I'm sure that certain stings are worse than others based on factors such as sting depth and duration. I've noticed also that the frequency of stings plays a huge factor as well. My first sting of the season is always the worst. After that, they hardly affect me, and I get stung about every two weeks during the season. Too long without getting stung, your body is still making antibodies, and then over-reacts when the sting finally occurs.