From a zoological point of view, hornets are the genus of the largest public wasps. The largest reach a length of 5.5 cm! These stinging insects are common in Southeast Asia. In the European part of Russia, the so-called ordinary hornet lives. In addition, this species is common throughout Ukraine. The length of the body of the uterus reaches 3.8 cm, and the weight is 200 mg!
What is a hornet bite?
If ordinary bees collect nectar, then hornets are avid insect hunters. If in ordinary bees the sting is ground so that it can be used against ordinary vertebrates and humans, then in the hornet it is ground for hunting other insects.
The bite of a hornet and an ordinary bee are noticeably different from each other. A bee leaves a sting when bitten, and dies itself. All the poison in the vial penetrates the victim’s wound. Things are different with hornets. Their sting is intended strictly to destroy its prey if it begins to strongly resist. That is why hornets simply can not afford such careless handling of their own poison, because they need it when hunting!
Hornet bite. How to avoid?
Despite the widespread belief, hornets are one of the most peace-loving insects! They, like snakes, will never attack a person for no reason. In most cases, they will prefer to dodge the impending conflict. A hornet bite is fairly easy to prevent. It is enough to follow some rules.
- If you go to the forest and other unfamiliar places, then be extremely careful and careful.
- Remember that their nests always have hornets-guards. If danger looms, they make a special sound that serves as a warning to the rest of the members of their large family. The warned hornets are in no hurry to hide from you, on the contrary, they immediately flock and begin to attack you together. The larger the family, the more aggressive it will behave! Therefore, do not mess with the hornet's nest! Do not disturb his wand, do not take pictures next to him. Try to leave this place as soon as possible. Keep in mind that hornets chase the enemy at shorter distances than bees.
- In no case do you need to block the hornet's flight path. He may misunderstand you.
- Do not try to drive it away while waving your arms. Do not make sudden movements.
- Do not kill the hornet near its nest. Before his death, he will emit special distress signals, which will lead his entire family to an aggressive state towards you.
- Remember that certain materials that freely come into contact with a certain insect pheromone due to their chemical properties can provoke an attack by hornets. In this case, the risk of getting a hornet bite increases many times.
Consequences of their bites
When a hornet stings, a person feels rather painful sensations. The fact is that up to 2 mg of poison is injected into the wound at a time! The sting usually does not remain in the wound, so the insect is able to strike several times!
Any consequences of this largely depend on their number and location on the human body, as well as on the individual reaction of his body to a hornet bite.
First aid for a bite
- If the sting with its poisonous sac still remains in the wound, it must be removed.
- It is necessary to eliminate the pain, preventing the development of an allergic reaction. For this, for example, Suprastin or Tavegil preparations are suitable. Just do not take both antihistamines at the same time.
- The site of the bite should be treated with a cotton swab (swab) soaked in hydrogen peroxide (3%). This will slow down the process of absorption of the poison, as well as disinfect the wound.
- Then you need to rinse the wound with a stream of cold water.