High season for wasp stings: 20,000 accidents per year caused by insects
Not fighting dogs or aggressive cows on mountain pastures, but insects and arachnids are the most frequent animal causes of injuries. This is shown by a recent study by Suva.
Bitten by a wasp instead of a candy bar at snack time or stung by a tick during a forest excursion: The smallest animals can be quite dangerous to humans. 20,000 accidents involving insects and arachnids are recorded by accident insurance companies every year. Half of these are tick bites. Wasps cause 3,000 accidents a year, bees around 2,300. "Because of the weather, the annual accident figures fluctuate relatively strongly - especially in the case of wasps," says Stefan Scholz, a scientific expert at Suva. For example, they can increase or decrease up to four times from one year to the next. Such fluctuations can hardly be observed with bees.
Accidents are mostly harmless
While there are many accidents involving insects and arachnids, they are usually harmless. "More than 90 percent of people stung by bees and wasps have mild poisoning or allergic reactions," says Scholz. Insects can quickly become dangerous, however, if you get distracted by them - and therefore fall off a ladder or crash your car. Serious accidents - with a loss of working hours of more than 90 days - include 40 accidents per year.
Suva's current evaluations from its series "Accidents in numbers"are based on the results of all 29 UVG insurers who compulsorily insure employed persons against occupational and leisure accidents as well as occupational diseases. The evaluations also show where the small animals sting or bite. Ticks tend to target the lower extremities (50 %) and the trunk (26 %). Wasps and bees, on the other hand, sting mainly the upper extremities (43 %) and the head and face (20 %). Flies usually only get into the eye or ears as a foreign body. Mosquito bites now and then become a case for the doctor due to inflammation, especially if the bites are scratched open.
Caution during the snack break
When are the little pests in season? Ticks reach their peak in the month of June. Bees are most active in early August and wasps in mid-August. During the day, wasps and bees strike for the first time during the snack break. However, they cause the most accidents in the early afternoon. Mosquito bites, on the other hand, increase during the afternoon and reach their maximum in the evening hours.
First aid for a stitch
A sting from these animals hurts, itches or burns, but is usually not too bad. A cool, moist compress often works wonders. It only becomes dangerous if someone is allergic to insect bites. "If, in addition to swelling at the site of the sting, there are other symptoms, such as a skin rash or minor respiratory complaints such as sneezing, those affected should consult a doctor quickly. If there are already signs of respiratory distress or a change in blood pressure and pulse, it is an emergency," says Felix Ineichen, an occupational physician at Suva. There is also danger after an insect bite if the insect has stung on or in the mouth. The swelling can become so severe that there is a risk of suffocation.
Avoid insect bites - seven tips:
- Do not move hastily near wasps, bees and hornets.
- Do not walk barefoot. You usually do not see the insects in the grass until it is too late.
- Food attracts wasps in particular. Be careful when eating outdoors.
- Do not drink directly from the bottle or cans. Wasps love sweet drinks and beer.
- Avoid places with bee houses, forest clearings, or walking through biotopes.
- Refrain from using perfume, hairspray, and heavily scented sunscreens and skin creams.
- Impregnate your clothes with insect repellents.
Source: Suva
