It depends partly on the wasp. The standard Polistes Paper Wasp hurts moderately badly (like a hot needle), but settles down to just an itch after a relatively short time, as the venom gets broken down. read more
The Vespula wasps like Yellowjackets have a slightly more painful sting, but the real problem is that lots of them can be stinging you at once. This kind of magnifies the effect. It can be pretty unpleasant. read more
Wasp venom is stronger than bee venom, so their stings hurt much worse, but you don t have to do anything about the sting. I don t think any stings or bug bites hurt very badly, but they are really annoying. read more
While a bee can only sting once because its stinger becomes stuck in the skin of its victim, a wasp can sting more than once during an attack. Wasp stingers remain intact. However, even without a lodged stinger, wasp venom can cause significant pain and irritation. read more