Common Stinging or Biting Insects or Spiders
Topic Overview
Many insects, such as the following, cause mild reactions:
Some insects are more likely than others to cause allergic or toxic reactions.
- A bee leaves its stinger behind and then dies after stinging. Africanized honeybees, the so-called
killer bees
, are more aggressive than common honeybees and often attack together in great numbers. Reaction to bee stings can range from minor skin swelling and redness to a serious allergic reaction.
-
Wasps, including hornets and yellow jackets
, can sting over and over. Yellow jackets cause the greatest number of allergic reactions.
- A fire ant attaches to a person by biting with its jaws. Then, pivoting its head, it stings from its abdomen in a circular pattern at multiple sites.
Bites and stings are more serious if you develop one or more of the following conditions after an insect or spider bite or sting:
Credits
Current as of: June 26, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
H. Michael O'Connor, MD, MMEd, FRCPC - Emergency Medicine
Current as of: June 26, 2019
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD, MMEd, FRCPC - Emergency Medicine