Yellow jackets, a species of wasp (Vespula), are often confused with bees due to their distinct black and yellow striped bodies. They are slender, smooth-bodied insects with a narrow waist, contrasting with the rounder, fuzzy appearance of a honey bee. This common mix-up often leads to confusion about their stinging mechanism, particularly whether they leave their stinger embedded in the skin.
The Direct Answer: Stinger Retention
Yellow jackets do not leave their stinging apparatus behind in the victim’s skin. This is due to the physical structure of their stinger, which is smooth or possesses only very small barbs. This design allows the yellow jacket to effortlessly withdraw the stinger after injecting its venom into the target.
The honey bee’s stinger is heavily barbed, resembling a tiny harpoon. When stinging a thick-skinned mammal, the barbs anchor the apparatus in the tissue. As the bee pulls away, the stinger tears free from the insect’s abdomen, resulting in the bee’s death shortly after a single sting. Since the yellow jacket’s stinger is smooth, it remains intact, allowing the insect to survive the encounter and sting again.
Behavioral Consequences of Stinger Retention
The ability to retain the stinger has significant implications for the yellow jacket’s behavior and the nature of the encounter with a victim. Because the insect survives the initial act, a yellow jacket can sting multiple times in rapid, successive attacks. This capability makes them highly defensive during a confrontation compared to the single-use defense of the honey bee.
Yellow jackets exhibit defensive behavior around their nests or food sources. Before delivering the venom, the wasp may bite the skin to gain a better grip for the subsequent sting. When threatened, a single yellow jacket can release an alarm pheromone, signaling other colony members to join the attack, potentially leading to numerous stings.
Immediate Care After a Yellow Jacket Sting
Immediate and proper care helps manage the localized pain and swelling that follow a yellow jacket sting. First, gently wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water to clean the wound and reduce the risk of secondary infection. Since yellow jackets rarely leave their stinger, there is usually no need to scrape or remove anything from the skin, a procedure that is necessary after a honey bee sting.
Applying a cold compress, such as an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, to the sting site for about 10 to 20 minutes can help constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling and pain. If the sting occurred on an arm or leg, elevating the limb above the level of the heart can also assist in minimizing localized swelling.
Over-the-counter medications can be used to treat the symptoms. An oral antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine, can help manage itching and swelling by blocking the body’s histamine response. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can also be taken to alleviate the pain associated with the venom injection.
While most reactions are localized, it is important to monitor for signs of a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis. Symptoms requiring immediate emergency medical attention include wheezing or difficulty breathing, a sudden drop in blood pressure, swelling of the tongue or throat, dizziness, and widespread hives. If a person has a known allergy, an epinephrine auto-injector should be used immediately, and emergency services should be called without delay.