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Take care and don’t get stung

Prairie Post: Greater respect for wasps comes once adverse reactions are experienced.

Kevin Schulz, Editor

September 13, 2024

3 Min Read
A close-up of a wasp perched on a purple flower
DON’T BE FOOLED: This serene image can turn painful or worse if the wasp is riled and stings.skhoward/Getty Images

I’m usually a pretty cautious guy, trying to be on the lookout where danger may lurk. Two recent instances of lapses in observation ended up biting me. Literally.

Well, more like stinging me.

Within a two-week period, I was the recipient of five wasp stings. Fortunately, I am not severely allergic to their stings, but I still do suffer adverse reactions.

My first attack this summer could have been prevented, as the nesting trio were stationed in the corner of a frame of the walk-in door to a storage shed. After two got me, one on my top lip and one on my shoulder, I promptly fled to the house to apply some outdated hydrocortisone.

I then returned to the scene of the crime with my weapon of choice — Raid Wasp & Hornet Defense System — to take care of the little bast … er buggers.

In hindsight, I should have checked the door frame for the paper nest before entering, but I paid for my carelessness. Fortunately, the upper lip sting just hurt like a dickens, but it didn’t swell up as if I had a Botox injection.

I wasn’t so lucky a few weeks later when attempting to hook up a trailer. I was futzing with the receiving hitch, not thinking that I needed to check the underside of the ball receiver. Well, a nest full didn’t take kindly to their domain being invaded. Both hands took the brunt of this attack, and these hurt, as indicated by my “scream-like-a-schoolgirl” reaction.

Like before, I ran to the house to apply the outdated hydrocortisone and returned with the Raid to break up their little hide-and-seek-in-the-trailer-hitch party.

Now, before our pro-wasp crowd gets all over me for taking out potential pollinators or valued parasitic creatures, as in the words of John Rambo, “They drew first blood.”

This time the reaction to the stings was a little more noticeable — OK, a lot more noticeable. Fortunately, this stinging occurred on a Sunday, because typing with left-hand digits that had the dexterity of a horse’s hoof would have made it quite difficult to type coherent verbiage. (Now, don’t jump on the bandwagon and say that might have improved my writing!)

I followed up the hydrocortisone with a dose of antihistamine, and the swelling went down. Within a few days, it was back to normal.

Not that I ever liked swarming wasps, but I was never truly afraid of them. Of course, I didn’t know that I was somewhat allergic to their stings. Since my first sting, probably about 20 years ago, I have shown greater respect for the little narrow-waisted spreaders of venom.

Reactions to stings vary from slightly annoying to swelling to a severe reaction of anaphylaxis that requires emergency medical attention.

Treat a sting

According to the Mayo Clinic Health System website, it is best to remove the stinger using your fingernails or tweezers as soon as possible after being stung. While doing this, try not to squeeze the stinger or venom sac, which could cause more venom to be pushed into the sting area. After the stinger has been removed, the infected area should be washed with soap and water.

If a minor to moderate reaction — such as redness, warmth or swelling — occurs, apply a cold compress and take an over-the-counter oral antihistamine. An application of a hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion may help ease symptoms.

Severe reactions such as those listed here should merit a call for emergency medical care:

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Dizziness and nausea

  • Itching and hives throughout the body

  • Swelling of the throat and tongue

  • Stomach cramps and diarrhea

  • Rapid fall in blood pressure, resulting in shock and, possibly, death

Of course, as with most things, the best treatment is prevention, such as removing nests. Also, be careful as you enjoy a sweet beverage when outdoors, as insects can be attracted and sneak inside the can or bottle to share your drink.

Lastly, be aware of your surroundings — you never know where those buggers will set up their domicile.

About the Author

Kevin Schulz

Editor, The Farmer

Kevin Schulz joined The Farmer as editor in January of 2023, after spending two years as senior staff writer for Dakota Farmer and Nebraska Farmer magazines. Prior to joining these two magazines, he spent six years in a similar capacity with National Hog Farmer. Prior to joining National Hog Farmer, Schulz spent a long career as the editor of The Land magazine, an agricultural-rural life publication based in Mankato, Minn.

During his tenure at The Land, the publication grew from covering 55 Minnesota counties to encompassing the entire state, as well as 30 counties in northern Iowa. Covering all facets of Minnesota and Iowa agriculture, Schulz was able to stay close to his roots as a southern Minnesota farm boy raised on a corn, soybean and hog finishing farm.

One particular area where he stayed close to his roots is working with the FFA organization.

Covering the FFA programs stayed near and dear to his heart, and he has been recognized for such coverage over the years. He has received the Minnesota FFA Communicator of the Year award, was honored with the Minnesota Honorary FFA Degree in 2014 and inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame in 2018.

Schulz attended South Dakota State University, majoring in agricultural journalism. He was also a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and now belongs to its alumni organization.

His family continues to live on a southern Minnesota farm near where he grew up. He and his wife, Carol, have raised two daughters: Kristi, a 2014 University of Minnesota graduate who is married to Eric Van Otterloo and teaches at Mankato (Minn.) East High School, and Haley, a 2018 graduate of University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is married to John Peake and teaches in Hayward, Wis. 

When not covering the agriculture industry on behalf of The Farmer's readers, Schulz enjoys spending time traveling with family, making it a quest to reach all 50 states — 47 so far — and three countries. He also enjoys reading, music, photography, playing basketball, and enjoying nature and campfires with friends and family.

[email protected]

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