Asian hornet stings: What they look like and how to treat them

• You are particularly worried
• You’ve been stung in the mouth, throat or near the eyes
• Symptoms of wound infection develop such as redness, pain or fever
• Fever, swollen glands or flu-like symptoms start to develop
• Symptoms don’t improve or start to get worse
• Symptoms of anaphylaxis develop such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, swelling of the face and throat, tingling or burning, nausea

How do you treat Asian hornet stings?

To treat a hornet sting you should:

• Wash the area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to clean the wound and reduce chance or infection
• Place an icepack or cold compress to reduce any swelling
• Elevate the affected area to reduce the chance of swelling
• Avoid scratching the area to reduce the risk of infection or irritation

What do Asian hornets look like?

Worker Asian hornets tend to reach around 25mm and queens grow to 30mm.

The underside of the hornets are a jet black or a sooty brown colour while the tail is orange.

The hornet’s head is black with a deep orange face and dark brown legs with yellow tips.