Whether you're at the beach, a park, or in your own backyard, bees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets and fire ants are insects to take seriously. About 50 U.S. deaths per year are attributed to allergic reactions to insect stings. But with the right care, many of these deaths could be preventable. Reactions to insect stings generally occur within a few minutes to one hour after a sting.
Most people experience only localized pain and swelling.
The sooner the symptoms develop, the more serious the reaction. What to Do if You're Stung Normal reactions to insect stings include pain and redness, heat, and itching around the site. Large local reactions are not dangerous but can be extreme, requiring early treatment with corticosteroids. Only the honeybee leaves a stinger which continues to inject venom into your skin, for up to two to three minutes. Scrape away the stinger and venom sac with a long fingernail or credit card.