All About Orange and Black Striped Wasps: Identification, Stings, and Treatment

All About Orange and Black Striped Wasps

Wasps are familiar insects that hover around picnic tables and discarded cans of soda during the warm summer months. With their bright warning colors of yellow and black or orange and black, wasps deliver a memorable and painful sting to those who swat them away or accidentally disturb a hidden nest.

While all wasps can sting, some species are more aggressive than others. The social wasps in the family Vespidae are responsible for the majority of stings that happen each year. This group includes recognizable pests like yellowjackets, hornets, and paper wasps.

Of these, two of the most common stinging insects in many regions of North America are the western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) and the bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata). Both showcase the iconic orange and black stripes that serve as a warning to potential predators.

Identification of Orange and Black Striped Wasps

It's easy to confuse western yellowjackets and bald-faced hornets when you encounter them buzzing around food or darting through the air. They are similar not only in color but in habits and habitat.

However, a close look reveals key differences that allow you to tell them apart.

Western Yellowjacket

As their name implies, western yellowjackets live throughout western North America. They build nests in hollow trees, wall voids, attics, and other protected spots.

Workers are about 3/4 inch long and display the typical yellow and black striped abdomen. Their heads are black, and they have black antennae. Wings are smoky gray.

Western yellowjacket colonies have a single queen. They start out small in spring but can grow to house several thousand workers by late summer and autumn.

Bald-Faced Hornet

Despite their name, bald-faced hornets are actually a type of yellowjacket. They occur throughout North America.

Bald-faced hornet nests hang from trees and shrubs, reached by a single exposed entrance tube. Nest chambers are made of paper carton material.

At about 3/4 to 1 inch long, bald-faced hornet workers look similar to western yellowjackets. The upper face lacks yellow markings, appearing white or "bald." Legs are brownish-orange.

Colonies are smaller, with just 100 to 700 workers. But they aggressively defend the nest if provoked.

Sting Characteristics

All species of social wasps can deliver repeated stings, whether to prey items or in defense of their nest. Stings are painful but generally not dangerous.

However, in some cases stings can trigger a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. This is rare, occurring in around 3% of children and adults who are stung.

How Do Wasps Sting?

A wasp sting comes from the female's ovipositor, a needle-like tube that delivers eggs into wood or soil. The ovipositor also serves as a stinger.

When a wasp stings, it first grabs onto the victim with its legs. It then drives the ovipositor into the skin and injects a drop of venom from attached venom glands.

The stinger is not barbed like a honey bee stinger. So wasps are able to sting more than once without injury to themselves.

What Does a Wasp Sting Feel Like?

A wasp sting causes an immediate burning pain at the sting site. There is localized swelling and redness.

The area may itch and throb. Some people describe the pain as similar to a bee sting, others say it feels like a hypodermic needle driving into the skin.

Pain and swelling typically reach maximum intensity within 10 minutes. Symptoms then gradually improve over the next few hours.

Allergic Reactions to Wasp Stings

While wasp venom is not considered highly allergenic, some people do have severe reactions to stings. This includes anaphylaxis, a whole-body response that is life-threatening.

Anaphylaxis causes symptoms such as swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness, stomach cramps, and a drop in blood pressure. This is a medical emergency requiring epinephrine.

Around 1% to 3% of children and adults have an allergic response to wasp venom. Risk factors include prior reactions and existing asthma or allergies.

First Aid for Wasp Stings

For mild reactions, basic first aid measures can help reduce discomfort from a wasp sting.

Remove the Stinger

Check the skin to see if the stinger is embedded. Use a tweezers or edge of a credit card to remove it.

Try to avoid squeezing the stinger, as this may inject more venom. Do not use your fingers to pluck it out.

Wash the Area

Clean the sting site with soap and water to remove traces of venom. Do not scrub hard.

Applying an antiseptic cream helps prevent infection.

Apply a Cold Pack

Chilling the sting helps ease pain and reduce swelling. Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables in a towel and hold to the area for 10 minutes.

Repeat as needed for the next few hours.

Elevate the Area

If stung on an arm or leg, keep it raised above heart level. This uses gravity to reduce swelling.

Take Antihistamines

An oral antihistamine such as diphenhydramine or loratadine helps relieve itching and swelling. Follow dosage on the label.

Antihistamines are an important part of treatment for allergic reactions as well.

Monitor for Allergic Reaction

Watch closely for signs of anaphylaxis, especially if the victim has been stung before. Call 911 if serious symptoms develop.

Home Remedies for Wasp Stings

Natural ingredients from the pantry and medicine cabinet can supplement conventional first aid for wasp stings.

Home remedies may reduce pain, swelling, and itching. Always follow up with medical care if symptoms persist or worsen.

Paste of Baking Soda and Water

Making a paste of baking soda and water helps neutralize venom acids. It also acts as a cooling compress when applied to the sting.

Honey

The antimicrobial properties of honey aid healing. Apply a small dab of regular honey and cover with a bandage.

Manuka honey works best but is not always available.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Dabbing apple cider vinegar onto the sting can relieve itching and pain. Mix it half and half with water first to prevent skin irritation.

Aloe Vera Gel

The cooling gel from an aloe vera plant eases inflammation. Break off a leaf and squeeze gel directly onto the sting.

Essential Oils

Lavender, peppermint, tea tree and other essential oils are said to aid wasp sting recovery. Mix a few drops into coconut or olive oil and apply.

When to Seek Medical Care

In most cases home treatment allows you to manage wasp sting discomfort. But contact your doctor if:

• Pain or swelling worsens or spreads
• There are signs of infection like pus or red streaking
• Symptoms do not improve after 24 hours
• You develop hives, trouble breathing, or other indications of a serious allergic response

People who have a known allergy to wasp stings should seek immediate medical care after being stung.

Preventing Wasp Stings

The best approach with wasps is to avoid provoking them in the first place. Some tips to prevent stings include:

• Inspect areas for nests before mowing or pruning bushes
• Wear protective clothing when gardening
• Avoid swatting at wasps
• Stay away from nests
• Keep food and drink covered outdoors
• Install screens on windows and doors
• Seal cracks in walls and eaves where wasps can enter

Removing or treating nests is a job best left to pest control experts. Trying to do it yourself often leads to multiple stings.

Outlook for Wasp Stings

With proper first aid and medical follow up if needed, most people recover fully from wasp stings. Pain and swelling go away within a day or two.

Sometimes the sting site remains itchy and tender for up to a week. Applying hydrocortisone cream helps control localized irritation.

Rarely, bacterial infection develops at the sting site. This causes increased pain, pus, and redness. Antibiotics clear up the infection.

People with allergies may be prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector to carry in case of future stings. They should also consider undergoing allergy shots to reduce sensitivity to wasp venom.

Key Takeaways

• Orange and black striped wasps like western yellowjackets and bald-faced hornets deliver painful stings.
• Use cold packs, elevate the area, and take antihistamines to ease sting symptoms.
• Monitor for allergic reaction and seek medical care for severe symptoms.
• Home remedies like baking soda paste and aloe vera may supplement conventional treatment.
• Avoid swatting at wasps and stay away from nests to prevent stings.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.