If you came across a wasp and were unable to avoid being stung by it, you’d wonder if it is now harmless, just like a bee when it stings you once and goes away, or if you need to run or swat the wasp before it stings again. So, can wasps sting more than once or not?
Unfortunately, wasps can sting you more than once. This is unlike bees that only sting you once as they die after using their stinger.
Wasps look threatening, unlike bees which are fuzzy and fluffy, and that makes sense as a wasp can sting you multiple times without any negative repercussions to its body while a bee only can sting you once as they are easily harmed when they sting you.
A wasp’s sting is very painful and can last for a few hours. However, different people react to a wasp’s sting differently. Some get a mild skin rash while some get severe skin swelling. Some people even get an anaphylactic shock from a wasp’s sting.
How Many Times Can 1 Wasp Sting?
Wasps can easily sting you multiple times without harming themselves like bees. The only threat to them after they have stung you is basically the fly swatter. Though they can run out of venom after the first sting, it depends on what they perceive as a threat.
For example, for tiny prey or any predator that is their size or slightly larger, they will not waste all the venom on a single sting and only use a few of it to get the job done.
When it comes to humans, wasps use all the venom in a single sting as humans are, obviously, must larger than their other prey, and they’re unsure of how much venom will be necessary.
Wasps aren’t always hostile. When they’re looking for food in your house or finding out where the scent is coming from, they’re calm. If you make them feel threatened by panicking and flapping the swatter at them, is when wasps get hostile and will sting you.
A wasp may also sting you when you’re near their nest due to precautionary reasons as they’re protective of their nests.
What Happens If You Get Stung By a Wasp Twice?
When a bee stings you, it leaves its stinger inside your skin. A wasp’s stinger is different as it isn’t left inside. There are several remedies that you can take that help with the painful after-effects of being stung by a wasp.
Vinegar and using ice packs on the sting to decrease swelling and pain are some of the common options. However, none of these are scientifically proven to be long-lasting and may only provide temporary relief. Scratching the swollen area may increase the itching and swelling, so always avoid that.
Different reactions to being stung by a wasp depend on the person that has been stung. Pain, rashes, redness, itchiness, and swelling are basically what most people experience when they’re stung by a wasp. These effects last for a few hours or days, but they’re the common reaction to a wasp stung, so you don’t really have to be worried or contact a doctor. It’ll pass.
After being stung by a wasp twice, there is a chance that you may develop hypersensitivity. This, however, may vary as some people can develop hypersensitivity after a single sting or a series of stings. Hypersensitivity is very risky as it increases the chance of getting a much more severe reaction after being stung again, or even an anaphylactic shock may occur.
Localized Allergic Reactions
Localized allergic reactions are reactions that occur near the place you’ve been stung. They develop slower than regular wasp sting reactions and may take a couple of hours just to form.
The area of infection may vary, and they can sometimes take a small portion of skin or even an entire body part where the sting is.
General Reactions
General reactions affect random parts of the body instead of the area that was stung. Different people have varying reactions and varying symptoms. Immense skin redness and itching is the first phase of the reaction, which is followed by swelling and then blistering.
Some people may even face an even stronger version of this reaction which involves shortness of breath and feeling sick, and the person can even faint from the sting.
These concerning symptoms appear after minutes of the sting. You definitely will have to contact a doctor if any of these symptoms are seen.
Can a Wasp Sting Twice in a Row?
Wasps don’t damage their body while stinging like bees, so they’re able to sting you twice in a row. Though their venom goes away after a single sting as they put all of it during the first sting because people are a bigger threat compared to their natural predators.
Summary
Insect bites and bee stings hurt like hell, but wasp stings are even worse as they can keep on stinging you multiple times. Different people can suffer from varying after-effects after being stung by a wasp.
Some can be healed in a few hours, while some may require you a trip to the doctor.
