Put the credit card away. That stinger is still pumping venom into you while you search. Walk away from the bees, then get it out with whatever's fastest, right now. Fingernail, card edge, or a quick pinch. The method barely matters. The seconds do. But step 1 comes before the stinger, and it has nothing to do with it. Step 1: walk away. A sting releases an alarm scent that can call more bees in. Getting to safety matters more than pulling the stinger that same instant.

Then move fast. Step 2: scrape it sideways with a nail or card edge, or pinch it. Whatever's quickest. Step 3: wash the spot with soap and water. That lowers the risk of infection. Step 4: a wrapped cold pack for at least 20 minutes, with the arm raised if you can. Step 5: acetaminophen or ibuprofen for the pain, an antihistamine or hydrocortisone cream for the itch. And keep your nails off it after that.

Scratching can cause an infection. Step 6: lips, tongue or throat swelling, trouble breathing, dizziness? Call 911 at once. Now the famous card rule: never pinch a stinger, because squeezing can push in more venom. Researchers tested it. After 2 seconds, scraping and pinching showed no real difference in the welt. Scraped welts averaged 80 square millimetres. Pinched, 74. Statistically, a tie. What grew the welt was waiting.

The authors' advice: remove it as quickly as possible. Why the rush? A honeybee stinger has 2 rows of barbs, so it stays stuck in you. Attached to it is the venom sac, and it keeps pumping for up to 1 minute. In that study, stings came out at half a second, 1, 2, 4 and 8 seconds. The longer the stinger stayed in, the bigger the welt got. Every second counted. Wasps and hornets have smooth stingers.

They usually keep them, so they can sting again. But what if a piece breaks off? After washing, use clean tweezers, skin stretched flat, then wash again. Stung several times, or in the mouth, throat or near the eyes? Get urgent medical advice. A baby under 1 year old needs a doctor for any sting. Under 5, call for advice. Known allergy and a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector? Use it right away, then call 911.

Otherwise, relax. The swelling usually clears in 2 to 3 days, sometimes a week or more. So skip the wallet search. Walk away, get it out, wash it, cool it. The best stinger tool you own is the one already attached to your hand. It pumps for up to a minute. Don't give it one.