Wasps in the woods

WhichDoctor

Nomad
Aug 12, 2006
384
1
Shropshire
I've just had a rather unpleasant experience involving a wasps nest.

I was out on a little walk trying to catch the last of what little daylight we've had today when I came across a lode of rubbish. I thought it was a little odd since it was mostly made up of carrier-bags but I went round picking up the litter anyway and putting it into one of the bags. Having just picked up one of the last pieces of rubbish I saw something ells on the ground and walked over to investigate. Bad move! It turned out to be a disturbed wasps nest full of very angry wasps! Luckily I realized what it was early enough and was already running by the time the cloud of vengeful insects emerged but I wasn't fast enough to escape altogether unharmed. Once I had reached a safe distance I dealt with the two wasps that had latched onto me and counted the half dozen stings they had inflicted. But then I had the half mile or so walk back home trying to ignore the pane :rolleyes: . It's been nearly a decade since the last time I've been stung by anything and I'd forgotten how much it hurts:aargh4: .

I'm just $orry for the pore sod who trod on it the first time, it looked like a responsible person had been going round collecting litter when they stepped on the nest and dropped there bags of rubbish as they were fleeing. I came on the seen from the other direction and so the trail of stuff inexorably led me to the nest. I just hope there ok and not allergic or anything :( .

Needless to say a antihistamine cream is urgently going into the mini first-aide kit I'm putting together for short walks. If I hadn't seen the nest and had walked right into it things could have been really nasty.

The hole thing got me wondering whether there where any herbs or other wild remedies for bee or wasp stings, like dock-leaves for stinging nettles, or techniques for escaping a swarm of bees or wasps?

I'm sitting here typing this still itching and saw but also grateful that it wasn't allot worse.
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
Now, is it vinegar for wasp stings or is that for bees? I think it is bicarb soda for the other, can never remember which is which! Hope that you can ease the pain soon, I only ever got stung once, by a wasp on the palm of the hand. I was on parade at the time and got a neck slap off of my Troop Staff Sergeant for moving when I was stung! Double the pain!
 

Arth

Nomad
Sep 27, 2007
289
0
52
west sussex
Try great plantain and elderberry leaves with some hot water poured over them leave for 10 minutes then put the juice on the stings.
 

Cobweb

Native
Aug 30, 2007
1,149
31
South Shropshire
Oh man, I feel so rry for you I hope you've got the stings under control and that you are not allergic to them like me, nasty blighters wasps are.
 

WhichDoctor

Nomad
Aug 12, 2006
384
1
Shropshire
Thanks allot for that herbal remedy Arth, I tried it just before I went to bed last night, it helped a lot! :You_Rock_ Reduced the swelling and helped the stinging.

Where did you get the recipe from and any idea how it works?
 

commandocal

Nomad
Jul 8, 2007
425
0
UK
Buggers aint they, had a similiar experience once,Going for a paddle in the river with my mate ( haha ) and well he had just his boxers on and i was still clothed up splashing about, As you doo, BZZZZZZ is all we heard he did a runner and in my wisdom im stood their trying to assess what the hell the noise is, bad mistake they crawled all down my top and i got stung about 7-12 times and had to dive in a muddy watery ditch in the end and roll about and throw my top off, which after an hour of running from a big black cloud i was exhausted and downed a few antiistamenes double time! :D
 

Arth

Nomad
Sep 27, 2007
289
0
52
west sussex
Thanks allot for that herbal remedy Arth, I tried it just before I went to bed last night, it helped a lot! :You_Rock_ Reduced the swelling and helped the stinging.

Where did you get the recipe from and any idea how it works?


Got the info from herb books about the plant properties and decided to do a little bit of experimenting a few years ago as i suffer from mossy bits, mix a few of them together and hey presto some skin medicine. It keeps insects away as well it's great for sun burn nettle rash and cuts. Nature's medicine cupboard isn't it great?
 
Bicarb or vinegar works for wasp or bee but you will have to remove the bee sting as it will go on pumping venom into you for about a minute after the attack. Relief is quick and you just dab it on straight away. You should be aware of anaphylactic shock If you get this in the middle of no-where your in real trouble. I always try any product such as sun creams or insect repelant on a small part of my arm about an hour or two before I might need it to see if I'm allergic to the stuff or not. I have seen a young girl use sun cream and within an hour she looked like elephant man.
Vinegar has other uses take a peep at this link...

www.vinegarbook.co.uk/vinegar_tips_for_health.shtml
 

WhichDoctor

Nomad
Aug 12, 2006
384
1
Shropshire
$orry for the delay in replying, been having internet trouble :(

Ouch commandocal Thats nasty, luckily I got away before the swarm spotted me and it was just a couple that where flying around anyway that latched onto me before they really started swarming.

Nice work there Arth! I finely got some antihistamine cream on Monday but I have to say I think your brew is more effective, it stops the itching almost strait away and redresses the swelling witch is more than I can say for the antihistamine cream. The damn stings do keep coming back though :( .

Thanks screeching owl, fascinating link. I'll have to look at putting a little bottle of vinegar in my first aid kit. Never thought of it as a medicine let alone such a versatile one.

Thanks for all your help and advice everyone :You_Rock_
 

Aaron

Need to contact Admin...
Dec 28, 2003
570
0
42
Oxford/Gloucs border
I disturbed a nest when I was up a tree once. Couldnt hear them as I was using a chainsaw - all I was aware of was these things hovering in my peripheral vision - turned out I had disturbed their nest by lopping a branch off. F*** me did I get down quick!:lmao:
 

ol smokey

Full Member
Oct 16, 2006
433
3
Scotland
Amonia or Bi- carb for Bee Stings
Vinegar for Wasp Stings Reminder A for Bee and V for W One is alcaline and the other is acidic As mentioned earlier Bees leave their sting in the area you were stung
lift it out with a knife blade do, not use tweezers or you will inject more venim from the small sac left behind into the wound. A wasp sting does not have a barb so is not left behind, but can be used to sting you repeatedly, IF you flap about at wasps theycan send out feromones to bring their pals to the rescue and make things worse.
 

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