RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

Norwood, MA - Yellow Jackets, Wasps, Bees, Stings

In past blogs I mentioned how pests can cause harm. In a past topic it was wasps attacking a school sending people to the hospital. I had a first hand experience on how scary a situation this is. We were having a team building company lunch when John Stellberger our company president was stung on the hand by a yellow jacket. He picked up his cell phone on his desk and did not realize there was a rogue yellow jacket on the phone and it stung him in the hand. The thing about this that was unusual is that John had been stung about 5-7 times in his life with no adverse reactions, the last time about a month ago. John started feeling itchy on his feet & hands so he quickly took a liquid antihistamine which only slowed the reaction to the venom. After 15min the itchy sensation was spreading all over his body and he began to swell up. I immediately drove John to the emergency room where in route the swelling became severe. They immediately took John in and administered a steroid and oxygen and he began to recover and after 4hrs he was released from the hospital. The doctor said that John’s system probably desensitized itself when he was stung last month and now is at risk for anaphylactic shock from stings. The doctor said that the human body can go in and out of reactions to allergens based upon exposures.
The moral of the story is that insect stings can be life threatening even if you have never had an issue in the past.       

George E. Williams Jr., A.C.E.
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Location = West Warwick, RI

Routine school fire drill goes very wrong was the news feed healines. It was well covered by the media including various TV stations. Middle school students exited a school door by way of a handicap accessible ramp & aggitated a yellow jacket nest underneath the ramp. Over 30 children & teachers were stung. Many were stung multiple times and one teacher was stung over 12 times. At least three students/teacher were admitted to the hospital.

This makes you realize the serious health impacts pests can have on our lives. Allergic reactions from stinging insects can prove deadly (anaphalactic shock). Pests are no different than humans or any mammal for that matter, when provoked they defend themselves & protect their colony/nest (AKA family). In the case of Yellow Jackets they sting + release an aggression pheromone that tells other nest mates to sting anything in the area. That is why they continue chasing you when you swat at them.
That is why something so simple as trying "do it yourself pest control" can not only be costly but life threatening.
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George E. Williams Jr., A.C.E.
General Manager - Staff Entomologist
Environmental Health Services, Inc.