How Dangerous Are Wasps To Humans?

The existence of a wasp nest near your home or office building is usually enough for most people to contact an exterminator to get rid of the unwanted swarm and the buzzing that comes with it.

Most people do not like wasps, and their stings are unpleasant at the best of times. However, there is a point where wasps stop being a pest and start becoming outright dangerous.

Wasp stings are poisonous, albeit at a level that the body can typically tolerate and that typically leads to rashes, bumps and irritation.

However, an accumulation of wasp stings or an allergic reaction can lead to a condition known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock.

This is where the throat or tongue swells, and it becomes very difficult to breathe very quickly. It is an imminent and clear threat to life, one that, if caused by wasp stings, is usually treated in a hospital. 

If someone is regularly exposed to an allergen that causes anaphylactic shock, they can be prescribed an auto-injector sometimes called a “sting kit”. When injected immediately, this can help stabilise them, although in most cases, they will still likely be recommended to go to the hospital.

In some cases, a wasp sting can be potentially dangerous even if it does not cause an allergic reaction if it causes a large local reaction around the neck or mouth, causing swelling that blocks breathing. Stings around your eyes can also cause potentially permanent damage to your eyesight.

In very rare cases, wasp stings can cause a range of life-threatening complications such as multi-organ failure, seizures and heart arrhythmia, all of which can be fatal if untreated.

Being stung multiple times can sometimes create an accumulation of venom that can cause a range of complications, although in practice, someone needs to receive hundreds of stings at once to get this effect.

However, to avoid this concern, contact a professional exterminator and get the nest removed safely.