Diagram of hornet body structure.
When human skin is stung by a hornet, the venom spreads through the circulatory system within the body.
Changes in bodily functions after being stung by a hornet.
Key points: Recently, there have been continuous incidents across various regions where hornets (commonly referred to as "hornets" in the northeast) have stung people, even causing fatalities. According to reports, in Shaanxi Province’s Ankang, Hanzhong, and Shangluo areas, a series of hornet sting incidents occurred, resulting in a total of 1,640 people stung and 42 deaths. Hornets have also repeatedly attacked people in our province.
Recently, there have been continuous incidents across various regions where hornets (commonly referred to as "hornets" in the northeast) have stung people, even causing fatalities. According to reports, in Shaanxi Province’s Ankang, Hanzhong, and Shangluo areas, a series of hornet sting incidents occurred, resulting in a total of 1,640 people stung and 42 deaths. The Shaanxi Provincial Public Security Fire Department urgently formed specialized hornet-elimination teams, removing 267 hornet nests within 24 hours.
Hornets have also repeatedly attacked people in our province. Yesterday, there was news online that during the National Day holiday, Mr. Huang and his wife, residents of Jilin City, were stung by hornets while hiking on Dadingzi Mountain in Wulihexia Village, Sumigou Township, Huadian City. Fortunately, they received timely medical treatment and survived.
Taking Changchun as an example, according to incomplete statistics, from July to September this year, the Changchun fire department has responded to over 40 hornet-related incidents.
Cases
Stung on the back of the head, he suffered all night
Yesterday, reporters reviewed hotline reports from our newspaper and found that from July to September this year, our newspaper received five reports of hornet attacks on people, compared to more than ten during the same period last year.
Speaking of hornets, Mr. Li, who is over 60 years old, recently experienced the pain of being stung. Mr. Li lives in Shuangyang District, Changchun. Before National Day, he was stung while harvesting crops on a mountain. “There are hornets on the mountain, but I didn’t provoke them!” he said. At the time, he was stung on the back of the head and felt some pain. So, he went to a clinic, where the doctor prescribed some oral medication. Since he had been stung before, he didn’t take it too seriously. “But by evening, I had diarrhea-like symptoms, running to the toilet constantly, and barely slept all night,” he said. By the next morning, there were no further reactions.
Now, half a month has passed, and he has had no further adverse reactions nor sought further medical attention.
Hornets attack people in multiple areas of Changchun
Since July, there have been multiple incidents in Changchun where hornets have attacked people. The sting wounds can swell, and some people who are sensitive to the venom may also experience allergic reactions such as fever and difficulty breathing.
The Changchun fire department reminds the public that if you discover a hornet nest, do not attempt to deal with it yourself—seek help from the fire department.
On July 27, a unit near Yan’an Street experienced a hornet attack, disrupting normal operations.
On August 9, Mr. Yang, who lives in Haoyuan, Changchun, discovered hornets on his open-air balcony, after which the hornets stung his father.
On September 4, hornets were spotted outside the window of a unit in Building 33, Area A of Wanlong Fifth City, and they frequently attacked residents.
On September 4, multiple people in a household in Yijing Jiayuan on Xiaoshan Street were stung by hornets. On September 16, hornets appeared in the locomotive factory residential community in Kuancheng District, stinging construction workers multiple times. All these incidents occurred in residential areas — why have hornets, typically active in the wild, taken a liking to residential neighborhoods?
Experts from the forestry department’s wildlife protection unit say that hornets are commonly found in rural areas and forests. The reason they target residential communities is related to the increased green space in housing developments, as well as the fact that balconies and eaves provide shelter from wind and rain, making them suitable for habitation and breeding.
Expert analysis
Our province has the most diverse species of hornets
Shi Shusen, professor at the College of Agriculture of Jilin Agricultural University and master's supervisor in entomology, says that “hornet” is the common name, often used in the northeast to refer to wasps. They are a type of bee, usually building their nests on tree branches in forests or in soil cavities. There are over 5,000 known species of hornets worldwide, with more than 200 recorded in China, where they are widely distributed. Hornets prey on bees and steal their honey, making them one of the most significant natural enemies of bees, and they are highly aggressive.
There are various types of bees, and our province has the most diverse species of hornets. Particularly in the eastern mountainous regions, there are hornets that are especially large in size and highly toxic.
Bees generally do not attack humans unless they feel threatened or are disturbed. Moreover, not all bees sting — the ones that do are worker bees (females), which are the most numerous in the bee colony.
Shi Shusen explains that at the tail of a stinging bee is a stinger connected to a venom gland that secretes poison. Hornet venom is highly toxic, with main components including histamine, serotonin, bradykinin, and hyaluronidase, and the venom is alkaline. It can damage the heart muscle, renal tubules, and glomeruli, particularly affecting the proximal convoluted tubules, and may also trigger allergic reactions.
After stinging a person, the bee often dies because the barbed stinger is difficult to pull out and sometimes internal abdominal organs are pulled out along with it. “Not all bees die after stinging — it depends on how deeply the stinger penetrates. If it goes in deep and can't be removed, the bee will die,” Shi Shusen said.
Related reminders
Seek medical attention if you are stung by a bee.
Yesterday morning, reporters consulted several hospitals, including The First Hospital of Jilin University and Changchun Central Hospital. Outpatient doctors stated that they receive several bee sting cases every summer. Most patients can be treated by doctors and rarely need to be hospitalized due to stings.
Dr. Wang from The First Hospital of Jilin University said that after being stung by a bee, the affected area typically experiences pain and swelling, which may spread within 12 to 48 hours. In some cases, ulcers may form. People who are allergic may experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, nausea, and vomiting within minutes to a few hours after being stung. Some individuals may suffer from diarrhea, and a few could experience anaphylactic shock or similar severe reactions.
Dr. Wang reminded that after being stung, first check whether there is a stinger left in the skin. If so, remove it and then rinse the area thoroughly with clean water. Applying ice can also help reduce local reactions. For severe reactions, seek immediate medical attention so that doctors can treat the patient based on their individual condition.