sting

The Latin word aculĕus, which comes from accuse (I term that can be translated as "needle"), reached our language What sting. The concept is used to name the stick or conduit ending in tip and that allows prodding: stinging or prodding to incite or fan.

The most common use of the stinger refers to pointed organ of which they have certain insects and arachnids. Saying organ may allow the expulsion of poison or the application of a download of electricity.

The animals They use the stinger 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 the bees They are among the creatures that have a sting, although the characteristics of this organ differ according to the species.

In the case of the scorpion, it has a poisonous stinger at the end of the tail. The honey bees, for their part, die after nailing the stinger, which comes off their 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 are increasing anywhere in the world, and one of the reasons is that we begin to wear less clothing, to expose more parts of the body 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 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 symptom, such as fever in the area of ​​the bite, for a period that can reach five days.

In people with allergies serious, everything is enhanced 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 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 sack of poison 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 sting in botany

If we focus on the terrain of botany, the stinger is a kind of barb 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 stripesFor example, what is often called a stinger is actually its dorsal fin.