Everyone knows that wasps, like bees, are stinging insects. For this, the body is equipped with a special apparatus, which is located at the end of the abdomen. The organ is designed to attack those whom the wasps consider dangerous, or to immobilize prey. Let's consider how wasps use their sting, whether it remains in the body, and whether the insect dies or not. How the sting works. How is a wasp sting different from a bee sting?
Bite or sting?
Despite the fact that the word “bite” is more often used to denote this action of a wasp, it is better to replace it with the word “stinging,” since it is the sting that the insect uses for this.In the strict sense, it does not bite, since it has no teeth.
Wasps do not specifically attack animals or humans; this is a defensive reaction when the insect believes that it is in danger. It can bite if you crush or disturb an individual, accidentally frightening it. If the wasps notice a person near the nest and consider that this is a danger, they can attack him with the whole family.
Does the sting remain?
Wasps' stings do not have serrations, like bees', and are completely smooth. After being stung by an insect, it can pull it back without any consequences for itself. The wasp does not leave it in tissues and can be reused.
Does the insect die?
For the wasp, the sting passes without consequences. The insect does not die or get injured. This is understandable, because it uses the sting for its intended purpose - to obtain food for the future generation.
A bee sting looks like a harpoon; the insect cannot pull it out safely. It gets stuck in the wound along with part of the internal organs. The bee dies because the injury leaves it no chance of survival.
How to remove the sting if it still remains in the wound: carefully take it with tweezers and pull it towards you. Without a tool, it will be more difficult and unsafe to remove: you can spread the poison across the skin, and the allergy will be even stronger.
The sting of a wasp is an integral part of its body and plays an important role, allowing the insect to take care of food for its offspring, its own protection and the protection of the nest. The purpose of the sting of wasps and bees is similar, as is the composition of the poison, but the structure has features that affect how the insect will use it.
