What is sting?
What Does sting Mean
The Latin word aculĕus , which comes from accus (a term that can be translated as “needle” ), came to our language as a thorn . The concept is used to name the stick or conduit that ends in a point and that allows prodding: itching or prodding to incite or fan.
The most common use of a stinger refers to the pointed organ that certain insects and arachnids have. Said organ can allow the expulsion of poison or the application of a discharge of electricity .
The animals use the sting to defend themselves from predators or to carry out attacks. The procedure consists of sticking the stinger in the victim, and then releasing the poison inside his body. The Scorpions , the wasps and bees are among creatures have stings, although the characteristics of this body differ by species.
In the case of the scorpion, it has a poisonous stinger at the end of the tail. The honeybees , meanwhile, die after nailing the sting, which follows your body and is embedded in the victim.
Stings that leave the stinger stuck
Insect bites are very common in many areas, especially the hottest and humid ones, where they find the ideal conditions to proliferate. On the other hand, in summer the chances of being bitten increase anywhere in the world, and one of the reasons is that we begin to wear less clothing, to leave more parts of the body uncovered, making us an easy target .
As if a sting was not already annoying enough or, in some cases, painful, when the stinger detaches from the animal and remains embedded in our body, things become even worse. Not only is it a more uncomfortable and sharp bite, but it can lead to the appearance of certain complications, such as infections , and therefore it is necessary to recognize the symptoms of an allergic reaction to this type of bite to know how to act in time .
Although it is normal to perceive the prick as soon as the stinger is inserted into the skin and then notice inflammation and redness, in most cases these signs disappear within half an hour. On the other hand, people allergic to stings continue to show these and other symptoms , such as fever in the area of the sting, for a period that can reach five days.
In people with severe allergies , everything is potentiated and lumps appear in various parts of the body, in addition to the one that causes the bite itself, breathing problems, lack of strength, headache, generalized itching and dizziness. It is recommended to call the emergency service as soon as possible ; While professional help is on the way, it is worth applying cold compresses to the area where the stinger has been.
Specifically in the case of bees, the venom sac attached to the stinger continues to pump even after detachment; for this reason, it is necessary to remove the stinger as soon as possible. To do this, we must use any tool that allows us to take it in the middle, since if we press the bag it can break.
The concept of the stinger in botany
If we focus on the field of botany , the stinger is a kind of spike that is found in the epidermal tissue of certain plant species. Also known as aculeus, this stinger does not have vascular tissue and, therefore, it is easy to detach. In this way it is possible to differentiate between stingers and thorns .
It should be noted that stingers are sometimes confused with other organs or anatomical structures. In the case of whip rays , for example, what is often called a stinger is actually their dorsal fin .