered with hairs of different lengths. The insect has 6 legs and 2 pairs of membranous wings. In working females, at the end of the abdomen there is an ovipositor, invisible in a calm state. The sting is smooth, straight, without serrations. Hornet stings are quite painful and pose a danger to the well-being, health, and life of the injured person. An insect can sting up to 5-6 times until it uses up its supply of poison. It does not die from this, since this organ is intended for hunting and protection and is used many times. An exception is the Japanese hornet, which is distinguished by its large size (from 4 cm) and the presence of nerve toxins in its venom. This subspecies lives in Japan and is sometimes found on Sakhalin.

On a note! The common hornet is common in Russia and European countries. The species is relatively non-aggressive; it attacks humans and animals only in self-defense.

What does a hornet bite look like?

The affected area swells and turns red. The swelling quickly spreads to nearby tissues. The main difference is that after a hornet bite there is no sting. The insect is capable of stinging several times in a row at one point or making different punctures. As the poison spreads, a ring of a different color may form around the wound. Later, the skin begins to peel off or a blister forms. Severe pain is felt in the affected area. The most dangerous are the bites of Asian hornets. External manifestations are more pronounced, symptoms of general intoxication of the body appear faster.

Preventing hornet bites

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

before starting a picnic in the forest, carefully inspect the chosen place, check for the presence of stinging insects and their nests; if you find a hornet cocoon house, move at least 5 m away from it; to avoid aggression and attacks by hornets, when they appear, you should not start waving your arms, but behave calmly; you should not touch the nest of stinging insects, try to get them out, or smoke them out; it is strictly forbidden to kill a hornet near its colony, because when it dies, it emits a smell that signals help to its fellows, which will inevitably lead to their massive attack; if you want to eat fruit, you should first inspect it for the presence of insects; The attention of hornets can be accidentally attracted by using perfumes with fruity or floral scents, so it is better not to use them in risk areas.

A person who is attacked by hornets can die from the bite of even one of them

Therefore, it is better to behave carefully and not provoke them into aggression. If it happens that a predator attacks and bites, then the best option would be to immediately consult a doctor to avoid negative health consequences.

What to do to prevent a hornet from biting you

What to do to prevent an encounter with an insect from taking place: safety rules.

1. You should not touch the found nest, and you should not approach the hornets’ abode.
2. You shouldn’t liquidate a find without special clothing or equipment—and without experience.
3. When approaching, do not wave your arms or make sudden movements: this will convince the attacker of the need to attack.
4. In places where insects accumulate, it is important not to use deodorants or perfumes: scents attract insects.
5. During picnics and vacations, it is important to pay attention to desserts and sweet drinks: hornets flock to them as if they were sweets! What to do? Sweets and drinks should be hermetically packaged and covered: it is no coincidence that stings in the palate, lips, and larynx are common.
6. It is worth using repellents, and not using untested “folk” ones: many smells attract, but many are powerless as a deterrent. Thus, the hornet is attracted to the “Zvezdochka” balm and many aromatic oils. According to reviews, lavender and citrus oils recommended in “helpful tips” do not work.

Let these simple rules help you survive a hornet bite without unpleasant consequences - or reduce the likelihood of meeting a winged enemy.

A little about hornets

The hornet is a hymenopteran insect from the genus of true wasps, which explains the external similarity of these two species. Hornets most often live in families. The largest individuals have a length of up to 55 millimeters. Hornets live in nests made from chewed wood, using their own saliva as glue. They build their nests on branches and in hollows of trees, in rock crevices, in burrows, as well as in various buildings, on roofs, sometimes even in mailboxes. Their nests are round in shape and look like the nest of an ordinary wasp.

Hornets are predators that feed on smaller insect species, such as bees, although they can also feed on plant nectar. Hornets never attack first, unless a person poses a threat to them, but they consider the territory of about 20 meters around the nest to be their own, and they perceive your arrival as a manifestation of aggressiveness. When killing an insect, remember that it may have time to send an alarm signal, and then all the hornets of its family that received the signal may attack you. There are several varieties of hornets, all of them have poison of varying degrees of toxicity, the most dangerous are the Asian giant hornets.

Description and sockets

Hymenoptera or folded-winged wasps, they are large in size and significantly larger than ordinary wasps. Some sources refer to them as "social" wasps. Minimum size from 18 mm. At the same time, 25 mm individuals are also found. Women's reaches 30-35 mm.

It has a large head and horns branching in different directions from it. The color is combined, showing black and yellow-orange colors. Brownish chest with a reddish-orange tint.

The nest is paper type, large in size, usually horizontal. The grayish-brownish tint of the nest reflects the material used for construction: rotten twigs and similar little things. The size can have up to 10 tiers, occupying up to 40 cm of space in length and 60-70 in height. They live in swarms.

Note!

For nesting, they choose secluded places that are little exposed to bad weather, protected from wind and other conditions.

They are suitable for places located:

• under the arches of houses;
• on trees and bushes;
• under the roofs of buildings;
• in pipes;
• in attics and other safe places.

Its habitat is predominantly in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, but it can be found almost everywhere. It can live in:

• Europe;
• Asia;
• Ural;
• China;
• Korea;
• Japan;
• India.

The habitat depends on the type of hornet. Species may vary from country to country. They prefer warm climate zones, but are quite common in the Russian Federation, right up to Sakhalin. The insect lives in a number of CIS countries.

Treatment

The speed of onset of a positive effect depends on the chosen method of therapy, as well as the quality of first aid provided. If the latter is untimely or completely absent, treatment may take months. Alternative medicine is used, as a rule, in nature, when waiting for help and delivery of the victim to a medical center.

Folk recipes

Many plants have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Among the most effective are the following:

1. Plantain leaves. The shoots are crushed to a mushy, thick consistency. Natural ointment for one or multiple bites is applied directly to the affected area, and after the product has dried, the manipulations are repeated. Due to the content of active substances in the plant, it reduces pain and swelling.
2. Dandelion shoots. Due to its antiseptic properties, the product prevents the infection from spreading. To prepare the ointment, the leaves are kneaded and fixed at the site of the bite with a bandage.

There are not always medicinal herbs nearby. In such situations, the following folk remedies are used:

• soda solution - dilute 5 g of food additive in 200 ml of water, moisten a bandage with the liquid and apply to the affected area;
• sour cream or tomato juice, just squeezed out, simply treat the skin;
• ice - put it in a bag, which is wrapped in cloth and applied to the bite site for 10 minutes.

Pharmacological drugs

When an insect attacks, an antiseptic is first used, which everyone has in their first aid kit. Among the possible ones are hydrogen peroxide, alcohol solution, brilliant green, iodine, and potassium permanganate. Regular vodka without additives helps prevent the widespread spread of infection and almost relieve swelling. After an insect attack, the victim is given an antihistamine tablet: “Suprastin”, “Cetrin”, “Zyrtec”. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help eliminate the symptoms of general intoxication:

• for adults, Ibuprofen and Nise are suitable;
• child - Nurofen syrup.

Please note! Severe swelling should not be treated on your own. First, contact a doctor who will prescribe appropriate antimicrobial drugs.

Treatment after bites

Many tourists or travelers, when going out into nature, do not pack their first aid kit correctly. Therefore, to treat a hornet bite, you can use various plants that are found in the forest and will help cope with this problem.

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

• plantain juice and leaves;
• parsley chopped into pulp;
• aloe leaf and juice;
• dandelion juice

Before use, all leaves must be washed, then anoint the bite site with the chosen product or apply a paste, then bandage it with a clean scarf. The medicinal mass must be changed every 20 minutes.

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

• ointments Fenistil-gel, Soventol, Moskitol balm, Hydrocortisone, etc. - to lubricate the bite site, which will help relieve pain and relieve swelling;
• when the temperature rises: antipyretics;
• drink more liquids: sweet tea, compotes, fruit drinks.

Treatment after bites
To cure the consequences of a stinging insect bite as quickly as possible, you need to consult a doctor who will assess the patient’s condition and prescribe symptomatic treatment. If you have an allergic reaction, he may prescribe an injection with epinephrine, which will help stimulate the heart and improve the dilation of the airways.

general information

An adult can be quite long - about 6 cm. Hornets can be very similar in appearance to other wasps, but if you look carefully, you can see that the top of the hornet's head is much larger, and the front of the tummy is more rounded.

Like other wasps, these insects make paper nests so large that they can contain ten-tiered honeycombs. To build their house they use old wood, birch branches, so the paper they make gets a brownish color.

Adult hornets love to feast on sugar, which is secreted by aphids; they also like flower nectar, honey, and fruit juice. They prefer overripe fruits, so they can often be found in gardens. They choose fruits that have fallen from the tree to the ground and eat them.

The most dangerous consequences can occur if the insect gets into a person’s mouth along with a slice of the bitten fruit. In this case, the larynx swells and the flow of air to the respiratory organs may be completely blocked, as a result of which he may die from respiratory arrest.

Main symptoms of a bite

Insect bites, especially those such as wasps and hornets, are not dangerous for everyone, but they are rather the exception. Most often, if a hornet bites even once, the following symptoms appear as soon as possible:

• headache, severe dizziness;
• body temperature rises, the skin at the site of the bite seems very hot;
• severe sweating appears.

In more severe cases, the following symptoms appear:

• severe, throbbing pain appears in the affected area;
• the affected area turns red and swelling appears;
• nausea, vomiting and other signs of intoxication are observed;
• the limbs become cold, the neck, ears and lips become bluish;
• pulse and heartbeat increase;
• within a couple of minutes after the bite, a person may lose consciousness, but this is usually observed only in elderly people, small children, and those with weakened immunity;
• Allergy sufferers also experience a symptom such as spotty skin, which is accompanied by the appearance of cracks and peeling throughout the body.

Immediately upon being bitten, a person feels a sharp pain, and the affected area may become very red. This is due to the fact that the poison contains histamine and acetylcholine, which cause a feeling similar to tissue damage from a hot nail or drill. Along with redness, severe swelling may develop, accompanied by a burning sensation and unbearable itching.

What to do in this situation? Experts recommend not to panic, but also not to delay seeing a doctor, especially for allergy sufferers.

Actions to take if bitten at home

Every person needs to know how to act in cases of bites of various stinging insects, including hornets. As a rule, most people begin to panic, not knowing how dangerous the bite of this insect is. Such a reaction leads to serious negative consequences. Therefore, it is important to know how to properly provide first aid to the victim, but for this you need to know the signs of various allergic reactions.

How to act in such conditions:

• A person prone to allergies should carry any antihistamines with him.
• Allergy sufferers should carry with them a medical document indicating the nature of the allergic reactions that a person exhibits as a result of a bite, as well as information about medications that help in such situations.
• Immediately inform family and friends about the victim of a hornet sting in order to be aware of the possible consequences if the victim does not have the information.

Hornet: description

In practice, a hornet is a large wasp, the length of which is in the range of 2-2.5 cm, while the queen is somewhat larger and can reach 3.5 cm in length. These insects can often be seen in gardens, summer cottages and in the wild outside the city. Their nests can be located anywhere, including under the roofs of outbuildings, in trees, in firewood and other places protected from weather conditions and easy access to them. A hornet can be easily distinguished from a wasp not only by its size, but also by the color of its chest: the wasp’s chest is black, while the hornet’s is brown with a reddish tint; in addition, the back of the hornet’s head is wider than the front.

The sting of a European hornet is much more painful compared to a bee or wasp. Due to the toxins contained in its venom, the human body tolerates a hornet bite more severely. In addition, the venom of this insect contains histamines, which can cause allergies. Despite this, single bites are not fatal. If we talk about the bite of a giant hornet, which lives in Southeast Asia, then untimely help can end very badly.

As a rule, only females that have a sting bite, but this does not make it any easier, since it is almost impossible to distinguish a female just like that.

Some tips

Naturally, avoiding encounters with stinging insects, especially in summer, is not an easy task. They are everywhere: in the garden, in the vegetable garden, at the dacha, near the river, near the pond, in the forest, etc. Although rare, hornets do bite, especially children who like to explore green spaces in various places.

To protect yourself from attacks by such insects, it is enough to use a number of recommendations:

• When choosing a place to relax near a river or near green spaces, it is important to examine this place to identify a wasp nest or a hornet nest.
• Do not make sudden movements or wave your arms near places where stinging insects are active. Calm behavior will never become a reason for an attack by wasps, bees or hornets.
• You should not try to destroy a hornet nest by waving a stick or other object. The result is several hornet bites and at least a week in a hospital bed with severe symptoms, and possibly death.

On a note! As a result of hornet stings, serious consequences are possible and everyone should know about this. Untimely and unqualified assistance aggravates the consequences, especially for people prone to allergies.

To protect yourself from such consequences, it is better to be attentive and careful. Rash actions can lead to serious negative consequences. Moreover, innocent people may suffer.

What's happening

Hornets belong to the stinging hymenoptera insects of the aspen family. They are larger in size; at the rear end of the abdomen there is a sharp protrusion - a sting, into which the ducts of special glands that produce poison open. Hornets do not “bite” a person, but sting. If an insect senses potential danger, it will attack. At the same time, in flight, it turns its abdomen and sting anteriorly and plunges it into the skin. The toxin is a protein compound; when it enters a wound, it has several of the following pathophysiological effects:

• Irritates sensitive nerve endings, causing severe pain.
• Increases the permeability of the walls of microvasculature vessels, as a result of which blood plasma comes out of them into the intercellular substance of tissues, causing their swelling.
• Reduces the tone of small venous vessels, which provokes stagnation of blood in the affected area.

If a person is hypersensitized to the toxin (hypersensitivity reaction), after a hornet sting, a severe allergic reaction may develop, leading to negative consequences and even death. Despite the fact that the toxicity of hornet venom is the same as that of bees, the bite itself is more dangerous, which is associated with certain features:

• During one bite, more poison enters the wound.
• One hornet can make a series of attacks. This is due to the fact that the sting does not have a “notch”, like that of bees, so it freely comes out of the skin without getting stuck there.
• Having a mosquito net and a face mask may not protect you from exposure to hornet venom. This is due to the fact that when the insect is unable to sting a person, it begins to “spray” the toxin from the sting. When poison gets on the skin and eyes, negative reactions that resemble a bite often develop.

Hornets are divided into a fairly large number of species. Some of them (the Asian hornet) have a more toxic venom, so even single bites can increase the likelihood of developing negative consequences and be life-threatening.

Hornet venom and its effect on the body

The poisonous substance injected by the hornet under the skin of the victim is protective in nature, which explains the painfulness of the bite. The components that make up the poison are found in rattlesnakes and other representatives of the animal world. The most dangerous components include:

1. Acetylcholine. Activates nerve endings. Once in the tissue, it leads to irritation of nerve nodes, the occurrence of impulses and severe pain in the affected area.
2. Phospholipase A2. A combination of enzymes that destroy cell walls. This substance is similar to a component of snake venom. Leads to vascular damage, hemorrhage, and the formation of suppuration.
3. Orientotoxin. Dissolves cell membranes, allowing their contents to exit into the intercellular space. Destroys cellular structures.
4. Histamine. Activates a rapid allergic reaction.
5. Mastoparan. Releases histamine.
6. Mandorotoxin. Blocks the functions of the nervous system.
7. Biogenic amines. They provoke disruptions in the functioning of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Cause arrhythmia and difficulty breathing.

Urgent Care

After a hornet sting, it is important not to delay in carrying out several simple emergency measures:

• Removing the sting from the wound at the site of the bite if necessary - this will reduce the amount of poison that gets into the wound. The procedure should be carried out with clean, disinfected tweezers. If it is missing, the sting can be removed with clean hands and picked out with a needle.
• Rinsing the wound with clean running water, removing dirt and dust.
• Carrying out disinfection, for which you can treat with a solution of hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. This will avoid the development of an infectious process in the wound after a bite.
• Reducing the severity of the inflammatory reaction, for which cold is applied to the bite area (a piece of ice, a napkin moistened with cold water). It is better to use special remedies for insect bites in the form of a balm (Gardex, Moskitol) or anti-inflammatory ointments (Lokoid, Sinaflan). Among the folk remedies, applying a piece of fresh cucumber, a plantain leaf, or treating with dandelion juice will help reduce the severity of the inflammatory reaction.
• To prevent the development of an allergic reaction or to combat incipient manifestations, antihistamines are used for oral administration in the form of tablets or capsules (Diazolin, Suprastin, Loratadine).
• The fight against intoxication is to drink plenty of fluids, for which it is better to use warm, sweet drinks, ensure peace for a person, control vital functions (breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure).

Carrying out emergency care immediately after a hornet sting makes it possible to avoid the development of severe and dangerous reactions, as well as significantly improve a person’s general condition.

Symptoms

Particular pain when bitten by the insect in question is provoked not by the toxicity of its poison, but by the large size of the sting and the amount of injected poison.

This insect has the ability to inflict numerous bites, since it does not leave its sting at the site of the bite, as a honey bee does. This is why a hornet attack is very dangerous, since with each new bite the percentage of toxins that penetrate the bloodstream increases.

Immediately after the injection of the poison, the victim’s epidermis becomes red and swells. The following symptoms of poisoning occur: body temperature increases, sweat production increases, and a person begins to have a severe headache. After a few hours there is dizziness.

Manifestations of poisoning after an attack by these insects can be very pronounced, or they can be mild. It depends on the age of the affected person, what his state of health is, whether he has chronic diseases, or whether he has a tendency to exhibit allergic reactions.

A hornet bite is especially dangerous for young children, because in their bodies the poisoning occurs as quickly as possible. If an insect attacks a child, the latter must be shown to the doctor.

A hornet sting can provoke an increase in the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream, breathing may also become more frequent and the beating of the heart muscle may be disrupted.

The most dangerous consequences of poison entering the bloodstream are the occurrence of severe allergies, which manifest as hives. In this case, the skin of the affected person becomes covered with large red spots. In case of severe intoxication, Quincke's edema may also occur.

How it manifests itself

A possible hornet bite is indicated by the appearance of several characteristic clinical manifestations:

• Acute, sharp pain that has a burning character and occurs directly during the bite.
• The appearance of a characteristic papule is a round dense formation, raised above the skin level, having a diameter of about 1 cm in diameter, and also pale in color. In the center of the papule you can usually see a red dot (wound) or the sting itself (in hornets, the sting very rarely remains in the skin after a bite).
• Formation of an inflammatory belt around the papule, characterized by hyperemia (redness) and swelling of the skin, about 10 cm in diameter.
• Development of intoxication - when the toxin enters the general bloodstream, general weakness develops, chills appear, coldness of the skin of the extremities, heartbeat and breathing become more frequent, headaches, body aches may appear, and the temperature may rise to subfebrile levels (about +37.5 ° C) .

The severity of the clinical symptoms of a hornet bite depends on the amount of poison that enters the wound and the systemic bloodstream. With multiple bites against the background of general intoxication, the functioning of the cardiovascular system may be disrupted, which is accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure, as well as a change in the rhythm and frequency of heart contractions.