What insect stings or bites can cause allergic reactions?
Wasps, honey bees, hornets, yellow jackets and ants are the insects most likely to cause strong allergic reactions. Some biting insects (mosquitoes, flies, lice, kissing bugs and fleas) can cause allergies as well because they inject saliva to thin the blood when they bite. Finally, some caterpillars are covered with hairs that contain a substance irritating to human skin and this can sometimes cause allergic reactions. Less commonly, insects or insects parts can cause allergic reactions when they are inhaled or swallowed. Different insect species’ venom has different potential allergens. This means that a person who is strongly allergic to wasps may not be allergic to yellow jackets at all and may be only mildly allergic to honeybees, or vice versa.
