Overview
A bee sting is a wound caused by a bee. A bee is a winged insect that has a barbed, thorn-shaped organ (stinger) at the end of its three-segmented body. These segments include the head, thorax and abdomen. Bees use their stinger to defend themselves and their hive, which is a bee’s home. The stinger contains venom. When a bee stings you, its stinger detaches from its body and sticks in your skin. The puncture of the stinger in your skin combined with bee venom causes symptoms that include pain and swelling.
You may have an allergy to bee venom, which can cause a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention and can be life-threatening if left untreated. If you were stung by a bee and experience symptoms like difficulty breathing or dizziness, call 911 or go to the emergency room (ER).
What types of bees sting?
Bees aren’t aggressive insects, but they can sting when they feel threatened. Only female bees can sting. Many different types of bees can sting you. The most common are:
- Bumble bee: A bumble bee is an oval-shaped and furry-winged insect that’s mostly black with stripes of yellow. It ranges from half an inch to 1 inch (1.5 to 2.5 centimeters) long. It has six legs on its thorax (middle section) and two antennae on its head. It flies slowly. These pollinators live in nests that are usually in the ground. A bumble bee doesn’t die when it stings you.
- Honey bee: A honey bee is a slender, furry insect that has a black body with pale yellow or tan stripes. While smaller than bumble bees (about half an inch long), honey bees also have six legs and two antennae. These honey-makers live in hives in hollow trees, on branches or in designated bee boxes that make honey harvesting easier for farmers.
- Carpenter bee: A carpenter bee is a larger (0.75 inch to 1 inch) flying insect that’s black and shiny with yellow hairs on its middle section (thorax). These bees create nests in wood. They’re fast flyers and can mimic hummingbirds.
Wasps, hornets and yellow jackets
Other flying insects can also sting you. People easily mistake wasps for bees. Wasps make large paper nests that hang from trees or corners of buildings. These insects can also make nests in the ground. A major identifying factor to separate bees from wasps are that bees are furry and wasps have little to no fur so they appear shiny. Wasps also have a distinct, narrow abdomen, two sets of wings and range from a quarter inch to 1 inch long.
- Wasps are usually black but can appear dark blue (metallic) or red.
- Yellow jackets are a type of wasp. They’re mostly black with bright yellow bands leading toward their stinger.
- Hornets are a type of wasp. They’re brown with yellow and orange stripes and have a yellow or orange head.
Wasps, yellow jackets and hornets are generally aggressive to protect their nests and can sting if you get close to them. They don’t have barbed stingers and can sting you multiple times.
Do bees die after they sting you?
The honey bee dies after it stings you. This happens because a honey bee’s stinger gets stuck in your skin, and they’re unable to disconnect its stinger from the rest of its body. As a result, the bee’s abdomen and stinger pull away from the rest of its body, which causes the bee to die.
Not all bees die after they sting you. In some instances, a bee can sting you more than once if it feels threatened.
How common is a bee sting?
A bee sting is a very common injury. Bees are active in warm climates or temperate climates during long periods of warm temperatures. A bee sting can happen to anyone who comes too close to the insect or bothers its home. Bees are pollinators, which means you’ll find them near flowers or flowering trees. An allergy to insect stings, including bees, accounts for about 5% of the United States population.
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Prevention
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
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