Call 15 or 112 immediately if:
- the person has trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or feels faint;
- the sting is in the mouth or throat;
- there are many stings (several dozen for an adult, far fewer for a child);
- the person knows they are allergic to venom.
If an adrenaline auto-injector has been prescribed, use it straight away. In France, 15 is the medical emergency number and 112 works across Europe.
I am a pest control technician, not a doctor: the advice below is common sense. If in doubt, call 15.
First aid for a simple sting
- Move calmly away from where you were stung: other insects may follow, especially near a nest.
- Remove rings and bracelets if the sting is on the hand: swelling can be quick.
- Wash with soap and water, then disinfect.
- Apply something cold (ice wrapped in a cloth) to reduce pain and swelling.
- Keep an eye on the person for at least 30 minutes.
Unlike bees, wasps and hornets do not leave their sting behind: they can sting several times.
Is a hornet more dangerous than a wasp?
A hornet sting hurts more and injects more venom, but the real danger is the number of stings and allergies. A lone hornet feeding is rarely aggressive. A colony disturbed near its nest, on the other hand, can attack as a group: that is what happens when you trim a hedge or open a shutter with a nest behind it.
Avoiding more stings
- Watch for insects flying back and forth: it means there is a nest nearby.
- Never block a nest entrance or spray it with water: the colony becomes aggressive.
- In late summer, cover sweet drinks and food outside and drink through a straw.
- Have any nest near living areas destroyed. See my prices and method.
A nest at your place in the Chamonix valley? I come out 7 days a week in season: +33 6 46 33 00 39.