I think I was stung or bitten by an insect today.

[Kat45]

I was at a local zoo in the Aussie section admiring a beautiful palm cockatoo. As I stood there, it suddenly felt like someone stuck a pin into my arm. It hurt, and when I looked at my arm I saw a small prick/hole in it. Then it swelled up, like a mosquito bite, around the hole. Then the area around that got red, a rash I believe. I had no idea what happened, never saw an insect, but I'm assuming that's what it was. My purse was on my shoulder and behind that arm so I'm thinking that perhaps an insect had landed on my purse and then got me. Scared the shit out of me; I didn't know what to do. Then within the hour, the swelling disappeared, as did the rash, and all that was left was the original small hole.

It was so weird. I'm hoping it's all ok, particularly since the swelling went down so quickly. I just get paranoid about things, hoping there were no exotic insects that got into the zoo with the exotic birds and animals. But I did enjoy the zoo. They had an Aussie aviary with lots of budgies (parakeets) flying around having a blast and we got to feed them seed on a stick.

[BiggJawn]

1. You got stung.

Sounds like a paper wasp. They infested a remote site where I worked. I'd go in and turn the lights on and the damn things would drop from the ceiling and nail me.

After the 4th or 5th time I started developing a sensitivity to the stings.

[Kat45]

2. Intresting. I never heard of them.

Now I'll have to look them up.

[BiggJawn]

4. These little buggers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polistes_annularis

Unlike other stinging insects, like bees or yellowjackets, they're territorial and will attack without provocation.

[GoCubsGo]

5. Could be one of dozens and dozens of other wasp species, too.

Some of them are tiny, ant-sized things. And, they all pack a sting.

I have the same sensitivity thing going. I got nailed by a paper wasp on the last joint of my index finger. My arm swelled nearly to my shoulder for three days. And, boy did that sting hurt! I'm not sure this culprit was a paper wasp, because it doesn't sound like the pain was intense and lingering. The stings of some of those big species, like paper wasps and yellow jackets, feel like they also have an electric current running through them.

[snagglepuss]

3. Might be good to post this both in the Science and the Health Forum.

My suggestion would be to call the zoo tomorrow and ask to speak to someone in the section where you got bit. Glad to hear the symptoms subsided.:hi:

[madmom]

6. Actually you were injected with a special ...

chemical, so that TPTB can trace your every step. Keep looking behind you.

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you."- Joseph Heller- Catch 22.:hide:

[Kat45]

7. The way this country's going.....

one never knows. :scared:

[Kat45]

8. It seemed to go away yesterday, but it's a bit red in the area today.

I hope that's nothing to worry about. It's not sore or itchy. (Of course it had to happen on a weekend.) Thank you to everyone who has weighed in on this. You're probably right about it being a wasp, since it's hard to miss a bee nearby and I never saw an insect.