Majority of insects are harmless and good for the environment. Some of them, like mosquitoes, inflict painful ,itching or irritating bites and spread diseases. Some insects sting and release venom.  

For most of the individuals, insect stings are a short-term irritation. Others, allergic to the venom in a stinging insect can result in  an allergic reaction.  

Yellowjackets

• Also known as ground bees, yellow jackets are a part of the wasp family. These black and yellow insects swarm around about in picnic areas and trash bins, continuously in their search for food and are aggressive if you get in their way. From spring to midsummer, they search for protein (insects or other meat) to feed their larvae in the nest, as well as sweet foods for themselves and the other adults. By end of summer, their numbers peak and they go on a frenzied search for sweet foods wherever they can find them – especially in your picnic foods ! Yellow jackets build their nests underground , others nest in the walls of houses. They can sting multiple times, especially if provoked.   

Hornets

• Hornets are slightly bigger in size than yellow jackets – more than size of a bumble bee but with a defined, narrow waist – and most are black with white or yellow stripes. Though feared because of their bigger size, hornets don't usually sting people unless they're provoked. They're natural predators, killing other insects and even caterpillars to feed the larvae in their nest. Adults eat nectars and fruit pulps. In the spring, the queen may build a small nest, size of a cricket ball high in a tree or under the remains of a building. Workers may add layers throughout the summer as more insects are hatched; the nest gradually can become as large as a football, always with the opening facing down.  

Paper wasps 

• They are longer and slimmer than bees or hornets. Paper wasps drag their long legs behind them as they fly in air. Their color ranges from reddish brown to black, with yellowish rings. Wasps usually eat other insects and spiders, but will also prefer for food in picnic areas and garbage bins. Their habit of building (and also defending!) their nests on and around houses and small buildings make them common garden pests. You can also recognize a wasp’s nest by its typical look and its interconnected web of cells, which are homes for the young wasps. Some nests are very small, with only 10 to 12 or so wasps; others house up to 100 insects. They often suspend from trees and sometimes look like upside-down umbrellas. Some paper wasps build their nests inside cavities such as bird boxes.  

Red ants (also called fire ants)

• There are many variants of fire ants that can cause allergic reactions, but the imported ones tend to be more aggressive than the natives and will bite and sting repeatedly to individual. The most easy way to identify fire ants is to identify their nests. They are large, dome-shaped made of crumbly earth up to 18 inches across and 8-12 inches high. Since these ants come and go through underground tunnels, their houses don't have visible openings like traditional ant mounds. However, if you step on the nest, the ants will quickly swarm up onto your feet and legs and attack. If you live in fire ant country, be very careful walking in grassy areas. Fire ants can also be distinguished by their size. Most domestic ants, including stinging red ants , are mostly uniform in size, while other fire ants vary from 1/16 to 1/4 inch.  

Bees

• Honeybees are fat, dark brown, fairly hairy insects often found moving around bright flowers. Found most commonly in warm climates, they build hives and produce honey. They are able to only sting once, leaving their stinger behind in the skin, then dying. Their cousins, the bumble bees, look very similar but can sting more than once if threatened. Bees build their home in protected areas, such as building cavities, holes in the ground or compost piles. Honeybees will utilize the same nest every year, building elaborate honeycombs and living on the stored honey over the winter; bumble bees make new nests each spring. Africanized honeybees – also called killer bees – are a subspecies of honeybees have a reputation of being extremely aggressive. Similar to honeybee, they can sting only once, but their homes are so large that they attack in swarms if you get too close. Always get professional help to remove a honeycomb.  

• Flick the insect away from your skin with fingers. 
• Walk (don’t run) away from the area of bite. Some insects may be threatened by quick movements and running might increase your body’s absorption of the venom. 
• If a stinger is left in the skin (the telltale mark of a honeybee), scrape it off with a flat surface, like a credit card; don't use tweezers or your fingertips, as it may squeeze more venom into the sting area. 
• Apply ice and icepacks to reduce swelling. 
• Expect local redness and swelling. 
• For Protection equipment and caps to prevent honey bee sting , click here

Symptoms of an insect venom allergy can range from a mild local reaction to a severe systemic reaction also known as anaphylaxis. Danger is that an allergic reaction can happen to any individual, even people with no other allergies and people who have been repeatedly stung before with no problems.  

Local reaction 

Since most people aren't allergic to stings,one the most common reaction is swelling, pain and itching centered around the site of the sting. This is your body’s reaction to the irritating enzymes and chemicals in the insect’s venom. This is normal and it isn't an allergic reaction. Cold compresses or ice application is the best treatment, along with antihistamine medicines or calamine lotion to control itching.  

Anaphylaxis 

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that spreads quickly through the body, occasionally resulting in a sudden decrease in blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Early symptoms include urticarias, swelling in the mouth, tongue and throat, dizziness, difficulty breathing (especially in indivuals with asthma), sometimes headache, nausea or vomiting. These manifestations require immediate medical attention. If you have an epinephrine auto-injector, must use it right away.  Anaphylaxis kits available in market and online ,click here

Details regarding step by step first aid in anaphylaxis available , click here

Fast solution of Anaphylaxis, good one for patients available click here

• Immunotherapy, a series of allergy shots that very gradually build tolerance to insect venom, is proven to be most effective at long-term prevention of allergic reactions to insect venom.  Can read details by clicking here

• Most people maintain their protection from allergic reactions to stings for numerous years following venom immunotherapy. click here for details on allergen immunotherapy

• Here is how it works: an allergist would conduct a test to determine the severity of your venom allergy and will be able to tell whether immunotherapy is appropriate or no. The treatment is done in two stages. Good read Allergen and allergen immunotherapy - edition 1
• Allergen and allergen immunotherapy- edition 2

• After five years of treatment, majority of patients can stop immunotherapy and never have another allergic reaction to a sting thereafter . Allergen and allergen immunotherapy- edition 3   

For  details regarding Cockroach allergy , kindly visit following page, click here

The utmost important step is to avoid cockroaches as much as possible. Decreasing your exposure to cockroaches will reduce your symptoms. But, you may also need medicines to control allergy symptoms.  

Some of the over-the-counter and prescription medicines may help reduce cockroach allergy symptoms. Consult your doctor about which medications may be right for you:

• Antihistamines are available as pills, liquids, or nose sprays. They may relieve sneezing and itching in the nose and eyes. They can also reduce a runny nose and, to a lesser extent, nasal stuffiness.
• Nasal corticosteroids are a variety of nose sprays. They decrease swelling in your nose and block allergic reactions. They are the most effective medicine type for allergic rhinitis because they can reduce all symptoms, including nasal congestion. 
• Leukotriene receptor antagonists block the action of important chemical messengers (other than histamine) involved in allergic hypersensitivity.
• Decongestants are available as pills, liquids, nose sprays, or drops. They help shrink the lining of the nasal passages and give relief from stuffiness. Use decongestant nose drops and sprays only for a short time of 3 to 5 days. Oral decongestants can cause side effects such as sleeplessness and increased blood pressure in some people. Consider consulting with your doctor before using them.

Your doctor will also prescribe anti-inflammatory medications and bronchodilators if you have asthma.

Some people with a cockroach allergy don't get complete relief even from the combination of cockroach avoidance actions and medicines. Therefore, In some cases, your allergist may consider immunotherapy (allergy shots). Immunotherapy is a long-term treatment that can help prevent or reduce the severity of allergic reactions. It can change the course of allergic disease by decreasing the body’s immune response to allergens. For detailed reading can click here for books