Treating bee and wasp stings depends on their severity. The majority of problems that require medical attention come from an allergic reaction to the sting. In most cases, complications from that reaction respond well to medications -- when given in time. 

The most familiar sting is from honeybees, but some wasps and other insects can also sting. Yellow jacket wasps are the most common cause of allergic reactions to insect stings in the United States. The bee’s stinging apparatus consists of a sac of venom attached to a barbed stinger. When a bee or wasp stings, the sac contracts, pumping venom into the tissue. Wasps are more aggressive than bees, and they may sting you multiple times, resulting in more swelling and pain.