Insect stings are hard to avoid, especially during the warmer months – at least if you spend time outdoors and enjoy going out into nature when the weather is nice. Mosquito bites are practically unavoidable, but various other insects in this country can also sting or bite.
Insects sting for various reasons – for example, to feed or defend themselves. Insect stings usually cause annoying but harmless symptoms such as redness, welts, or itching.
However, for various reasons, they can also lead to serious problems such as inflammation or acute immune overreactions. Stings from some insects, such as wasps or bees, in the throat or mouth area can cause life-threatening swelling.
Contents
- What are insect stings and how can you recognize them?
- Which insects sting here, and why do they do it?
- Insect bites—how to react quickly and treat them properly
- Insect venom allergy - dangers and treatment options
- Hyposensitization for insect venom allergy
- How can insect bites and stings be avoided?
In German-speaking regions, around two to three percent of the population are allergic to insect stings. They suffer from an insect venom allergy, often also called an insect sting allergy. However, it is the insect venomthat triggers the dangerous immune reaction and, in the worst case, can lead to anaphylactic shock. Some people affected hardly dare to go outside in spring and summer, but fortunately, most insects are not out to sting us.
With the right precautions, bee and wasp stings can at least be avoided. Mosquitoes and ticks are different: their stings and bites are painless and go unnoticed. Both insect stings and allergies can be treated with medication. In the case of an insect venom allergy, desensitization is also an option.
In this article, we cover insect stings, stinging insects, and insect venom allergies. Click on any section to go directly to it.
What are insect stings and how can you recognize them?
Insect stings refers to all skin injuries caused by the stinger or mouthparts of insects. In this sense, insect bites are also often referred to as “stings.”
Insects sting to defend themselves or feed and it is not always immediately clear which animal stung you. Since some insects – for example, mosquitoes or biting flies – sting painlessly or even inject pain-relieving substances, symptoms often do not appear until several minutes after the sting. By contrast, bee, wasp, or hornet stings cause immediate, severe pain.
Typical symptoms of insect bites include swelling and redness around the bite site. Sometimes a small red dot is even visible where the insect stung. Small welts may also appear, and noticeable itching often develops within a few minutes.
Some insect bites can cause mild numbness at the bite site, while others are accompanied by noticeable pain.
If you are allergic to the particular insect venom, much more severe, potentially life-threatening symptoms can occur. If, for example, you experience muscle cramps or severe headaches, get chills, or develop a fever, you should seek medical attention.
Dizziness, weakness, or light-headedness are other warning signs. The situation becomes especially critical when shortness of breath occurs, often preceded by a feeling of tightness in the chest. If you have shortness of breath or a loss of consciousness, call an ambulance immediately
Which insects sting here, and why do they do it?
In Germany there are many insects and other arthropods that can sting or bite. Fortunately, there are no insects with life-threatening venom in our part of the world.
Nevertheless, for example, a wasp sting in the mouth can cause life-threatening swelling even if you are not allergic to insect venom. Otherwise, only people with allergies generally need to worry about the dangerous effects of an insect sting.
Wasps’ and hornets’ stingers are used for self-defense as well as hunting prey. They usually only become aggressive when people get too close to their nests. Mosquitoes use their proboscis to feed.
Parasites such as ticks, lice, and bedbugs feed on the blood of their hosts. They do not specifically target humans, but are often “picked up” during walks in nature, forestry work, or cuddling with pets. Below is an overview of the typical stinging insects in Germany.
Bees are peaceful insects that only sting in an absolute emergency. This is because a bee’s stinger gets stuck in its target, and the bee tears the stinger and venom gland out of its body and dies.
She gives her life to defend the beehive, while the stinger continues pumping venom into her enemy. This is why people are basically only stung by bees when they accidentally step on them or swat at them.
If you are stung by a bee, the stinger should be removed immediately. The sting causes sharp pain, and a crater-like wound often forms in the center of the swollen, red sting site.
Wasps sting more often than bees because they often come close to people while searching for food. They can also reuse their stingers. However, not all wasps are equally aggressive.
The bright yellow-and-black common wasps are attracted to human food - they love grilled meat and sweets. That's why they often come very close to the mouth, where they can still smell the food being eaten, increasing the risk of stings around the mouth.
The darker and smaller Saxon wasps, on the other hand, feed on other insects and are quite relaxed even right next to their nests. Wasps also only sting when they feel threatened. Their sting causes severe pain and leaves a red, swollen area with a crater-like depression in the center.
Hornets are feared without good reason, because although they are very large and look threatening, they very rarely sting. There is usually only a risk if you stumble right into a hornet's nest.
However, its sting is extremely painful - more painful than a wasp sting. The sting site can itch intensely, and symptoms such as a racing heart, dizziness, and nausea have also been reported, though these may also be related to the pain.
Otherwise, a hornet sting is hardly any different from a wasp sting. Its venom is even similar to wasp venom and can trigger a reaction in people allergic to wasps.
Bumblebees are very peaceful and almost never sting. They have a stinger, which they can use when in danger - they don't "bite," as people often claim.
However, these large, fluffy insects are calm by nature and even warn intruders by raising their abdomens. Most bumblebee stings occur when someone steps on a bumblebee barefoot.
Then the sting is very painful and resembles the effects of a bee sting, with the bumblebee retaining its stinger. People allergic to bee stings often also react to bumblebee venom.
Mosquitoes are the real pests, as these small, inconspicuous insects are almost impossible to escape. Who hasn’t spent sleepless summer nights with the high-pitched buzzing of mosquitoes in their ears, only to find small, itchy bumps on various parts of their body in the morning?
Female mosquitoes drink blood to nourish their offspring and prefer to bite where the skin is nice and thin. They inject their saliva into the wound to temporarily prevent blood clotting with the help of the proteins it contains, then suck up the blood as if through a straw.
These proteins cause the typical hives and unpleasant itching. In rare cases, mosquito enzymes trigger a mosquito bite allergy, which can cause widespread hives and swelling of the mucous membranes.
Black flies are insects that look like small flies and cut into the skin with their sharp mouthparts. They suck up the blood that flows out with a short proboscis.
Black flies also inject an anesthetic substance, so itchy swellings only appear after a while. The itching is worse than with a mosquito bite. The bite site is often very red, and a little blood may even continue to ooze out.
Horseflies are often found in pastures and near lakes. They are also called “clegs” because they feed on the blood of grazing animals. Horseflies have very sharp mouthparts that cut a hole in the skin like small knives. They then immediately lap up the blood that flows out.
Horsefly bites are extremely painful and cause severe swelling and intense itching in humans, even without an allergy. They often even cause actual bruises around the bite site. If someone is allergic to horsefly venom, it can cause extreme swelling and shortness of breath.
Fleas are annoying little crawlers that mainly infest mammals and sometimes birds, but can also jump to humans. Flea bites appear as small, intensely itchy red puncture marks, often several in a line.
The fleas themselves are hard to find, as they only jump onto their host to feed and then hide again in upholstery and carpets. Getting rid of them often requires drastic measures. So-called “flea bombs” can fumigate parasites in infested homes.
There is a flea allergy, but it affects almost exclusively dogs and cats. The animals suffer from severe inflammation and scabbing of the scratched areas of skin.
Bedbugs are parasites that originally lived mainly in the fur of bats. Over time, they also spread to livestock such as poultry and from there to humans. Today, these creatures are found mainly near human dwellings.
Bedbugs thrive in old mattresses and emerge at night to drink blood from small bites at various sites on their host. In the morning, bedbug bites appear as numerous red spots and welts.
Head lice are parasites that settle in human hair and sip blood from the capillaries in the scalp. They, too, use their saliva to keep the blood from clotting for a while. Enzymes in lice saliva trigger immune reactions such as swelling and itching.
Scratching the bites can cause inflammation. If lice bites do not heal for a long time, so-called excoriations can develop on the sensitive scalp, providing entry points for dangerous germs. Special lice combs and various hair treatments help get rid of the pests and their eggs.
Ticks are not insects but mites, which in turn belong to the arachnid family. Their bites are among the most feared “insect bites.” Although ticks are not considered allergy triggers, the tiny creatures can carry dangerous germs.
In addition to the tick-borne encephalitis virus, some ticks also transmit the insidious Lyme disease pathogen. An allergy associated with tick bites is the “meat allergy,” which has recently become more common in the United States.
The so-called alpha-gal syndrome can cause certain types of meat and other foods to trigger immune reactions. Only a few cases have been reported in Europe.
Grass mites: sit on tall grasses and wait for a host to pass by and brush against them. The tiny mites feed on their hosts' blood and also bite humans when they are “picked up” while walking through tall grass. Grass mite bites leave red welts that sometimes continue to itch even after several days.
Spider bites are extremely rare and largely harmless when caused by native spider species. The yellow sac spider is considered the only species with potent venom, which can cause severe swelling, dizziness, nausea, and fever. Its bite is dangerous only for particularly sensitive people or those with insect venom allergies.
Insect bites—how to react quickly and treat them properly
How to respond to an insect bite depends on which insect stung you and where the sting is. Bee, wasp, and hornet stings cause immediate, severe pain.
If a stinger is still in the wound, remove it immediately—detached bee stingers continue pumping venom into their target for several seconds. Cooling the area immediately —for example, with gel packs from the refrigerator—helps relieve pain and reduce swelling.
Stings to the neck or mouth, or even inside the mouth, require the utmost caution—don’t hesitate to call emergency services if you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, or severe nausea.
People with insect venom allergies can be prescribed special emergency kits to carry on trips outdoors. This is advisable, at least for those with known severe allergies, as these kits contain antihistamines and an adrenaline injector that can prevent circulatory collapse in an emergency. In any case, seek medical advice if you think you may have an insect sting allergy. More on this later in the text.
Break down or neutralize insect venom
Mosquito and other bloodsucker bites often don’t hurt and only become noticeable hours later, when they swell and itch. The itching caused by the venom is something practically all insect bites have in common—and it’s always important not to give in to it.
Insect bites usually heal quickly. However, if you scratch them open, countless germs can enter the wound and cause inflammation. The aim of treating acute insect bites is to neutralize the venom as quickly as possible.
Cold packs, cold compresses, or cooling gels suppress the itching, but mosquito bites and grass mite bites can itch for days. In this case, it is better to neutralize the venom itself. Heat really does work better here, because the enzymes in insect venom break down when exposed to high temperatures.
For example, as a home remedy, you can heat a tea light and pour the hot wax onto a mosquito bite. Using a spoon heated over an open flame is not recommended, as you can easily burn yourself. The most effective option is probably to use a modern insect bite healer.
Insect bite healers are electrical devices that usually resemble a pen in shape and size. At the tip, they have a small contact surface that can cover a mosquito bite precisely and can be heated to around 50 degrees Celsius for a few seconds at the press of a button.
Using the insect bite healer causes brief pain. For stubborn bites, you may need to apply the device more than once. Bite healers are mainly suitable for mosquito bites. According to the manufacturers, some models are also designed to help with wasp or bee stings.
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Ticks can be removed using special tick tweezers, tick cards or fine-tipped tweezers . It is important to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, directly behind its head. Do not squeeze it, as this can prompt the tick to regurgitate its stomach contents into the wound as it dies.
Since the pathogens that cause Lyme disease are found in the digestive tract, they also enter the wound if present. Otherwise, it takes several hours for the pathogens to enter the body. The sooner a tick is removed, the better. Pull the tick out as straight as possible with a slow, steady motion. Avoid twisting, as this can cause the tick's head to break off and remain embedded.
Inflamed insect bites or tick bites, as well as remnants of stingers, mouthparts or tick heads, should always be treated by a doctor.
In the case of tick bites, you should also watch for a large area of redness spreading around the bite. This is often - but not always - a sign of Lyme disease. If detected early, the disease can now be treated effectively.
Insect venom allergy - dangers and treatment options
Insect venom allergies are quite rare - but those who suffer from them can face life-threatening consequences from just a single wasp sting. Wasp sting allergies are the most common, affecting around two-thirds of allergy sufferers.
Bees and hornets follow close behind, while allergies to mosquito or biting fly venom are extremely rare. Since insect sting allergies are type I allergies (immediate-type allergies), the first symptoms appear immediately after the sting.
The allergic reaction to insect venom can range from a mild worsening of the usual symptoms of an insect bite to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
An allergic shock is preceded by various symptoms, which can quickly become more severe. The sequence and severity of symptoms can vary from case to case. Nevertheless, it is possible to classify anaphylactic shock into four grades of anaphylaxis that describe its progression.
- Grade 1: Anaphylactic shock begins after the insect sting with severe itching and significant swelling at the sting site. A rash may appear around the sting and on other parts of the body. The first stage is often accompanied by a vague feeling of anxiety. If you know that you have an insect venom allergy, you should call emergency services and use your emergency kit now.
- Grade 2: Symptoms follow that are more clearly distinct from the usual effects of an insect sting. Swelling also occurs away from the sting site, accompanied by nausea and abdominal cramps, and may progress to vomiting and/or diarrhea. In addition to hoarseness and the first signs of shortness of breath, the heart rate often increases while blood pressure falls. Severe dizziness may occur. By now, it should be clear that emergency help is needed - call 112.
- Grade 3: In addition to clearly audible wheezing, severe shortness of breath occurs in the third stage, often accompanied by swelling of the larynx and increasing difficulty swallowing and speaking. Cold sweats, pale skin, and bluish discoloration of the lips or fingernails indicate acute circulatory problems. Those affected are very weak and drowsy.
- Grade 4: A life-threatening circulatory collapse occurs, which can lead to unconsciousness and cessation of breathing and heartbeat. Those affected are no longer able to help themselves.
An emergency kit contains medication that can slow or stop anaphylactic shock. This also includes medication for asthma, among other things, since people with asthma and insect venom allergies are especially at risk. Using the emergency kit cannot replace medical care.
So if you find yourself in a situation where you need to use your anaphylaxis emergency kit, be sure to also call emergency medical services . An emergency kit must be prescribed - in any case, you should always have a suspected insect sting allergy assessed by specialists. Once identified, the allergy may even be curable.
Hyposensitization for insect venom allergy
Hyposensitization to insect venom is now a well-established procedure with high success rates. Especially for common wasp and bee allergies, most patients show no or hardly any reaction to the insect venom after completing the multi-year treatment.
Patients are given a tiny amount of the allergen so that their immune system can gradually become accustomed to it. The procedure must be repeated regularly over several years, with the allergen dose increasing slowly. Insect allergy hyposensitization usually takes place in two stages.
During the dose-increase phase , patients receive subcutaneous injections of diluted insect venom. This treatment can be carried out in hospital as "rapid hyposensitization" under medical supervision, or as outpatient dose escalation with weekly injections at an allergy clinic.
Insect stings should generally be avoided during the dose-increase phase. For this reason, outpatient treatment usually begins in November, when wasps and bees are no longer active.
This is followed by a maintenance phase lasting three to five years. During this time, the hyposensitization treatment continues with monthly administrations of the allergen. Ideally, no allergic symptoms will occur. In most cases, the allergy can at least be reduced to a harmless level.
If you work with wasps, bees, and hornets - for example, as a gardener or beekeeper - it is advisable to continue the maintenance phase indefinitely. In any case, seek medical advice!
How can insect bites and stings be avoided?
Many types of insect bites and stings can actually be almost completely avoided - even when you are out in nature. Some pests, such as mosquitoes and ticks, may require more effort to avoid.
Pollen collectors such as bees and bumblebees, or insect hunters such as hornets and wasps, do not set out with the intention of stinging people. We are of no relevance to them - but people can become targets if they deliberately or accidentally disturb or attack the insects.
It is therefore advisable not to walk barefoot through flower-filled meadows. If you step on a bee, it will sting in its death throes. These insects usually become aggressive only when their nest is threatened or they feel under attack.
Avoid swatting at the insects or making frantic movements. If you accidentally come across a wasp nest, move away slowly and calmly. Do not try to destroy wasp or hornet nests!
First, these animal species are protected and important to the environment, and second, such an undertaking would be very dangerous. In such a case, call the fire department or local beekeepers - they should be able to help. Beekeepers can also collect and secure swarms of bees looking for a new home.
Head coverings and long clothing that fully covers the body protect against insect bites. People with insect venom allergies should wear long pants, closed shoes, and gloves, especially when gardening, to better protect themselves from “stinging accidents.”
Some insects are attracted to brightly patterned or dark clothing, so wear lighter colors instead. Also avoid loose sleeves and trouser legs that insects could get into. Exposed areas of skin can be treated with a special insect repellent spray .
These sprays give off scents that insects find unpleasant and often keep mosquitoes, horseflies, or ticks away for hours.
Ticks sit in tall grass and bushes and are brushed onto your skin or clothing when you walk through a flowering meadow, for example. They sometimes wander around for hours or days until they find a good spot to suck blood.
Tick spray spoils their fun and encourages them to leave their host. Smells play an important role anyway - mosquitoes are attracted by our body odor, while other insects mistake perfume for the scent of fascinating flowers.
In particular, wasps often become a nuisance in bakeries or at barbecues because, depending on the species, they are attracted by the smell of sweets, grilled meat, or fresh fruit. There’s a fairly effective trick: offer them a tempting alternative.
For example, cut up a few grapes and place them in a bowl at the other end of the garden. Or take the piece of cake with the most wasps on it and carefully move it a few meters away. Since insects follow the scent trail of their “colleagues,” many wasps usually gather where others are already at work.
Insect bites in other parts of the world
Please note that this blog article focuses on native insect species. Many tropical and subtropical travel destinations are home to insects and other creepy-crawlies with far more potent venom that transmit more dangerous diseases.
Allergic reactions may also present differently when caused by an exotic insect. Before traveling to remote regions of the world, always find out about necessary vaccinations and potential health risks.
