Bee venom has a bunch of components in it.  Some people get an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting, but not a wasp sting.  And vice versa.  A talk I went to a couple of years ago about desensitization said there are three different concoctions allergists use. One for honey bees, one for yellow jackets and their relatives and one for wasps and their relatives.  The honey bee desensitization is only about 85% effective as I recall, but the other two are more like 98% effective.

Does anyone know exactly what in the venom triggers anaphylactic reactions?  Is that component different from what causes the initial pain and swelling that we would all call a fairly normal reaction?  Would it be possible to get little local reaction but still get anaphylactic shock?

A yellow jacket sting hurts way worse for me than a honey bee sting.  I get some swelling from a yellow jacket that lasts a day or so and it is sore that time also.  So, it seems clear to me that a persons response to one insect species is not always the same as it is to another insect species.

Dick

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