Bee Stings
Have you ever been stung by a honeybee? A wasp? Well if you’ve never had the pleasure I’d like to take some time and explain why these hymenopterans (the family of insects that bees and wasps belong to) sting, what to do if you’ve been stung and also how to tell if you or someone else is having an allergic reaction to a sting.
Bee or wasp?
Bee and a wasp. Image credit
If you’ve ever watched a big bumblebee going from flower to flower, you’ve probably noticed they look furry. Well that is one of the big physical differences between bees and wasps. Wasps don’t have “hair” on them, while different species of bee have varying amounts of fuzz. Wasps also don’t have a barb on their stingers. This of course means that one wasp can sting multiple times. In the case of a honeybee, there is a tiny barb that gets embedded into whatever it stings and as the honeybee pulls away, the venom sac and some some internal organs get ripped out. Sadly, a honeybee dies after it stings. A bumblebee, however, does not have a barbed stinger and some bees don’t have stingers at all!
This honeybee has left its stinger and venom sack behind in a person’s skin. Image credit
Ouch! I just got stung!
If you’re ever stung by a honeybee the first thing to do is to check if the stinger is still in your skin. If it is, as in the picture to the left, never pinch or use tweezers to pull it out. The reason is because if you grab onto the stinger you’re likely grabbing the venom sac and squeezing ALL the venom into your body. And you thought it hurt enough the first time! So the best thing to use is something like a credit card, and using the flat edge of the card scrape the stinger off your skin.
If you’ve been stung by a bumblebee or wasp, for example, they don’t have a barbed stinger so you don’t have to worry about anything being left behind.
Am I allergic?
If you’ve never been stung by a bee or wasp, you likely don’t know if you’re allergic or not. So here are some symptoms for a normal sting reaction compared to an allergic or anaphylactic reaction.
A normal reaction to a sting would include: pain, swelling, redness and itching or burning. If these types of symptoms occur, there are some simple things you can do to be more comfortable. First, wash the sting site with soap and water, to prevent infection (stingers can be dirty) and use a cold compress to help reduce swelling. When you get stung, your body’s immune system will likely start producing histamine which is causing the itchy or burning feeling. Taking an anti-histamine will help with this. To manage the pain, you may chose to take an over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
An allergic or anaphylactic reaction would include: swelling around eyes, lips, tongue or throat (or all of the above), difficulty breathing, severe itching, cramping or numbness, dizziness, red rash or hives, stomach cramps or vomiting and loss of consciousness. These symptoms are much more severe and should be dealt with immediately and seriously.
People who know they have allergies to insect stings generally carry an Epipen with them. This is a single dose of epinephrine that will stimulate the body/heart to keep going until the person has reached the hospital. If you or someone you know carries and Epipen, it’s good for everyone to know how to use it in case the injured person can’t inject the Epipen themselves. The Epipen’s effects can last anywhere from 5-20 minutes. The important thing here is not to wait and to get that person to a hospital as fast as possible.
Anyone who’s experienced an allergic reaction to a sting should always go to the hospital even if they aren’t showing symptoms yet. Our bodies react very strangely to venom sometimes. For instance, a beekeeper who’s been stung several times in their life and never reacted, may suddenly have a severe reaction the next time. Or the reverse, someone who’s had severe reactions in the past, may not react right away, or at all. But it’s always best to be safe rather than sorry.
If you have any concerns about your symptoms after a sting, always seek medical help.
Science North’s bee-yard is looking good with two of our own hives, as well as some local beekeepers just starting out with their own honeybees. Come visit us and the Bluecoats would be happy to answer any questions you have about bees!
