Photographer's dangers - yellow jackets

[Picture North Carolina]

Just an FYI that came up three days ago and will hopefully help somebody.

A long, boring story is not necessary. While taking a picture, I inadvertently laid down on top of a yellow jacket nest. Needless to say, I was thoroughly swarmed and bitten.

My advice: meat tenderizer. I didn't know about this myself until a few years back, but it does an incredibly good job of removing the pain of yellow jacket bites. Add water, make a poultice and apply to stings. The pain doesn't go away instantly, but it definitely helps. I now carry some in the car. If you shoot outdoors, you might too.

[JWright]

Oh, you're talking about insects... I thought you meant all those yellow reflective jackets that are so popular with people in positions of authority in the UK.;)

[sapearl]

Geeez Canned, that's really terrible. Sorry to hear about the bad luck, and understand how something like that can be missed. Those nests/holes are not always obvious. Appreciate the tip on the tenderizer.

Would something like benadryl or an antihistamine also be of use, or cortisone cream? - Stu

[2ean]

Oh, you're talking about insects... I thought you meant all those yellow reflective jackets that are so popular with people in positions of authority in the UK.;)
LOL that's exactly what I thought. Thanks for the heads up, OP.

[gjl711]

Having painted a few houses I have had several run-ins with yellow jackets, wasps, bees, spiders, lots of critters. They can sure put a hurt on. I never tried tenderizer though, but isn't that just MSG? I always just use ice.

[stathunter]

Yikes! I am allergic to those stinkin things-- I swell up like crazy -- can't stand those nasty yellow jacket monsters!

[jongobongo]

LOL that's exactly what I thought. Thanks for the heads up, OP.

+1 on that, haha

One thing I read is to be wary of getting them agitated, they can secrete a pheromone that will attract his friends as backup.

[DarenM]

Chewing tobacco works well to or a mud pack...pulls the poison out

[Picture North Carolina]

I never tried tenderizer though, but isn't that just MSG? I always just use ice.

Yes, but as I understand it, it's an enzyme of some sort that relieves the pain and swelling.

Yikes! I am allergic to those stinkin things.

Like bees, to some can even be fatal.

+1 on that, haha

One thing I read is to be wary of getting them agitated, they can secrete a pheromone that will attract his friends as backup.

True. After my last run in last Fall, I did some research.

They say:
- if you are swarmed and start flailing your arms and legs around, that actually attracts more and makes them more aggressive.

- if you swat (kill) one, they emit a pheromone that signals to others to attack, attracting more and more aggressively.

- unlike bees, they attack without provocation. Also, they do not lose their stingers like bees. They can sting repeatedly.

- in fall, when food supplies lessen, they become even more aggressive.

Here's a quick piece:

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-treat-yellow-jacket-stings.htm

[SOK]

Oh, you're talking about insects... I thought you meant all those yellow reflective jackets that are so popular with people in positions of authority in the UK.;)

The reference to a 'Yellow Jacket' initially made me think this thread was going to be about the Tour De France!!!

[lanno]

neat trick!

if meat tenderiser works but you don't have any handy...and by some strange twist of events you do happen to have paw-paw/papaya handy that should work, too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papain

[John_B]

While taking a picture, I inadvertently laid down on top of a yellow jacket nest. Needless to say, I was thoroughly swarmed and bitten.CannedHeat,
Did you get a photo? ??? :lol:

I hope you heal up quickly :)

[sawdust_128]

The toxin from the stinger is a protein. The meat tenderizer breaks down protein. That's how it degenerates (makes more tender) meat.

Benadryl will counteract the effect (histone reaction which causes the swelling and itching) of the protein to some degree. The combination of both will speed relief, but it is not instantaneous.

The yellow jacket is a single sting creature (if I remember correctly). When they sting, they leave the stinger apparatus. It is torn from them. When it is torn, it carries an attack phermone really a targeting phermone. Basically, if it is going to die trying to stop a threat (i.e., you) then it is going to make it so that the rest of the hive can find you easily.

One other tip: Don't go running off too far when you run into these things. If you have been stung and start running, you may cross close to other nests (usually where there is one found, there are many). That targeting phermone is a universal language for the species and running around you may just incite other nests.

[Picture North Carolina]

The yellow jacket is a single sting creature (if I remember correctly). When they sting, they leave the stinger apparatus.

Just a quick note. From the Orkin website (http://www.orkin.com/other/yellow-jackets/yellow-jacket-stings) (the pest control company):

"Adult yellow jackets possess a stinger without barbs. This allows them to sting multiple times without causing harm to themselves."

[BradM]

In case you didn't get any images ;)

These guys can be nasty and certainly can sting multiple times, caught one in the collar of my jacket while on the motorcycle once and got stung 23 times on the back of the neck before I could get stopped and it out of the jacket.

Next day was like I was growing a 2nd head out of the side of my neck. However the pain was certainly less than getting slapped by a scorpion 3 times while in Mexico.



http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/Bradklr/yellowjacket.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/Bradklr/hornet-nest.jpg

[james.bond]

The yellow jacket is a single sting creature (if I remember correctly). When they sting, they leave the stinger apparatus. It is torn from them. When it is torn, it carries an attack phermone really a targeting phermone. Basically, if it is going to die trying to stop a threat (i.e., you) then it is going to make it so that the rest of the hive can find you easily.

Only bees have barbs that break away from their bodies, Yellow Jackets are wasps which have no barbs and can sting as long as their sacs contains the enzymes (complex proteins ) that they expel from their bodies.

[Karl Johnston]

Oh...I figured this was a yellow jacket...I wonder what it is...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2569/3703205778_d28a6d90d7_b.jpg

[BradM]

Oh...I figured this was a yellow jacket...I wonder what it is...



Appears to be one the Hoverfly (Syrphid Fly) species, many of these mimic wasps or bees. A handy species to have around the garden as their larva can prey on garden pests like aphids.

[Karl Johnston]

Thanks :D

[Kuma]

I never tried tenderizer though, but isn't that just MSG?

The chef's I work with told me its just salt.

I'm allergic too. I swell up and my throat swells up so I can't be too careful.

[Dinoman]

We have a lot of yellow jackets, wasps, bees, and hornets around here but never had much issue with them (except for the fact I'm a magnet for anything with a stinger. I swear every creature within 10 miles will make a bee line for me). The ones that are dangerous around here are bald-faced hornets. Aggressive buggers that go straight for your face.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald-faced_hornet

[huntersdad]

That encounter would have led me to the epi pen and follow up trip to the ER. I got stung a couple years ago by ground bees. Thought I was going to die that day. Ever since, pen in the truck.

[lanno]

The chef's I work with told me its just salt.

I'm allergic too. I swell up and my throat swells up so I can't be too careful.

the active ingredient in meat tenderiser is an enzyme called papain (see the wiki link previous page) - as you point out, there is a ton of salt in it, too. I guess that would be there to stabilise the enzyme

[24alpha]

Why didn't you just put WASP in the title? Are we all forgeting the internet stretches outside of the US? ;)

Sorry to hear you got stung, but can we see photos of the stings?:lol: