wasps!

Soundguy · Aug 6, 2004

Well.. I am just now getting over a small alergic reaction to a wasp sting earlier in the day. After putting my tools in the barn from working on the mower I managed to 'bump' into one of those maen little guys. got me on the right wrist pretty good. I hit the spot with some vet spray for the horses as I was in the barn, and then headed inside to grab some prescription alergy medicine I keep for just this purpose.

Wrist swelled pretty good and hurts like the dickens right now

Just a reminder to all to be carefull!

Soundguy ( whos is typing with one hand as the other one hurts too much! )

40Kchicks · Aug 6, 2004

It has been a bad year for yellow jackets in my area.

I got stung last week by yellow jackets. They had built a nest in my skid steer cab right behind my head. I was driving along when one stung me on the arm. I jumped out and saw the nest but I had to get back in and drive the tractor to the well house so I could spray out the nest. Luckily I didn’t get stung again and I didn’t have any reaction to the first sting.

Hope your feeling better
Eric

Cliff_Johns · Aug 6, 2004

( Just a reminder to all to be carefull!
Soundguy ( whos is typing with one hand as the other one hurts too much! ) )

I was pushing my brush pile around (I really must do somehting about that soon) and suddenly noticed that there were a lot of Yellow Jackets swarming around my tractor.

I backed away and went in and had lunch. They had realxed by the time I got back, but I still don't know where the nest is.

Cliff

rbarker · Aug 6, 2004

[quote They had realxed by the time I got back, but I still don't know where the nest is.)

From what I have read and experienced, yellow jackets will make nests in a hole in the ground or in a hollow stump or log. You can usually see a steady stream of activity during the daylight hours going in and out. Some nests can hold up to a couple thousand of the little buggers! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Cliff_Johns · Aug 6, 2004

( Some nests can hold up to a couple thousand of the little buggers! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )

Thanks for that piece of info. I feel much better now.

I'm in a "no outdoor fires" area so I'll have to chip/shred the pile. I'm so not looking forward to that.

Cliff

Soundguy · Aug 7, 2004

Here's a follow up. It is now 1 am.. I got home from work about an hour ago. The swelling is just -starting- to go down, and the pain is -beginning- to go away.

So far I've taken 3 aspirin earlier.. and then whe I got home a couple ibuprophen.. which is pretty much my limit till tomorrow.

Had some benadryl cream and rubed that on the spot, as well as took another dose of antihistimine.. That last antihistamine and ibrprophen an hour ago seems to be what is producing the 'good' results. I'm adding some more cream and going to bed.

I'm hoping to wake up tommorow with a normal sized wrist.. and a arm that doesn't hurt... Anyone know how long a wasp-sting reaction is sopposed to last?

When I was a kid I was alergic to wasps and ants.. but in my early 20's I got stung a few times with -0- effects.. now it seems I'm alergic again.. go figure..

Thanks for the replies.

Soundguy

upgw · Aug 7, 2004

It's been a terrible year for them, a bunch of brown wasps built a nest in the barn door, you could hear them buzzing for weeks when the door is opened or closed.. well, they got the wife and a horse yesterday, so I emptied an entire can of spray into the door, but you can't seen in there... don't know if I got them or not.. wife seemed a lot more unhappy than the horse! I think when they bite it hurts more than when they sting...

A guy down the street ran over a nest of in-ground yellow jackets.. he got stunk many times.. but he's ok..

The cool weather is going to make them go crazy now.

- Patrick

rbarker · Aug 8, 2004

( I'm hoping to wake up tommorow with a normal sized wrist.. and a arm that doesn't hurt... Anyone know how long a wasp-sting reaction is sopposed to last?

)

I think you will probably feel the effects from a reaction that bad for 3 or 4 days. The antihistemine is probably what helped the most. If it doesn't get better by tomorrow your Doctor could probably give you something to help. I think they call it a medrol pack, but it's basically steroids given in a 5 day dose. I've used it for poison ivy before with good results. I know it's not the same as a bee sting but it's still an allergic reaction. You could also try ice for the pain and swelling.

Hope you are feeling better!

rossco · Aug 8, 2004

I live in South Texas and they seem to be worse this season here also. We have red wasps, yellow jackets and what we call mud dobbers. The mud dobbers are just a neusance because they build mud nests wherever they can. I have found that the cheap spray is not worth buying. Get some good stuff that knocks the wasps and jackets down on contact. I've had pretty good results with Bengal's wasp and hornet killer.

Soundguy · Aug 9, 2004

( think you will probably feel the effects from a reaction that bad for 3 or 4 days )

Your right on the money. It still hurt a bit sunday, and now today it is back to normal.

( The antihistemine is probably what helped the most. If it doesn't get better by tomorrow your Doctor could probably give you something to help. I think they call it a medrol pack )

Again on the money. I have steroids I take for seasonal alergies, I talked to a nurse later that day and she said it should help. It seems to as the next day the arm was considerably better and no swelling.

I'm just glad its over.

I went around the house and found 11 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif more nests under the eves!

I let them have it with more enforcer and black flag...

Soundguy

KiotiJohn · Aug 9, 2004

When I worked as a poison information specialist, we recommended a paste of baking soda allowed to dry and benadryl (diphendhydramine) by mouth.
The medrol pack, a corticosteriod would probably work even better, but is usually needed in prescription strength. John

frank_f15 · Aug 9, 2004

soundguy, don't know if u happened to see my post from last mont on hornet sting, but i got hit july 4th had the most violent reaction , ended up in an ambulance and about 6 hrs in the hospital. can be quite a harrowing experience and deadly!

8NTX · Aug 10, 2004

In my tractor barn, red wasps and black wasps are the biggest problem. The red ones are mean and quick, but I found out that the black ones are evil and would make Dale Jr. envious. I was at least 20 ft. away from the barn when one zapped me on the ankle. I don't get sick, but I generally swell up bad. The swelling finally went away after about 3 weeks and I could walk again without difficulty. I HATE WASPS. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

soarkrebel · Aug 22, 2004

I know it's a little late soundguy but my grandfather always said put tobbacco on the sting. once i got stung when i was a kid and he spit on it with his redman juice! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

It didnt really help just gave me an unforgetable memory of him. but hey it might work for you! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

TBAR · Aug 26, 2004

I am paranoid of those little !@#$%^. Didn't know I was allergic to them until one hit me on the jugular vein.

Migraine headache
Spots in my vision
Trouble breathing
Loss of equilibrium

Yea.......................I hate wasps!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

TBAR

Soundguy · Aug 30, 2004

I had another run in with wasps this weekend.. though no casualties.. except maybee a wasp nest or two.

I wa smowing on my 7610s and went thru a particularly high clump of brush.. say 3'-4' and a swarm of these little wasps came out of nowhere.. say less than a half inch long.

About 3 times I thought I was hit.. but the went for my shirt and I was able to brush them off with my sweat rag..

Guess they had a nest? in the weeds. Small and black. Any ideas what these were? Do them make a round or compound nest.. or are they ground burowing?

Deffinately a nuisance. i accitentally took out and mowed over a 2" sweet gum that I had planned on leaving up... I didn't even hear the mower chew it up.. I just looked back and saw the stump chopped off at ground level... gosh I love that mower...

Soundguy

Archdean · Aug 30, 2004

Should help answer your questions. Wasps and other little Thingys

Personaly I have never see so many Mud Daubbers as this year, they are everywhere!!!
Dean

frank_f15 · Aug 31, 2004

same here TBAR! was never allergic before but got hit on JULY 4th, next thing i knew the wife had to call 911 and they carted me off to the hospital. stayed there about 6 hrs before they let me go home. now i have to keep a needle handy case i get stung again. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif