Quick Facts
- Sample: Blood serum
- Fasting: Not required
- Turn-around: 3–5 business days. May take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
Benefits
- Detect life-threatening allergies — identify IgE sensitization to honeybees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets
- Avoid specialist visits initially — order directly and test at convenient walk-in labs
- Comparable accuracy to skin testing — high sensitivity immunoassay without needles in skin
- Support preventive care — guide epinephrine prescriptions and avoidance strategies before severe reactions
- Monitor immunotherapy response — track IgE levels during or after venom immunotherapy treatment
Who Is This Test For?
- Individuals with past allergic reactions to insect stings (swelling, hives, breathing difficulty)
- People living in regions with high stinging insect populations (fire ants, yellow jackets)
- Those seeking preventive screening before severe sting exposure or anaphylaxis occurs
- Patients monitoring venom allergy treatment or immunotherapy effectiveness over time
How It Works – Just 3 Steps
- Order online — select your test without a physician referral and choose a convenient lab location
- Visit the lab — a trained phlebotomist collects a small blood sample during a quick appointment
- Access your results — review secure, confidential results online within 3-5 business days
FAQ
What does this test measure? Specific IgE antibodies to venom proteins from five stinging insects: honeybee, paper wasp, white-faced hornet, yellow hornet, and yellow jacket.
Do I need to fast before the test? No fasting required; avoid testing during active infections for most accurate results.
Can this replace skin prick testing? Yes, blood IgE testing is comparable to skin testing and preferred when skin testing is contraindicated.
What if my results are positive? Positive results indicate sensitization; consult an allergist to correlate with symptoms and discuss a prescription for epinephrine.
How accurate is this test? Immunoassay IgE testing shows high sensitivity and specificity comparable to traditional skin testing (Mayo Clinic Laboratories 2020).
More Details
What is the purpose of this test?
This Allergy Stinging Insect Profile Blood Test measures IgE antibody levels to detect allergies to several stinging insects. Stinging insect allergies affect approximately 3% of adults in the United States, with an estimated 90–100 deaths annually from insect sting anaphylaxis (WalkInLab). Wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, and honeybees cause most insect stings, while fire ants now infest more than 260 million acres in the southern United States.
When you're stung by certain insects, your immune system may produce IgE antibodies against venom proteins. These antibodies trigger histamine release, causing symptoms ranging from mild itching to severe anaphylaxis. This test screens for IgE antibodies to five common stinging insects: honeybee, paper wasp, white-faced hornet, yellow hornet, and yellow jacket.
Who would benefit from this test?
This test is ideal for individuals with a history of insect sting reactions or those seeking preventive screening. You may benefit if you've experienced allergic symptoms after stings, live in regions with prevalent stinging insects, or need to monitor allergy progression. The test is particularly useful for people considering immunotherapy or those who spend significant time outdoors in areas with high insect populations.
Early identification supports preventive care and empowers informed health decisions without requiring an initial specialist visit.
When should I order this Allergy Stinging Insect Profile Blood Test?
Order this test if you've experienced symptoms related to stinging insect allergies. Most reactions occur within minutes to an hour after being stung. Mild reactions typically resolve with basic care, but severe reactions require immediate medical attention.
Common allergic symptoms include pain, swelling, itching or hives, flushing, difficulty breathing or wheezing, and lightheadedness. A severe, life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis may cause rapid heart rate, swollen throat making breathing difficult, low blood pressure, or extreme dizziness. Anaphylaxis requires emergency medical care.
Note that individuals allergic to one stinging insect are often allergic to others, making comprehensive screening valuable.
How do I interpret the results?
Results report IgE antibody levels for each insect venom tested. Laboratories use standardized reference ranges to determine sensitization.
Class 0–1 (≤0.70 kU/L)
- Negative or low sensitization
- No allergy treatment needed; monitor symptoms
Class 2 (0.71–3.50 kU/L)
- Moderate sensitization
- Discuss symptoms with allergist; consider avoidance strategies
Class 3–4 (3.51–50 kU/L)
- High sensitization
- Allergist consultation; epinephrine prescription; immunotherapy evaluation
Class 5–6 (>50 kU/L)
- Very high sensitization
- Urgent allergist care; epinephrine required; strong immunotherapy candidate
Results must be correlated with your clinical symptoms—positive IgE alone doesn't always predict reaction severity (MedlinePlus).
Disclaimer: Reference ranges may vary by laboratory. Listed ranges are general guidelines and may differ from those used by the performing lab. Always consult your healthcare provider for interpretation.
Pre-test preparation
No fasting is required for this blood test. Inform your healthcare provider about medications that may affect immune response, though most don't require discontinuation. For most accurate results, avoid testing during active infections when your immune system is already activated. Antihistamines don't affect blood IgE testing, unlike skin testing.
How often should I get tested?
- Initial screening after sting reaction: Once for baseline assessment
- Monitoring during immunotherapy: Annually or as advised by allergist
- Post-immunotherapy completion: 1–2 years after treatment ends
- Change in symptoms or new exposures: As needed based on clinical indication
Why early detection matters
Early detection of stinging insect allergies reduces your risk of severe anaphylactic reactions through preventive management. Knowing your allergy status allows you to carry epinephrine auto-injectors, avoid high-risk situations, and consider venom immunotherapy—which is highly effective at preventing future reactions. With approximately 90–100 annual deaths from insect sting anaphylaxis in the U.S., early identification can be lifesaving.
Blood testing offers convenient, accessible screening without specialist referral, enabling faster intervention and peace of mind for at-risk individuals.
Related tests you may consider
Total IgE Blood Test — measures overall allergic sensitivity as a general allergy screening baseline
IgE Food Allergy Basic Test, Serum - Mosaic Diagnostics Test Kit — screens common food allergens for individuals with multiple allergies
Respiratory Allergy Panel Region 1 — tests environmental allergens (pollen, mold, dust mites) commonly found in the Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont region.
