Wasps, Hornets, and Bees in NJ. What You Need to Know if Stung

We've been dealing with an interesting situation in our building.  It all began innocently enough when a coworker showed me a couple of bees she had collected from the restroom.

She had scooped them up on a piece of paper and showed them to me before escorting them out the back door.

It was a nice gesture and one I would have done myself.

The next day, while using the restroom, there were two more bees.

We joked that they must enjoy our company.

Then things changed quickly.  A few hours later, there was a buzzing coming from the restroom.  I don't know who decided to eventually open the door and investigate, but it wasn't me.

The room was full of bees.  Or so we thought.  I was told later they were yellow jackets.

So we did what most radio people would do, we strung up a blanket and waited for the engineer to get in.

Turns out, our engineer, while quite good at engineering, wasn't much help with our situation.

Eventually, I was told the situation was neutralized, and it was safe to use that restroom again.

The problem was a couple of days later, two more yellow jackets appeared, and later that day, the office was buzzing, and not in a good way.

It's been a couple of weeks, I think the decision was made to cede that end of the building to our buzzing friends.

So far, no one has been stung, but what if someone did get stung?

For most people, a sting from a flying insect is just a painful, yet minor inconvenience.

However, for those who are allergic, quick action can be the difference be a minor inconvenience and a serious medical emergency.

How to Know if You're Having a Serious Reaction

Although most people won't need medical attention, the Mayo Clinic warns that if you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical help.

• Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing.
• Nausea/Vomiting, dizziness, or diarrhea
• Swelling.
• Rapid and weak pulse
• Fainting

If you or the person stung exhibits the above symptoms, find out if the victim has an Epi-Pen.

Loosen clothing and cover the person with a blanket or jacket.

Do NOT offer a drink.

Lay the person on their side so that don't choke on vomit.

Call 9-1-1.

If the Person Has a Mild Reaction

Using clean tweezers, remove the stinger.

Wash the area with soap and water.

Place an ice pack on the area affected to reduce swelling (do not apply ice directly to the skin).

If the area stung was an arm or a leg, elevate the arm or leg.

You apply some calamine lotion or 0.5% or 1% hydrocortisone cream.

Take an over-the-counter pain relief medicine.

Source:  The Mayo Clinic