Tips to Avoid Bee Stings

Whether you’re gardening, camping, or hunting, you can encounter bees — and sometimes, wasps and hornets. That’s a problem because those little creatures pack a sting that can be painful for hours, if not longer.

If you’re allergic to bee stings, the situation is even direr: anaphylactic shock can be deadly.

Fortunately, there are many ways you can prepare yourself to avoid bee stings and take immediate action if it happens.

Why are Bee Stings Dangerous?

Stings from bees can have a variety of effects on humans. Depending on where the sting occurs and how much venom was injected, a person may be stung repeatedly or may experience pain, swelling, and itching.

Bees can also be aggressive and sting when people are trying to control them. And sometimes, the only way to avoid bee stings is to leave the area altogether.

There are three types of stings:

  • traumatic,
  • allergic and
  • Hypersensitive.

Traumatic stings cause pain, swelling, and redness at the site of the sting.

Allergic bee stings cause itching at the site of the sting and swelling around the body.

Hives don’t have enough venom in them to cause hypersensitive or allergic reactions unless you have sensitive skin or allergies.

Tips to Avoid Bee Stings

The best way to avoid a bee sting is to avoid bees. That’s easier said than done, of course, particularly if you’re the one who has to get rid of them. But if you know what attracts bees and what repels them, you can take steps to avoid getting stung.

The following suggestions will help reduce the likelihood of a bee sting:

  1. Wear light-colored clothing. 

Bees are attracted to the color yellow, so wearing a white shirt and tan pants will help keep them away because they’ll be less likely to see you as a flower. If your skin is dark and you want to do some gardening or yard work, wear a white T-shirt instead of a black one.

  1. Don’t wear colognes or perfumes. 

Bees are attracted to fragrances as well as bright colors. This can be difficult for women, but it might be best to leave the makeup at home when doing outdoor chores.

  1. Wear socks and shoes outdoors. 

Bees tend not to land on bare feet because there is no nectar there. However, they have been known to land on shoes — especially when those shoes have holes in them!

  1. Don’t provoke bees.

If you see a bee nearby, do not wave your hands or make any quick movements that may cause the bee to think you are threatening its territory. If you detect a hive, call bee control services and let exterminators deal with the problem.

  1. Don’t drink sugary beverages outside.

In addition to being attracted to sweet fragrances and perfumes, bees are drawn to high-sugar drinks such as sodas and fruit juices. Avoid drinking beverages with high sugar content while working outside, so you don’t risk having one land in your drink while you’re

  1. Keep food covered outdoors. 

Picnics are notorious for attracting bees because they smell food from miles away.

  1. Cover up your exposed skin.

Wear long sleeves and pants if possible when working outdoors where there might be bees around. The less skin you have exposed, the better protected you are against stings. Avoid wearing sandals when working in areas with bees as well; instead, wear fully closed shoes that cover our feet entirely.

  1. Keep your distance from hives.

If you see a hive or nest near where you are working, keep your distance from it as much as possible. If you must get close to the nest for any reason, take extra precautions to protect yourself against getting stung by wearing a hat and long-sleeved shirt.

What to Do After a Bee Sting

It’s better to avoid bee stings but its best to know what to do if it happens. If a person is stung by a bee, the following may help ease the pain:

  • The first thing to do after getting stung is to remove the stinger as soon as possible. Scrape it off with yourfingernail — don’t pinch it between your fingers or use tweezers because that will force more venom into the wound.
  • Next, wash the site of the sting with soap and water.
  • Use a cold pack or ice wrapped in a cloth to reduce swelling and pain.
  • Take an over-the-counter antihistamine if swelling or itching occurs.
  • Use an anti-itch cream or calamine lotion on the site of the sting if there is redness or itching.

When to Call Emergency Response

If any of the following occur at the site of a bee sting, seek emergency care right away:

  • The individual experiences shortness of breath, dizziness, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
  • A rash develops outside of the area where the sting occurred.

Also, administer first aid for bee sting and dial 999 if the individual has had a previous allergic reaction to an insect sting that caused breathing difficulty, fainting, or near-fainting (syncope).

Anaphylactic Shock: What is It? What are the Symptoms?

For some people, the shock of a bee sting is not enough. In fact, some individuals go into anaphylactic shock. This is a medical emergency and, if left untreated, can be fatal.

Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction. It can cause someone to go into shock. The most common cause of anaphylaxis is insect stings, but it can also be caused by foods or medications like penicillin.

The worse a bee sting is, the more likely it is you’ll experience anaphylaxis. But the average person is only allergic to about 20% of the chemicals in an average bee sting.

If you’ve been stung more than once, you’ll want to consult your doctor before going out in the woods since stingers may have lost their ability to digest it.

Symptoms of Anaphylactic Shock:

  • Swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • Dizziness or fainting

In some cases, it can cause loss of consciousness or death if not treated immediately.

Anaphylaxis should be treated as a medical emergency. If you think someone is having an anaphylactic reaction, call 999 immediately.

If you’re with someone who has had an anaphylactic reaction, even if they appear to have recovered after using their epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen), it’s important to monitor them closely for at least 48 hours. The symptoms can return after treatment.

How to Detect & Deal With Bee Hives

In general, bees are active during the day and tend to be attracted to large flowers and water sources.

If your kids are running around the lawn, there’s a good chance they’ll run into a few bees. As long as they’re not allergic, it’s generally not a big deal.

But you should watch out for hives.

If you see a lot of bees flying around an area, there’s a good chance that there’s a hive nearby. Bees like to build their hives under overhangs on buildings and in trees.

So if you see bees flying in and out from under the eaves of a house or from behind some tree bark, stay away from that area!

What to Do If you Suspect a Hive Near Your Home: Call Bee Control Services

If you have a beehive near your home or workplace, contact an exterminator to remove the hive for you rather than trying to do it yourself. You should also call bee control services if bees have made their way inside your home or if there is a swarm of bees around your house.

The best time to inspect for a nest is after dark with a flashlight. This gives the colony time to settle into its nest. Since honeybees do not have night vision, they will be less likely to swarm when exposed to light at night.

If you’re allergic to bee stings, you should keep an EpiPen on hand at all times when searching or working near hives.

Important Bee Facts to Avoid Bee Stings

Whether you’re a beekeeper or have bees of your own, you’ve probably heard conflicting information about what to do to prevent stings.

After all, bees are very important to our ecosystem, and they’re typically peaceful creatures. The reality is that everyone has an opinion on what’s best for them.

Here are some facts you should know:

  • Bees do not sting people unless they are disturbed or threatened. The exception is if the bees are being attacked or their hive is being destroyed. If a bee feels threatened or perceives a threat, it will defend itself.
  • Most bees attack only once during their lifetime. If a bee stings someone and it doesn’t leave the area where it stung the person, there is no need to worry about it attacking again — as long as it’s not disturbed again by people.

Lastly, bees don’t like to be near humans because they can be afraid of their scent and sound, but they will eventually get used to them if allowed enough time.

Last Words on How to Avoid Bee Stings

As hinted throughout the post, the best way to stay safe is to keep off hives or irritating bees in any way. If possible, call bee control services and let professionals deal with the swarm of bees.