What’s Stung My Hand??

[Smowball]

This morning I was putting washing out, tidying up, doing general stuff, and when in garden I went to two flower pots and deadheaded them. Came straight into kitchen when I realised that my right had was really stinging - exactly as if I'd grabbed a handful of stinging nettles (the memory from doing this when young is strong!). Held hand under a cold tap for ages, took an anti-histamine , and resorted to holding an ice pack. It's now about 10 hours later and still stinging, tho there is absolutely nothing to be seen on my hand.

Any ideas?? I'd say maybe a wasp or bee sting but didn't see or hear a thing. . Anything else I could do? It's pretty sore.

[barry1010]

Have you looked in the flower pots to see if there is some stinging weed lurking?

[DTCwordfan]

hornet sting? 

[Smowball]

Yep I looked -  no stinging nettles or anything in the pots. They literally have a big dahlia in each and that's it. 
Would a hornet sting still be painful after 10 hours?

[Barmaid]

I doubt it was a bee or wasp - with a bee you would still more than likely see the sting and plus they are generally instant pain.

I'd say it was more likely a red ant - they don't sting, they spray with acid.  And it jolly well hurts.  

I'd guess if you lifted up one of your pots, you'll see a red ants nest underneath.

[Barmaid]

With a hornet or wasp, you will likely see the location of the sting, you won't with red ants.  (I know this because I am horribly allergic to the nasty little so and sos).

[Smowball]

Ohhhh, I'll have a look in the morning,,or get OH ago - they're heavy terracotta pots.  Can't believe how painful it is, whatever it is! 

[DTCwordfan]

you probably did the right thing with the anti-histamine if something like Benadryl - keep that up. Do you have any  hydrocortisone cream as that could be useful on the affected skin - apply two times a day?

[ladybirder]

No itching Smow?

[Barmaid]

Check to see if your dahlia have aphids.  The ants farm the aphids for the nectar they produce.  Last time I got nailed by red ants, my wrist swelled up like a balloon and was very painful for several days.

[Smowball]

No itching really - my hand just feels really sore and like I said - like it's been badly stung/bitten but can't see anything, and it's not just a tiny area, it feels like most of the hand. 

 

 

 

[Smowball]

Ahh thanks Premier.. x

[ladybirder]

Why the heck has Premier been banned for  giving a helpful answer?

[Peter Pedant]

because this is AB -  the venom from red ants is formic acid and solenopsin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenopsin

it  looks as tho you just wait for the agony to subside

[Peter Pedant]

er did it get any better ?

[Modster]

For the avoidance of doubt, the banned user included an ad-link in their post & wasn't simply called "Premier".