During the spring and summer months, it is hard to ignore the appear-ance of all the common insects. While most insects are simply a nuisance, others can cause anything from a mildly painful bite to a severe allergic reaction. Anyone who spends even a small amount of time outside is exposed to these potential hazards. The most common culprits are bees, wasps, mosquitoes, and biting ants. While prevention is the key, treatment of bites and stings after they occur is also important.

Bees and wasps are generally aggressive only when threatened. The head and neck are the most common sites of stings, followed by the arms and legs. Pain is usually immediate, followed by rapid swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the sting. If you are allergic to bee stings, you may have a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction consisting of shortness of breath, wheezing, hives, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Allergic reactions need immediate medical treatment.

Mosquitoes and ants are not as hazardous as bees and wasps, but they can be annoying. Most forms of insect repellent can ward off pesky mosquitoes and ants. Be sure to avoid ant hills because most biting ants (especially fire ants) become aggressive when they feel threatened.

A stinger that is still in the skin needs to be removed. Scraping it with a knife, razor blade, or the edge of a credit card is most effective. Do not try to remove the stinger with tweezers because that can worsen the person's reaction. Mild bee or wasp stings can usually be treated with an antihistamine (such as Benadryl), over-the-counter cortisone cream, or calamine lotion for the itching. Oatmeal baths may also be effective. A home remedy for itching consists of a paste of unseasoned meat tenderizer (Adoph's) and water applied to the location of the sting for 10 to 15 minutes. Ice applied to the site of the sting also often decreases the skin reaction. If you or a family member has a known severe allergic reaction to bee stings, then you should have a bee sting kit (EpiPen or Ana-Kit) in your possession at all times. You should also consider wearing a Medic Alert tag to let others know of your condition.

In order to prevent or at least reduce the likelihood of getting stung, the following guidelines should be observed: avoid wearing brightly colored clothing or sweet-smelling perfumes; avoid angering bees or wasps by coming in close contact with their nests; and keep sweet-smelling foods or drinks tightly covered, especially if you know bees are nearby.

Kristyn Fagerberg, M.D.
Columbus, Georgia