Signs You’ve Been Stung by an Insect

Spring and summer are wonderful times of years. The weather is warm and inviting, and there is so much to see and do in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Most of us love to spend time outdoors; however, we’re not the only ones enjoying the warm weather. Stinging insects, such as bees, wasps, and hornets are out and about as well, collecting food in preparation for the long winter ahead and raising their young. Sometimes, stinging insects and humans clash, resulting in an insect sting.

PestLock is your go-to pest control company for all of your residential and commercial pest problems. From termite infestations to bed bugs, we’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll review the signs of insect stings to begin our series on what to do if you’ve been stung. Contact us today for all of your pest control services!

SIGNS YOU’VE BEEN STUNG BY AN INSECT

It can be very difficult to know if you’ve been stung by an insect or not, especially for children. Children are so busy playing, they often have no idea they were stung until the area of the sting starts to hurt. How do you know if you’ve been stung? Here are a few signs to look for:

• The area is red. When an insect stings you, they inject venom under the skin. Some stinging insects, such as wasps and yellow jackets, can sting multiple times. As soon as your body senses you’ve been stung, it alerts you to the foreign poison in your body through redness and inflammation, turning the area red as your body sends more blood to the area where you are injured to heal it.
• It may be painful. Pain is a signal that warns us that something is wrong and that possible damage has occurred. Pain can be different for everyone, so you may or may not feel discomfort after being stung.
• It may swell. Your body swells to let you know something is wrong, and swelling also indicates that your body is in healing mode. Increased amounts of fluid and white blood cells flood the area of your inflammation.
• It may itch. Itchiness from a stinging insect is caused by your immune system, which releases a substance known as histamine. This is another response by your body that helps to increase blood flow to your injured area. Some people, however, may not experience an itching sensation.
• Stinger left in the skin. Bees can only sting one time, and then they die. Their stingers are barbed, which means they can be left in the skin after you’ve been stung.
• Puncture wounds. This is rare with a stinger, but you may be able to see the puncture wound where you were stung.

Keep in mind that some people are allergic to bee and wasp stings. While this is rare, there are additional symptoms that can occur if a stinging insect stings you that shows need immediate medical attention. These include:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Hives
• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing

While these can be signs of other ailments, they are red flags if you know or suspect that you’ve been stung by an insect. It’s always best to err on the safe side, especially with children who may not know if they are allergic to bee stings, and see a healthcare provider promptly.

CALL YOUR LOCAL PEST CONTROL COMPANY

PestLock has been helping homeowners and businesses in the Pacific Northwest for more than 30 years with pest control services. While we fully understand that everyone and everything has a place in this world, there’s a difference when ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, spiders, stinging insects, and the like invade our homes and businesses. These creatures can harbor diseases, and in the case of stinging insects, cause us physical pain or worse. Pest control services keeps you safe and protects your home and businesses from the damage these creatures can wreak.

If you have a pest problem, we’re here to help. PestLock always looks to use eco-friendly products whenever possible. Our mission is to serve you, our colleagues, and our community by ridding your space of pests. Contact us today for a free inspection!