What To Do If You’re Stung by an Ichneumon Wasp: Effective Strategies for Relief

While ichneumon wasps usually do not sting humans, it’s not a bad idea to be prepared. Here’s what to do if ichneumon wasp stings and why it isn’t a big deal.

Scared of the giant ichneumon wasps buzzing around your garden? I can’t blame you for fearing wasps, for they do have an ill reputation for their painful stings.

However, should you be afraid of ichneumon wasps? Will it cause you any kind of infection or disease? What should you do if you get stung by one? Let’s figure it out.

Can Ichneumon Wasp Sting?

The huge stingers of the ichneumon wasps might indeed be scary. Adult wasps of these species have stingers up to four inches long, which are hard and powerful enough to drill into tree trunks. However, only a few varieties of ichneumon wasps sting humans at all.

Unlike many other aggressive species of wasps, ichneumon wasps usually keep to themselves and aren’t bothered by the presence of humans. Even the giant ichneumon wasps are harmless to humans unless you go ahead and disturb them first.

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Are These Wasps Harmful to People in Any Way?

You do not have to worry about the ichneumon wasps at all; they aren’t harmful to humans in any way. As mentioned earlier, only some of them are stinging wasps, and even those don’t usually sting humans except in self-defense.

Rather, these wasps are very beneficial for your garden, acting as natural predators of pests that can harm your plants.

Being parasitoids, ichneumon wasps use the larvae of other pests to lay their eggs. A female ichneumon wasp injects its eggs into a larva, where the egg hatches.

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The newly hatched wasp larva starts feeding on the fluids and fats of the host larva, eventually killing it. This helps keep other pest populations under control.

 

Can They Inject Their Eggs Into Humans?

So that last bit was a bit scary, right? Can female wasps lay their eggs by injecting them into humans too?

It might evoke flashbacks of the movie “Alien.” A wasp larva growing and feeding inside your body is indeed a terrifying thought. However, rest assured that ichneumon wasps cannot and do not inject their eggs into humans.

These wasps prefer small insects, or more specifically, insect larvae, as hosts for their eggs. Common host species include tomato hornworms, horntails, butterflies, etc.

This is because, along with the eggs, they also inject venom that suppresses the immune system of the host. This venom isn’t strong enough to work on humans, so if they try to inject their eggs into your body, your immune system will simply fight off the venom and kill the eggs.

What Should You Do if One Stings You?

While it’s unlikely that you will ever get stung by an ichneumon wasp, if it happens, you should be prepared for it.

In case you accidentally end up mishandling or provoking them in any way, they might get aggressive and sting you.

The venom of an ichneumon wasp can cause serious symptoms but mostly if you are allergic to it. Here’s what you should do, depending on the severity:

Serious symptoms

Serious symptoms may include loss of consciousness, tightness of the throat, hoarseness, dizziness, swelling in areas other than where the wasp stung, cramps, etc.

In case of such severe symptoms, call the emergency helpline for medical attention. If you have epinephrine available, inject a shot of it immediately. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Don’t take more than two shots of epinephrine except under medical supervision. You should take the second shot only if the first doesn’t deliver results within 10-15 minutes.
• Avoid injecting it into your hands or feet, as doing so may result in tissue damage. The best place to inject epinephrine is the thigh.
• Even if the injection works and the symptoms are gone, you still need to visit the ER.

Those who have a history of severe allergic reactions should take the epinephrine shot without waiting for any symptoms to appear.

Don’t worry; it won’t cause any harm. However, if your doctor has prescribed a specific anaphylaxis action plan, you should follow that instead.

Non-serious symptoms

Non-serious symptoms include sharp pain, itching, burning, or swelling at the sting site.

As long as you don’t have a history of allergic reactions and the symptoms aren’t severe, you don’t need emergency medical attention.

Just follow the steps below to get rid of the stinger and treat the wound:

• Firstly, you need to remove the stinger in case it breaks off and got left behind. Just scrape the area with a straight object, like a credit card, to push out the stinger. Make sure not to pinch the stinger, as it can release more venom.
• Now that you have gotten rid of the stinger apply ice to the area. It will control the swelling and the pain. Also, if you are wearing any tight-fitting jewelry in the stung area, remove them before it becomes impossible due to the swelling.
• If the wasp stung your hand or leg, elevating it will help limit the swelling, too, by reducing blood pressure in the area.
• Once you have taken care of the sting wound, it’s time to treat your symptoms. An over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen should help with the pain. If the stung area is itchy, apply a calamine lotion or a mix of water and baking soda.

Generally, the swelling and the pain subside within two to five days.

 

Frequently asked questions

Are parasitic wasps poisonous?

Parasitic wasps like ichneumon, braconid, and chalcid wasps may have venom in their stingers, but it isn’t potent against humans. These wasps are poisonous only to other insects.

Does a short-tailed ichneumon wasp sting?

Yes, the short-tailed ichneumon wasp is capable of stinging. However, its sting doesn’t contain any venom, so even when stung, you are completely safe.

Can Pimpla Rufipes sting humans?

A Pimpla Rufipes has cytotoxic venom in its sting, but fortunately, it isn’t dangerous to humans at all. These wasps mostly target butterfly caterpillars or their larvae to lay eggs.

What wasp has a really long stinger?

The giant ichneumon wasp is one of the largest parasitoid wasps, with a stinger/ovipositor that is four to five inches in length. They usually choose horntail larvae as their host.

Wrapping up

Ichneumon wasps come in several varieties. These wood borers vary in appearance but are usually slender. They can either be bright or dark in color. The scorpion wasp, an ichneumon species, has yellow bands on its abdomen.

Regardless of the species, you may rest assured that they’re completely harmless and help protect your garden from pests.