Hornets have a certain monster image due to their impressive size and deep hum. But are the largest of all wasps really as dangerous as popular wisdom would have us believe? Let's take a close look at the animals and their stings and criticize rumors.
What to do if a hornet stings
Depending on the type of sting and the constitution of the person bitten, more or less treatment is necessary after a hornet sting. A he althy person who is not affected by an allergy to insect venom and is stung in a non-critical area does not actually have to take any special measures. Here it is enough to use aids to combat the pain, swelling and itching. The following is suitable as first aid:
- Treat with heat first
- Clay or sucking out
- Then cool down
- Onion or vinegar
- if applicable Painkillers
Heat
Heat can slow down the release of histamine, which reacts to the insect venom, and thus redness, swelling and itching. You can use a battery-operated heat pen from the pharmacy or alternatively the metal head of a lighter heated with the flame or a washcloth soaked in hot water.
Clay or sucking out
Astringent clay or suction must be applied just as acutely. The puncture channel in the skin closes very quickly and makes the injected poison inaccessible from the outside. But if you act immediately after the hornet attack, you can get rid of at least part of the poison and significantly reduce the subsequent symptoms. When sucking with the mouth, the poison must be spit out quickly because it can attack the mucous membranes and be absorbed through them.
Cooling
Afterwards, cooling provides the most pain relief. Wrap a cold pack or ice cube in a tea towel and use it to cool the puncture site at intervals.
Cooling is good and relieves swelling
Onion or vinegar
The old home remedy of pressing a cut onion onto the puncture site can also help. The acid has a disinfecting and therefore itching-relieving effect. Vinegar can also slow down the inflammatory reaction.
Painkillers
To relieve the pain, you can also use painkillers. Easily administered ibu drops at night can be particularly helpful for children.
Hornet stings on children/babies
Children and babies may be more challenged by the (perhaps new) experience of a hornet sting than an adult, but it is not significantly more dangerous for them. As explained in the section on the toxicity of a hornet sting, there is only a risk to life in the very rarest of cases, namely only when an insect venom allergy is extremely severe. So treat a hornet sting in a child the same way you would an adult. Of course, the same applies to little ones: As soon as the bite is in the eye or throat area, an emergency doctor should be consulted.
Tip
In the event of a hornet sting, it is worth a lot if you give your child a lot of care - this makes the pain much easier to bear. Distraction by reading aloud or watching TV shows can also be helpful. For comfort, you can also wrap cool packs in a beloved cuddly blanket or a favorite washcloth. To relieve the pain at night, you can also give painkillers in a child-friendly dose.
Hornet stings on animals
The best way to treat your dog's or cat's paws is with a cooling bandage. If your four-legged friend is stung in the eye or throat area, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.
How dangerous is a hornet sting?
Every person reacts differently to a hornet sting
Because many people consider the hornet to be more dangerous than it is, a sting can sometimes cause a certain amount of panic. But when you look at the facts, you see that excessive worry is unnecessary. In general, hornet stings are no more dangerous than bee or other wasp stings.
Wasp vs. hornet sting
Compared to that of a German wasp - equivalent to body size - the stinger of a hornet is of course longer and therefore perhaps more frightening. Because it penetrates deeper layers of the skin, it can also cause more pain for a short time. In numbers, the stinger of a hornet worker measures 3.4 to 3.7 mm, that of a wasp about 2.6 mm. The stingers of both species are equipped with a venom sac that injects the venom through a channel into the puncture site.
How devastating the consequences of a sting are depends on the amount injected as well as the toxicity and composition of the poison. And here you can calm down, because many of these variables are surprisingly harmless in hornets.
Amount of poison
The pure amount of poison infused into hornets is even lower than that of their smaller counterparts. In bees, barbs on the stinger ensure that the stinger stays in the puncture site longer and can empty the entire contents of the poison sac. Because hornets, like other wasp species, do not lose their stinger when stinging and can sting multiple times, only a small proportion of the poison is released at a time. However, the numerically precise average amount per sting for hornets has not yet been officially determined.
Toxicity
You can actually relax when it comes to toxicity. Because here too, bee venom is in a much more dangerous range. The toxic effect of hornet venom is defined as 8.7 to 10.9 mg per kg of body weight. This means that a larger amount is required for the same toxic effect than with bees. On this basis, for non-allergy sufferers, only several hundred to thousands of stings would be fatal. However, such a case is virtually impossible because of the usual hornet population size of a maximum of 200 individuals.
The hornet species Vespa affinis or Vespa orientalis have been known to die after around 300 stings. However, these species are more poisonous than our Vespa crabro.
Hornet venom poses a serious danger to those who are allergic to insect venom. In a so-called anaphylaxis, an increased, acute immune system reaction, even one sting can be life-threatening.
Composition
What turns things around a bit is the composition of the hornet venom. Compared to wasp or bee venom, it contains the substance acetylcholine, which causes a burning, pulsating feeling of pain. In a study by the American entomologist J. O. Schmidt, the sensation of pain from a hornet sting was classified as identical to that from wasp and bee stings.
Symptoms of a hornet sting
Hornet stings usually swell a lot
Outwardly, a hornet sting is no different from a bee or wasp sting. There is usually a more or less severe swelling and redness around the puncture site and soon severe itching due to the defensive reaction to the foreign protein.
The part of the body where it sits is also crucial for the impairment caused by a hornet sting. Of course, it is less annoying on the leg or arm than on the foot, hand, finger or face. When it comes to the head, you still have to differentiate in terms of how dangerous it is: a sting on the forehead is not really more critical than on the limbs, but it is on the eye or in the back of the throat. Swelling in the throat can impair breathing and requires acute treatment.
Insect venom allergy
Anyone who suffers from an allergy to insect venom is at far greater risk from a hornet sting than non-allergy sufferers. In general, however, only around 0.8 to 4% of the population is affected. And the intensity of such hypersensitivity is fundamentally different.
There are 4 levels of severity that go beyond local reactions:
| Severity | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| 1. Mild | Severe itching, nausea |
| 2. Medium difficulty | Like grade 1, also edema, tightness, vomiting, gastrointestinal cramps, dizziness |
| 3. Hard | Like grades 1 and 2, also shortness of breath, swallowing and speech disorders |
| 4. Life-threatening – Anaphylactic shock | Like grades 1, 2 and 3, also drop in blood pressure, unconsciousness, circulatory collapse, incontinence, blue discoloration of the skin |
The highest degree of severity associated with anaphylactic shock fortunately occurs extremely rarely. In 1999, the Federal Statistical Office registered a total of 21 deaths of people allergic to insect venom as a result of an insect bite.
Hornets – a portrait
The hornet, zoologically Vespa crabro, belongs to the family of wasps and the subfamily of true wasps. It is therefore closely related to German and common wasps, the striped insects that we know all too well from their annoying visits to the breakfast or coffee table.
Among the wasps, the hornet is the largest species living here. A queen can reach an impressive body length of 23 to 35 millimeters, the workers are 18 to 25 millimeters long. The drones are between 21 and 28 millimeters long.
Hornets can be distinguished from other wasp species primarily by their size, but also by their coloring. Here is a brief overview of the most important identifying features in comparison with the German wasp:
| hornet | German wasp | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Workers: 18-25 mm, queens 23 to 35 mm, drones 21 to 28 mm long | Workers 12 to 16 mm, queens up to 20 mm, drones 13 to 17 mm long |
| Coloring | Middle segment (upper back) black and reddish-brown in color up to the first third of the abdomen, behind it yellow with black pattern (varies regionally) | Black dorsal shield with yellow markings, abdomen with clear yellow-black stripes and dot markings on both sides |
| Physical shape and other identifying characteristics | Typical wasp shape (wasp waist), head quite wide at the back, more clearly separated from the middle segment, wings tinted reddish | Overall straighter body shape, head and middle segment not significantly narrower than abdomen, wings narrower, colorless |
Hornet nests are impressive structures
Hornets, like all social wasps, live in states. Like other wasp species, they build their nests out of chewed wood pulp, which makes the constructs look like they are made of papier-mâché. However, a hornet colony remains smaller than the colonies of other wasp species. Due to the short lifespan of the workers (20-40 days), there are no 200 individuals living at the same time, even in the seasonal peak phase in September.
Excursus
Not all hornets are the same
What is generally less known is that hornets form their own genus within the real wasps - so there are several species of hornets within the genus, with the hornet that gives it its name, the Vespa crabro, being the best known in our country.
There are around 23 species worldwide and some of them are even larger than our native hornet. The queens of the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia), for example, reach a frightening body length of up to 55 millimeters. And in fact, this species of hornet is far more dangerous than the Vespa crabro that lives here. But it doesn't occur here in Central Europe.
How dangerous are hornets?
Hornets intuitively evoke feelings of fear in many people. Because they are so much larger and hum so much more deeply than other wasps, which can't necessarily be considered cuddly toys, this is understandable. However, their external appearance characteristics cannot be directly transferred to their danger.
“Seven hornet stings kill a horse, three kill an adult and two kill a child.”
This popular wisdom is widespread and is still stubbornly anchored in the collective consciousness today. It has long since been exposed as an old wives' tale. No horse dies from seven hornet stings, nor does an adult die from three or a child from two. In any case, this cannot be generally stated as a fact.
However, that doesn't mean that hornets are completely harmless. Of course, under certain circumstances the animals are dangerous. The following factors play a particularly important role:
- Situation and handling of the animals
- Individual sensitivity to insect venom (allergy)
- Type of Hornet
Danger depending on the situation
How dangerous a hornet or an entire colony of hornets can become depends largely on the situation. Although they generally prefer not to sting and are less offensive than wasps, hornets can be quite defensive when under pressure. The most important thing when dealing with them is therefore not to disturb or attack them if possible. Incidentally, this is also prohibited under nature conservation law because of their species protection. Anyone who encounters hornets peacefully and carefully will be left alone by them.
Correct behavior includes, above all, not moving hectically near a hornet's nest, not making noise and not hitting or blowing away individual animals. You should also be careful not to accidentally crush them. All of this irritates the hornets and puts them into defense mode.
Tip
Since hornets also hunt at night, they can easily wander into your house when it gets dark. In this case, you should quickly turn off the lights and open the windows wide. The animal usually finds its way back out into the open on its own. During daylight hours, it is advisable to catch stray hornets with a soft-mesh net and bring them outside.
In rare cases of hypersensitivity to insect venom, the danger of a hornet is of course much higher. You can find out more about insect venom allergy below.
Lastly, the type of hornet also plays a role. Depending on the species, the animals have a different venom composition and behave differently aggressively. However, the common hornet that lives here is no more poisonous and is significantly less aggressive than other wasp species. More dangerous species are more likely to occur in tropical or Far Eastern areas.
Frequently asked questions
What does a hornet sting look like?
Usually, a hornet sting is no different from any other wasp or bee sting. If the person bitten does not suffer from an allergy to insect venom, a bright red colored sting will appear, which can be up to 10 centimeters in diameter. If the visual characteristics remain within these limits, you do not have to worry that the reaction indicates an allergic sensitivity that would require special treatment.
How severe and how long does a hornet sting hurt?
Depending on how deeply the stinger has penetrated the skin and how much venom has been injected, a hornet sting will hurt more or less severely. In general, a hornet sting goes deeper under the skin than bee or other wasp stings because of the longer stinger. That alone can lead to more severe pain. The acetylcholine contained in hornet venom also provides a burning sensation that is missing from wasp or bee stings.
In an American study, however, the sensation of pain from hornet stings was rated as high as that from bee or wasp stings.
How long a hornet sting hurts depends on the type of sting and the individual reaction parameters. In a he althy, non-hypersensitive person, the pain usually subsides after about 4 to 5 days, even with moderate follow-up treatment.
Allergy sufferers don't have to expect the symptoms to last longer, but rather to expect the symptoms to be more intense. Depending on the severity of the overreaction, the pain is more severe and the symptoms are more multiple, but they do not last much longer.
Can you die from a hornet sting?
Basically yes. However, certain conditions must be met for this to happen. And fortunately, deaths from hornet stings are extremely rare.
The risk of dying from hornet stings is increased, especially among those allergic to insect venom. However, it is only likely that this will actually happen if the allergy is very severe and an allergic shock is triggered.
Certain species of hornets that are not found here, such as Asian giant hornets, are more poisonous and aggressive than the common hornet that is native here. In Japan, on average, about 40 people die from allergic reactions to stings of this species.
What home remedies are there for hornet stings?
Hornet stings are generally best treated only with home remedies - because this category also includes the simple measures of heat and cool treatment. Pressing a hot lighter or a washcloth soaked in hot water onto the area immediately after the sting can significantly reduce histamine release and thus itching, redness and swelling in advance.
To draw the insect venom out of the wound, clay can also be used, but for an effective effect it must be applied to the area immediately after the puncture. The puncture channel closes very quickly.
Then the best measure against the pain is cooling with ice or cold packs.
Quick help against the inflammation is a cut onion or onion juice or vinegar.
Quartk compresses provide pleasant and skin-care cooling.
Does homeopathy help with a hornet sting?
The effectiveness of homeopathy is generally highly controversial. Numerous studies contradict each other and trigger heated discussions about compliance with established scientific standards. However, more and more people are relying on the gentle therapy method, which treats like with like and, even if it may only trigger a placebo effect, at least it doesn't do any harm.
Homeopathic remedies for insect bites represent the principle of the method in the most elementary way: The trigger of the symptoms also serves directly as a treatment substance. Globule preparations such as Apis mellifica consist of whole honey bees including their venom. They can therefore be used in particular for bee stings, but are also said to help against wasp and hornet stings.
