What bit my sister?

[cj]

My sister lives in a rural part of East Kent (Eastry, near Dover). Her back garden adjoins a field of wheat or some similar crop.

About a month ago (just after they had harvested the wheat) she was taking washing off the line and as she took hold of a fake sheepskin coat she was bitten or stung by SOMETHING hiding in the fur.

The sting was excruciatingly painful. Her hand and arm immediately swelled up and she had to be taken to hospital where they pumped her full of antihistamines.

She didn't have a chance to find what had bitten or stung her. The hospital staff had no idea. (She has had wasp and bee stings before and has had no allergic reactions) She felt unwell afterwards for about a week. She had a single puncture wound and her hand felt numb from time to time afterwards.

She doesn't think it was a flying insect as there was no buzzing or flapping in the fur.

I know that false widow spiders can be found on the south coast... and that there are scorpion colonies in Kent... someone even suggested a snake (would have had to be TINY...)

Does anyone have any idea what it could have been??

Thanks!!
CJ

[riksnook]

I have heard of a large non-native hornet in the south east (I'm in Kent too). I read about it in the bbc wildlife mag I think. They have a nasty sting. Also some type of horse fly can provoke that reaction in most people. However you are quite correct about the European yellow tail scorpion being present in Kent and they do have a sting that can cause severe discomfort and swelling. These scorps are a bit of a fascination of mine.

Rik

[Chris Mullins]

Wow CJ, I don't know an awful lot about insect bites and stings, but I guess there could be many a culprit for the bite or sting, your sister had the misfurtune to experience.

Were there any markings left by the creature? as I'd imagine a sting would most likely be a single entry wound, and a bite two entry wounds close to each other.

Playing Sherlock now ...

I usually go for the most likely, and work my way through, I understand that Hornets can deliver quite a punch, aqnd they're being sighted more and more of recent.

Chris