|Many people have allergic reactions when they are stung by insects. Insects such as bees, bumble bees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, and fire ants have the ability to inject venom into humans and animals. In the United States overall, yellow jackets cause the most allergic reactions. In the South, fire ants are more common. Venom in the insects contains proteins which causes allergic reactions in people.
Usually, an insect sting allergy occurs a few minutes after the sting, while more severe reactions are experienced within minutes. Insect stings may not always result in a reaction on the first sting. However, a very strong allergic reaction may occur on the second sting. A more serious reaction is known as an anaphylactic reaction, and people often die from it. People who are highly allergic to insect stings should wear a medic alert bracelet and have epinephrine available in the form of an Epi-pen or Ana-kit. If a reaction takes a few days to develop, the symptoms are less severe.