About Bee Stings
Why do bees sting ?
Bees usually only sting as a last resort, when they are trying to defend their colony and the hive or when frightened. Often a few frantic buzzes around the potential enemy will be enough to drive it away, but if that does not work then the bees have to resort to stinging to combat the pervceived threat and to protect the rest of the colony. Unfortunately for the Bees, by doing so they will die as a result of stinging.
How do bees sting ?
When a bee stings, "Barbs" on the side of the fine needle or "lance" in its tail embed in our skin. Because human skin is fairly tough the bee cannot remove its sting and it gets torn away from its abdomen when the bee is shaken off, leaving the sting behind in the skin. It also leaves behind the sac of "bee venom" and glands. If this is left in place, the venom sac muscles will continue to pump the venom into the skin for several minutes until it is empty.
How should you treat a bee sting ?
The first thing to do is to remove the sting as soon as possible. Never squeeze or press the sting or the bee venom will be forced into your skin. The best way to remove the sting is to carefully scrape it out of your skin. Using your fingernail is usually sufficient (beekeepers soon learn the best way to do it !)
Most people find that after a short time the pain will go away, leaving just a slight irritation. You can then cool the area of the sting with cold water or an ice pack, then apply skin creams to the affected area, such as Honey and Propolis Healing Balm, or a spray from your local chemist. The swelling should normally go down within 24 hours or so.
Anaphylactic Shock
A very small number of people can react badly to stings with what is called an Anaphylactic shock. This is a severe reaction to bee (or wasp) stings; (it can also be brought on by allergies to certain foods such as peanuts).
Anaphylactic Shock is quite rare and less than one in 200 of the population might ever suffer from this problem from stinging. The symptoms to look out for include the following :
- Increased heart rate
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty in swallowing
- A drop in blood pressure causing a sudden feeling of weakness
- An Itchy feeling
- Collapse and unconsciousness
Anyone who suffers from any of the above directly after a Bee sting should seek medical advice as soon as possible.
PLEASE REMEMBER : Bees are generally placid and harmless creatures, and rarely attack and sting unless they are provoked. They are essential to the environment, and carry out essential pollination to flowers, shrubs and crops. They are also a species protected by law, and anyone found to have poisoned them risks prosecution. Bees should never be harmed or destroyed needlessly.
If you have an interest in bees and beekeeping, why not contact us to find out about the benefits of becoming a member of the SRBA.
If you would like any further information, please contact us using the details on this website.
