"Flummoxed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
Get a wasp killing powder containing bendiocarb-usually 0.5% -and cost 2
quid-puff it into the access ways this does the job even in summer.

Thats a good suggestion but can I recommend that you contact a local
beekeeping association if you are nervous. We keep bees and sometimes
will get rid of wasp nests. They will have the suits to deal with
them.

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!

Once rid of them - seal up where they are getting in


On Mon, 5 Dec 2005 20:37:15 -0000, "DaveJ"
wrote:

Get a wasp killing powder containing bendiocarb-usually 0.5% -and cost 2
quid-puff it into the access ways this does the job even in summer.

In article ,
Steve Newport wrote:

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!

That is not so. If your first statement were true, your second would
necessarily be false! It is, indeed, true that allergy to bee stings
is much more common than allergy to wasp stings - despite many more
people being stung by wasps in the UK, many fewer people die.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Steve Newport wrote:

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!

That is not so. If your first statement were true, your second would
necessarily be false! It is, indeed, true that allergy to bee stings
is much more common than allergy to wasp stings - despite many more
people being stung by wasps in the UK, many fewer people die.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mast-cell degranulation is common to anaphylactic reactions to both types of
sting (and other triggers to anaphylaxis) but is not the trigger. The first
step is interaction between a venom antigen and an immunoglobulin (IgE)
which acts as a receptor on the mast cell. Bee and wasp venoms both contain
numerous antigens. Often "mellitin" is the relevant substance in beestings,
whilst "antigen 5" is the one in wasp stings, so most people allergic to one
type of sting will just have the normal reaction to the other, but I don't
think this is 100% guaranteed - there may be components similar across
several hymenopteran species, and there'll be someone unlucky enough to be
allergic to more than one insect antigen.

The actual lethal dose of venom in a non-allergic person is said to be 500
to 1200 honey-bee stings, and as low as 50 to 200 stings from Vespa spp.

(Source: Richard S Vetter, Scott Camazine, P Kirk Visscher
Emergency Medicine. New York: Aug 2000. Vol. 32, Iss. 8; pg. 63)

Duncan

(I HATE WASPS !!!)

On 5/12/05 23:06, in article ,
"Steve Newport" wrote:

Thats a good suggestion but can I recommend that you contact a local
beekeeping association if you are nervous. We keep bees and sometimes
will get rid of wasp nests. They will have the suits to deal with
them.

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!


I'm dangerously allergic to bee stings and last time I was stung (in
something like twelve places) the swelling was very alarming and lasted a
long time. I suffered flu like symptoms and was shaking badly a few hours
later. My doc gave me an injection and it helped immensely. But two years
ago I was stung by a wasp and had only a small localised swelling which was
slightly painful for about an hour and then itched for a day or so but was
rapidly forgotten.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article ,
Sacha writes:
|
| I'm dangerously allergic to bee stings and last time I was stung (in
| something like twelve places) the swelling was very alarming and lasted a
| long time. I suffered flu like symptoms and was shaking badly a few hours
| later. My doc gave me an injection and it helped immensely. But two years
| ago I was stung by a wasp and had only a small localised swelling which was
| slightly painful for about an hour and then itched for a day or so but was
| rapidly forgotten.

My wife is the same. It is a very common combination.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.