What To Do If You've Been Stung By A Wasp In Spring Branch

There are few pests that can strike fear into individuals as wasps can. These flying insects cause pain with their potent venom and are considered by many to be the worst house pests in Spring Branch. We would be inclined to agree with this belief. If you are curious to know what to do if you are stung by a wasp in Spring Branch, here is what we recommend and a few methods to control these pests on your property. 

What Do Wasps Look Like?

There are a few different types of wasps that live here in Spring Branch. In our area, there is the yellow jacket wasp, the cicada killer wasp, the mud dauber wasp, and the sweat bee. Each of these wasp species looks very different. A yellow jacket is ⅜ to ⅝” long and has a black and yellow patterned body. A cicada killer is two inches long, black to dark brown, and has colorful yellow markings. The mud dauber is ½ to 1” long, black with pale markings, and has an abnormally skinny midsection. Finally, the sweat bee is ⅛ to ½” long and is metallic in color. One thing all local wasps have in common is their ability to cause harm with their venomous stingers. The question is, what should you do if you are stung by one of these pests?

Did You Get Stung By A Wasp?

Before we talk about how to treat a wasp sting, it is important that you know how to identify a sting in the first place. If you do not directly see the sting occur, it can be difficult to know what happened. The first thing you should know is that some wasp stings hurt more than others. Common symptoms include immediate pain and swelling around the affected area, heat emanating from the sting zone, and hives on adjacent skin. If you have an allergy to insect venom, you might also experience anaphylactic shock. To understand your risk, talk to your doctor. 

How To Treat A Wasp Sting

How you treat a wasp sting will all depend on whether or not you are allergic to its venom. For mild, non-allergic reactions, wash the area of the sting with soap and water to remove as much venom as possible. Follow this up by applying a cold ice pack to the sting to reduce pain and swelling. Make sure to keep the wound clean and bandaged (optional) to avoid infection. If you are allergic to insect venom, follow the above steps but include the ingestion of an antihistamine. This will help reduce itching and swelling. If you feel yourself going into anaphylactic shock, having an epi-pen on hand might save your life. Discuss your risk with your doctor and get the proper medication to handle a wasp sting if you are allergic. 

How To Keep Wasps From Taking Over Your Property

The absolute best way to get rid of a wasp nest is to hire the experts at Hill Country Pest Solutions. Our team of dedicated technicians understands stinging insects and has the safety equipment and training needed to remove wasp nests from your property. We also offer ongoing pest control services that cover a wide range of invasive yard pests, including wasps. If you would like to have us on call year-round for wasp (and other pest) problems, this is the option for you.

Reach out to Hill Country Pest Solutions today to learn more about our wasp removal services in Spring Branch.