NEver heard of such a thing happening in Taiwan before. I never knew these hornets were so prone to attacking people. YOU have a new and serious worry bout hiking in Taiwan folks !!! Be careful out there, have a plan of action? She was only 28 years old and lost her life due to over 100 hornet stings, while others survived. Some people cant take insect bites well.
If it is the Japanese hornet, then they are the largest hornets in the world and very deadly. One stung me once. I can’t imagine being stung 100 times.
Well I’m lucky to “bee” here after my unlucky encounter with bees when I was a kid.
They are by far the most dangerous things you’ll find on the trails here. They kill far more people here than snakes, bears, or anything else.
more than bears or snow leopards i could believe, but I think the last wasp death in Taiwan was two or three years ago. another hiker, of course. and at the same time of year: it must be because it takes this long for most nests to get large enough each year to contain enough wasps to be lethal. still, it’s certainly a thing to watch for when walking.
moral: don’t throw stones at wasp nests while out in the bush.
poor fella.
edit: it was a woman, again.
Yes, fall is the time of year to worry about wasps and there are always signs on trails to warn people about this. Tommy, this is nothing new.
Well if i was prone to hiking in Taiwan before, im cured of that now. She was out with some 50 others but ended up losing her LIFE just enjoying a simple hike, through no fault of her own.
If I got stung 3 years ago and got stung again this year I would go into shock? How is this possible?
If I got stung 3 years ago and got stung again this year I would go into shock? How is this possible?[/quote]
Same thing happens if you get one of the two types of dengue fever. INfection with the second type could be fatal.
Being stung by bees/hornets and surviving could trigger a more serious reaction the next time you are bitten. I wouldve thought myself that you build up some sort of defense instead.
many people do get less and less reaction, but a small number of people develop worse and worse symptoms each time: they have developed an allergy. you can develop an allergy to practically anything. being allergic to one thing does NOT make you more likely to be allergic to anything else, though.
unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tell if you’re one of those who have developed an allergy, so it’s best to avoid being stung.
According to the China Post:
“Hikers should carry injectable epinephrine in emergency kits, Tsia advised.”
Where Can I Find?
I’m asking because when I’ve been stung by bees elsewhere before I get allergic reactions and the sting areas swell up massively. I figure if there is a candidate for possible anaphylaxis that would be me.
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there’s a product called an EpiPen (in USA and other places*) for such situations, often carried by serious asthmatics and those with bee allergies. But their use is risky without training and back-up doses may be needed.
I have no idea of any pharmacist in Taiwan would carry them, or sell them to you. It’s worth asking, I suppose.
And you’re a cyclist: swallowing a bee that stings you in the throat is a great way to die…
*epinephrine is the American word for adrenaline, which is weird because the molecule is made in the adrenal glands regardless of its name. The etymology is the same, but one is Greek (epi nephros, near the kidney) while the other is Latin (ad rena, near the kidneys)
Ha, I had to carry one of these around for years due to some severe food allergies… However, once I was a teen my mother realized that instead of loosing them, we were abusing them.
And yes, if they are Japanese hornets, stay the fuck away… Those shits are serious business. Got stung right between the eyes once, as well as the forearm. My eyes were swollen shut for a day, and my forearm was the size of that arm-wrestling cat from “Over the Top” for day or two. Not Sly, but the big bald one. However, the pain was nothing worse than the regular red wasps we have in the SE US. Some mean fuckers they are though.
While camping in Hsinchu, a local aboriginal took us on a hike in the mountains. One thing he warned us of was hornet attacks. He told us that if you see three hornets circling over you and one of them leaves, you’d better get away from the two remaining ones as fast as possible either by killing them or running down wind. That’s because the one that left went back to the hive to get the other hornets for an attack. The hornets, the guide told us, use their sense of smell to find the hornets left with you to track you down. In the event the hive finds you, you’re supposed to cover your entire head because that’s where they will concentrate their attack. He also showed us some wild plant that you could rub where you were stung giving you some time to seek immediate medical help.
Kent
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there are bears in TW? :eh:
Him so hornety! Ha ha ha. I’m glad I’m the FIRST to think of that joke.
there are bears in TW? :eh:[/quote]
Yes. A Fairly stable population of perhaps a 1000 overall. I’ve seen one once. There’s a bear reserve in Yushan National Park with an estimated pop of a few hundred, perhaps as much as 500.
There was one in yesterday’s paper in Japan that ran down a hill and attacked nine people waiting at a bus stop. It mauled several of them before being trapped in a souvenir shop and shot dead. It was an Asiatic black bear of which the Formosan one is a sub-species. Watch out out there!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6841561.ece
Thats one fucking mean hornet.
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