do wasps have stings?

Question

i got stung by something on the weekend which left it's sting. it was either a bee or a wasp, even though i know wasps don't leave their stings, i'm convinced that when i hit it off, i broke the sting off the WASP, but my girlfriend says it couldn't be a wasp because wasps bite and don't sting. Please clear this up as we are on the verge of breaking up over this argument. thanks

Yeah, I was being sarcastic about breaking up over it

Answer 1

Wasps sting they definitely don't bite. Althought they do not leave their sting after stinging you like bees, it doen't seem unreasonable that if you swotted it off its sting broke off.

Answer 2

Breaking up over a wasp sting. Thats a bit dramatic.

You will be pleased to know it could of been either. a bee will leave its sting in. But if it was a wasp that stung you (yes they do sting) and you hit it at the right time the sting could of been knocked off. Something as small as a wasp can be very fragile when it encounters great big man hand!

Now go and kiss and make up!

Answer 3

Yes, wasps have stings, just as bees do—they don't bite (biting insects tend to be bloodsuckers, like mosquitos, ticks and horseflies). However, wasp (and hornet) stings taper straight to a point, whereas bee stings are barbed, which is why a bee sting is torn off (killing the bee) and left in the wound, whereas a wasp can sting many times throughout its life (unless someone swats it in the act). So you were almost certainly stung by a bee.

Useful tip I read somewhere—although both wasp and bee stings are painful, the venoms are actually fundamentally different. Wasp venom is acid, and can be neutralised with the application of e.g. bicarb of soda, and bee stings are alkali, and can be neutralised with vinegar.

Having said that, some people are allergic to bee stings and if stung can have a severe reaction called anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal. In those cases, don't bother with the condiments—call an ambulance right away, find out if they have any anti-allergy medication (e.g. an "EpiPen") with them, and monitor their airway, breathing and circulation (ABC) until the paramedics arrive. You could save their life.

And to save your relationship, don't get worked up over dumb arguments...

Answer 4

Both bees and wasps sting. Wasps can bite and sting repeatedly if they desired to do so.
It is only honey bees that will leave their stinger in the wound. The whole purpose of doing this is to ensure a more powerful sting without the chance of being knocked off. Honey bees are basically suicide bombers, they sacrifice their own lives for that of the entire colony. It is all related to their own biological fitness, by sacrificing their own lives, they ensure that their sisters will survive.
When a honey bee stings, it leaves behind its stinger and a pair of venom sacs that continually deliver venom into the wound with the help of some residual nerve impulses. This ensures that the bee cannot be knocked away before it does maximum damage.
If this happens again, dont try to pull out the stinger because you will typically expereince lots of pain doing this because you are actually helping the venom to be squeezed into the wound. Take a credit card or rigid paper and wipe it away, that way the stinger comes out and you dont give yourself an injection of venom.

Hope this answers your question.........wasps sting (just for argument's sake)

Answer 5

Wasps do have stings (and use them). If you happened to hit the wasp away while it was stinging you, you could have broken off its sting.

Wasp stings do not have barbs, so they are normally able to remove their sting and sting again. Bee stings, on the other hand, have barbs, so a bee will leave its sting and the organ that makes the poison behind. The organ will go on pumping poison into you (unless it is carefully removed without squeezing it) and the bee will die.

Wasps do not bite in self-defence, though they do have powerful mandibles which they use in feeding on greenfly.

Answer 6

Yes wasps do sting
Although bee and wasp stings can be very unpleasant the majority of us, if stung, will experience nothing more than a little pain and some temporary swelling. However, a small number of people (possibly as little as one or two out of every 1000) are hypersensitive or allergic to bee and wasp stings.

If you believe you or a family member might be allergic or is developing an allergy, it is advisable to seek the advice of an allergist. Allergic reactions to bee and wasp stings can develop anywhere on the body. The could result in non-life-threatening reactions, such as hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and headaches. But, life-threatening reactions, such as shock, dizziness, unconsciousness, difficulty in breathing, and swelling in the throat, require immediate medical care. Symptoms can begin immediately following the sting or up to 30 minutes later and might last for hours. This reaction is often referred to as anaphylaxis.

An anaphylactic shock needs to be treated immediately, usually with the use of an Epi-Pen (adrenaline) injected into the body. People who know they are allergic to stings should carry an Epi-Pen whenever they think they might come into contact with stinging insects. An Epi-Pen is only available on prescription from a doctor.

Answer 7

A wasp usually stings you and lives a bee definitely dies after stinging you.

If a wasp bit you I wouldn't have thought you'd even notice it.

Answer 8

Honeybees sting just once, then they die. Unless it is a queen honeybee: They can sting repeatedly.

Some kinds of bees (honeybees are not the only kind) and all wasps can sting repeatedly. Furthermore, stingless bees and wasps have massive jaws, so they defend themselves by biting.

In your case, it is probably a honey bee that stung you.

Hope it works out with your girlfriend.... good luck!

Answer 9

Wasps do sting but withdraw their sting afterwards. If the sting has been left in, it will be a bee that has stung you

Answer 10

Wasps sting but unlike bees they can sting more than once without dying..