Viewing post #481518 by chelle

flaflwrgrl said:Yes, ammonia is a lot cheaper than Afterbite.

Y'all taught me something --- I just use Benadryl gel for skeeter bites.

Chelle, if you get stung by a honeybee or any bee/wasp that loses it's stinger & dies after it stings you then here's the FIRST thing you do when you get stung -- DO NOT PULL the stinger out --- the reason the bee dies is b/c it's guts are pulled out of it's abdomen along with the stinger --- that poison sac is still attached to the stinger & it continues to contract, pumping the remainder of the poison into you. So if you pinch that sac you just inject the rest of the poison into you. What you want to do is SCRAPE the stinger out with your fingernail or a stick or anything handy. That way you do not squeeze the rest of the poison into you. (We used to be beekeepers so that's how we know that trick). If the wasp does not loose it's stinger then head straight for the ammonia. I might also add that the ammonia works for Saddle Back caterpillar stings & I know that first hand.

My wording was incorrect. I meant to say that I scraped the stinger out with my fingernail. It's good info to have right, however, so thank you for catching my error!