TUE 19 NOV 2002
By KANE YOUNG
Life-threatening allergic reactions to insect stings are a serious problem in Tasmania, with jack jumpers—not bees or wasps—the major culprits.
A study by the Royal Hobart Hospital has found that 4.5 per cent of the population is allergic to insect stings, with many people, especially the elderly, prone to life-threatening reactions (anaphylaxis).
The jack jumper ant—which grips the skin with powerful jaws and injects venom with an abdominal stinger—is largely responsible.
Continued …
Posted by . Filed under: Library • Newspaper Articles • The Mercury • Permalink