Bee Facts: The Bee Sting

Bee Aware of the facts!

Be aware of bee sting facts and learn how to respond if you are inflicted with a bee sting to lessen the severity of the pain and swelling. Review medical terms associated with pollen or honey allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis.

Bees can create quite a stir when agitated and are well prepared to defend-to-the-death their treasured queen bee, honey cache, and beehive from any threat.

Most honeybees, (arthropods, Apis mellifera) are friendly and docile when foraging; however, these and other docile bee species are frequently misunderstood due to scary sensationalism television re-enactments of swarming, killer bee infestations and the like.

However, occasionally you can receive a bee sting from even docile honeybees and you should know how to respond if you are the person inflicted with the sting or if you happen to be nearby someone who experiences a serious reaction.

What provokes a bee to sting?

Generally, guard bees on duty at the entry to the beehive sting wasps or hornets who try to enter their hive to steal or destroy it. Bees do not hesitate to sting if they feel their hive or queen is threatened; but, they do not have a predatory-type of instinct to seek-and-destroy. In fact, the act of stinging kills the bee because the stinger actually detaches from the bee's body (taking part of her abdomen, including the venom sac, with it.)

Bee venom can be toxic to about 1-2% of humans and those who are hypersensitive or have a pollen allergy may have a life-threatening, severe allergic shock reaction immediately after the sting.

What happens during anaphylactic shock?

The medical encyclopedia describes the condition as a state in which the blood pressure decreases rapidly and is accompanied by various degrees of chills, rapid pulse, pale skin, rashes, shortness of breath, faintness, constricted heart and eventually death if there is no treatment.

Avoid pestering bees or investigating bee hives if you are not a professional or experienced hobbyist. If you do need to approach or move past a beehive on a trail, do so with very slow, careful movements. Tie back your hair, wear white or light clothing that is not made of wool or a furry type of material as darker, woolen or hairy clothing resembles bears, the honeybees' nemesis!

Avoid wearing flowery or sweet smelling perfumes if you plan a hike or a day working in the garden.

Use caution when clearing dirt and muddy areas, removing overgrown shrubbery, old wooden planks or hollow tubes as bees enjoy nesting in warm, dry, cozy places.

What should you do if a bee stings you?

Do not slap the area where you have been stung or squeeze the stinger!! This only forces venom into the wound. Tell your family, friends, and kids!

Remove the stinger as quickly as is humanly possible to reduce the amount of bee venom that can be pumped into the wound. You will notice that the stinger, although detached from the bee, still operates! Move away from harm and then gently, carefully, coax the stinger from the skin using a delicate touch with tweezers under a magnifying glass; otherwise, if you can't get to 'civilization' or tools, scrape your fingernail across the skin to push the stinger away without squeezing it.

Once the stinger has been dislodged, elevate your feet and administer an antihistamine or cortisone product like an "Epipen" immediately if there is a severe reaction.

Is it difficult to administer the Epipen? Will I be able to help someone else?

The insect sting kits are designed to be easy and quick to use. The pen itself is actually a tube surrounding a needle. Grasp the tube in your fist and swing your arm out to your side slightly, then on the downward arc, jam the pen tip into your upper, outer thigh. (You do need to apply some force, but a child can easily do it and it isn't as bad as it sounds.)

The pen-unit is pre-dispensed to deliver the correct dose (0.3mg) of epinephrine and designed to work right through the clothing. -- They'll thank you later!