Bumblebee bite and its consequences, first aid, treatment and prevention

Good day! Through one house, my grandfather lives from my site, who spends all his free time caring for numerous hives.

This proximity leads me to regularly be in dangerous proximity to bees and wasps. I was always afraid that they would bite me.

But she suffered from a bumblebee bite. It was very painful. But alright, if only the pain was the problem. Want to know about a bumblebee bite and its consequences? I experienced everything myself, so now there will be first-hand information.

What to do when a person bites a bumblebee - useful tips

Bumblebee refers to insects from the order Hymenoptera. They have chosen the wild nature of the countries located in the northern hemisphere of our planet. This hard-working insect pollinates various plants, giving them a chance to exist.

To date, scientists have a huge number of subspecies of insects, which differ in their external parameters.

At the same time, only hymenopteran females have a sting. Due to the fact that insect weapons have a smooth and even surface, unlike bees, they do not forget it in the victim’s body.

What are the symptoms associated with?

The expression “bite” used in everyday life is actually not quite right, since the bumblebee does not bite, but causes damage with the help of a sting placed on the tip of the abdomen. The insect protection tool has a hollow structure, inside resembling a needle of a medical syringe, due to which the poison penetrates the victim’s body.

The sensation of acute pain, itching of the skin, swelling after a bumblebee bite is caused by the penetration of a poison consisting of a protein mixture under the skin. Such a poisonous solution very often causes a person a severe allergy. Although the likelihood of an allergic reaction in people is minimal and amounts to only 1% of all annually bitten.

In most cases, unpleasant symptoms disappear on their own within a few days and do not require medical intervention or specific medication.

In the case of an allergic reaction to a bumblebee bite, it develops quickly within half an hour, and its symptoms differ depending on the individual characteristics of the victim's body and the amount of poison released by the insect.

Of particular danger are multiple bumblebee bites. Also, women in a piquant position and allergies are at increased risk.

What to do?

In the case of a local reaction, which is not accompanied by allergic manifestations, medical treatment is not prescribed. But in such a situation, it is desirable to minimize the consequences of a bumblebee bite to a minimum, for which simple manipulations are necessary.

1. If a sting remains in the victim’s body, which happens extremely rarely, then it is carefully removed with tweezers treated with any antiseptic.
2. The area around the bite must be treated with peroxide or use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or another available antiseptic - vinegar or alcohol diluted with water.
3. A cold compress will be useful, especially if the bite fell on the sensitive area. Cold will reduce blood circulation, thereby relieve pain, reduce swelling and slow the penetration of poison into the body. You can apply sugar moistened with water, refined sugar, which has the ability to draw poison.
4. People with allergies should definitely take an antihistamine.

It is important to consume a large amount of liquid after a bumblebee bite, while it is better to drink warm sweet tea. If the patient’s well-being continues to deteriorate or the first signs of an allergy appear, you need to immediately go to the clinic for professional help.

In case of poisoning in sensitive areas: the neck, mouth, or other parts of the face, you should urgently call a doctor, as delay will lead to serious complications associated with shortness of breath.

Bumblebee treatment at home

Despite the fact that the bumblebee bite is rather painful, its consequences can be dealt with on its own. At the same time, there are several popular folk recipes for treating a bumblebee bite at home.

A parsley compress, made by analogy with a dandelion, helps very well with a bumblebee bite.

Half a teaspoon of tansy color is diluted with a glass of hot boiling water and brought to readiness on fire for 5 minutes. The strained composition is used as lotions at the site of the bite.

The chopped onion head is applied to the affected area of ​​the skin and is fixed with a bandage. Thin slices of potatoes that are applied to the wound are also effective against bumblebee bites.

Lemon juice compress also relieves inflammation and swelling. The bite is washed under running water and rubbed with the fruit of the banana. The procedure is preferably repeated every 2-3 hours.

Half the apple, tomato or garlic is applied to the bumblebee bite site. You can also use chopped garlic mixed with honey. Such compresses change several times a day.

You can use cubes of frozen milk, applying them to the lesion.

One tablet of activated carbon, crushed into powder, is diluted in water to a porridge-like consistency. The resulting solution lubricates the bite site and wraps in polyethylene to prevent the substance from drying out quickly.

Effectively helps relieve inflammation of validol in tablets, which is wetted in water and applied to the wound.

Very often a person is a provocateur of an insect, which uses a sting to protect it, biting the aggressor. Bumblebee aggressively reacts to the sharp aromas of the spirits of alcohol meat, fried, on the fire and even the natural human smell.

People should understand that an insect will never attack first, so it’s better not to provoke it.

Prevention Measures

Bumblebees can not be attributed to aggressive insects, such as wasps and even honey bees. Cases of bumblebee bites are a rarity. When collecting nectar, the insect does not respond to the presence of humans.

Therefore, in order not to provoke bumblebee attacks, you need to adhere to simple recommendations:

Bumblebees are also irritated by the smell of oxidizing metal, the occurrence of which occurs upon contact of the skin, for example, with a ring, bracelet, metal watch strap and other jewelry.

What is contraindicated to do?

Under no circumstances should you slam or crush an insect that has bitten a person, since the substances secreted by the bumblebee will prompt the active actions of the relatives.

The bite site should not be scratched or rubbed, since any of these actions will contribute to the rapid spread of poison. In addition, dirty hands can serve as a source of infection through an open wound from a bumblebee bite.

You can not use improvised means to cool the bite, such as water from a river or a leaf torn from a tree, as this can lead to blood poisoning. In no case should you take a sleeping pill or sedative that will enhance the action of toxic components that have penetrated through the sting under the skin.

First aid for a bumblebee bite and the possible consequences of such a bite

A bumblebee bite can be dangerous for humans, so you need to know what to do in case of an insect attack, how to provide first aid and what could be the consequences.

Everyone knows that a bee sting is a rather unpleasant procedure, but if a bumblebee has bitten, the consequences can be more serious and unpleasant.

In the warm season, people not only prefer open clothes, which puts them at risk of being bitten, but also often find themselves in nature - this is where an abundance of insects can be a serious danger not only to a child, but also to adults, and even to a pet.

Bumblebees - insects are hardworking, and in their characteristics are very similar to bees.It is they who pollinate many plants, giving them the right to exist, and that is why the bumblebee so desperately protects its territory and stings anyone who can be dangerous.

People who are interested in whether a bumblebee has a sting should know that only a female of this type of insect can bite a person - they are the protectors of the dwelling.

Bite symptoms

If a bumblebee has bitten, it is necessary to recognize the symptoms in a timely manner and begin treatment, as some people may have allergic reactions, which in some cases can be fatal.

Often small children suffer from an insect bite, the desire to touch an unfamiliar insect often leads to unpredictable consequences. At the same time, a bumblebee bite most often occurs in the arm, foot, or finger - in those places that are often open in the summer.

Be careful, as a bumblebee bite is dangerous, first of all, to people prone to allergic reactions. If one of the symptoms worsens, and the health of the bitten person worsens, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The main symptoms that appear immediately after the insect stings are swelling, unpleasant itching and redness of the skin area where the insect bitten was located.

People who are prone to allergic reactions should be wondering if bumblebee venom is dangerous or not. These people will experience the following unpleasant symptoms:

• The manifestation and intensification of itching, swelling and redness not only at the site of the bite, but also throughout the body of the victim.
• With an allergic reaction, the patient may experience nausea and vomiting.
• The patient feels a lack of air and asthma attacks.
• The general temperature of the body rises, the pulse of a person becomes more frequent.
• Often there is a loss of consciousness, accompanied by convulsions - a person looks like he had a terrible dream.

If first aid for a bumblebee bite is not provided in a timely manner, in the presence of severe allergic reactions, serious pathologies can develop that will cause significant damage to health, and in some cases a fatal outcome is likely.

That is why when biting a bumblebee, what everyone should know is what you can do - so you can save not only yourself, but also your people from possible danger.

First aid

At home, treating the bite, provided that the victim is not allergic to poison, is not difficult. Medical intervention in this case is not necessary at all, it is enough to adhere to simple rules that will help to minimize local symptoms with your own hands.

The bite itself is treated with hydrogen peroxide or any other antiseptic. There should be no contamination on the treated area, as this creates a risk of infection.

If you made a cold compress, then the pain will go through a short period of time. In the presence of allergic reactions, it is recommended to take an antihistamine and contact a medical professional.

To do with the bite an additional treatment with ointments is not recommended. It is better to use a large amount of liquid, so that the poison dissolves faster in the body and does not have a negative effect on a person.

If the bite fell on a sensitive area (neck, mouth, other parts of the face), it is recommended to immediately contact a medical specialist, as the development of serious pathologies, including difficulty breathing and asphyxiation, is then likely.

Treatment

It makes sense to treat a bumblebee bite if it causes considerable discomfort to the victim. To do this, there are dozens of ways today that you can use at home.

Prevention

Although bumblebees bite very painfully, they rarely attack first. As a rule, in order to become a victim of a bumblebee, it is enough to approach its dwelling.

The insect feels danger and seeks to get rid of its enemy, thereby causing trouble to the person.

You can eliminate a bite by following simple rules:

No matter how many times a person has been bitten by a female bumblebee, his interest in outdoor recreation will not disappear. That is why it is so important to take care of your own safety and the safety of your loved ones in advance.

The first aid should always be at hand for the victim, and if an allergic reaction occurs, you should call a medical professional as soon as possible.

Therefore, a person should take care of his own safety, exclude the likelihood of any bite. Only this approach will allow you to enjoy your vacation in the warm season without the need to take emergency rescue measures.

The consequences of a bumblebee bite. What to do?

Some say bumblebees have no sting, is that so? Do bumblebees bite? There are answers to questions: females have a sting, and they can bite. Insects are not as aggressive as bees and wasps, therefore there is an opinion that they should not be afraid, and they do not bite.

They differ in that the bee on the sting has notches, which is why when it is bitten, it cannot pull it out. Makes one bite, and when you try to pull out the sting - it breaks. The bumblebee's sting is smooth, and it can sting repeatedly.

Should one be afraid?

Insects do not show aggression themselves and rarely bite. Unless, of course, trying to take away stocks of honey, kill a bumblebee or destroy a hive, this will cause a lot of bites.

When you see a bumblebee, do not drive it away or wave your hands. On the contrary, this can lead to the fact that the bumblebee stings you, and more than once.

Is a bumblebee bite dangerous? What should I do?

The reaction depends on the place where you stung, the number of bites, allergies. If there is no allergy, the bite causes only a non-allergic standard reaction. There are no threats to life.

If the insect has stung in the throat or oral cavity, or if there is an allergy, you should immediately go to the hospital. An allergy to bites is rare, but precautionary measures should not be neglected, because in very severe cases anaphylactic shock develops.

If a bumblebee has stung you, first observe the bite site. With redness and slight swelling, you do not need to do anything, this is a non-allergic reaction, and the itching will pass with pain.

The sting at the site of the bite most often does not remain. If it still remains, try to pull it out with a carefully disinfected tweezers. Wipe the bite with hydrogen peroxide or regular alcohol diluted in water.

Symptoms talking about allergies:

1. severe itching or hives;
2. redness of a large area of ​​the skin;
3. swelling of the bite, oral cavity or larynx;
4. vomiting, diarrhea, nausea;
5. palpitations and suffocation.

If such symptoms are found, and there is no immediate help, a bitten person can quickly lose consciousness and respiratory failure, which can lead to death or coma.

If there is no way to quickly get to the medical department, you should take more corticosteroids or even introduce adrenaline.

Multiple bites

Multiple bites are dangerous even in the absence of allergies. If several insects stings at once, a large amount of poison enters the body, in which the body does not have time to remove it and acute intoxication occurs.

In this case, do not attempt to self-medicate, but rather get to the hospital. The phospholipase contained in the bumblebee venom contributes to the destruction of red blood cells in the blood and is dangerous in large doses.

If a bumblebee has stung you, look around quickly and determine if there are other individuals nearby. If so, leave this place faster. Insects live in hollows, under stones and in abandoned bird nests.

Folk remedies

If there is no allergy, the state of the body does not bother, inflammation can be removed using folk remedies by doing the following procedures:

Such actions significantly reduce the sensation of pain and relieve inflammation. Also make calendula and chamomile tea.

Do not apply garlic, this will cause a burn and significantly worsen the situation.

Where are bumblebees found?

More common where there are many flowers. Fields, forests and meadows during flowering are the place where they gather winter supplies for the whole family. At this time, allergy sufferers need to be very careful. When working in the field or going outdoors, it is always worth having an antihistamine.

Behave in a civilized manner, think about your actions before committing them, and then walking on the street does not threaten you with bites.

Bumblebee Facts

A bumblebee bite and its consequences for humans are comparable to a bee sting. Bumblebees are large insects with short, short wings. They are larger than bees, but do not produce much honey. However, they are very important pollinators.Without them, plants will not grow.

Two thirds of the world's crop species are animal dependent. Insects carry pollen between male and female flowers. Many animal pollinators - birds, bats, butterflies - but "there is no doubt that bees are the most important in most ecosystems."

Of other animal pollination, bumblebees are especially good. Their wings beat 130 or more times per second. Pollination helps plants produce more fruits.

There are more than 255 species of bumblebees, according to the Integrated Taxonomy Information System (ITIS). They can be of different sizes. The largest of these is Bombus dahlbomii, which can grow up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) long. This is three to four times more than ordinary bumblebee.

Flight features

It is often said that bumblebees violate the laws of aerodynamics and should not fly. However, a recent study solved the riddle, and showed how tiny wings keep bees in the air.

A 2005 study by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences used high-speed photography to show that bumblebees flap their wings back and forth, not up and down.

These mini-hurricanes have lower pressures than the surrounding air, so keeping these air turbulences above the wings helps them stay in the air.

With so many species, it is not surprising that they are found all over the world. The largest bumblebee is in Argentina and Chile.

Insects, as a rule, build their nests close to the ground - under a pile of wood, fallen leaves, in compost heaps - or even underground, in abandoned burrows of rodents.

Habits

Bumblebees are one of the most social creatures of the animal kingdom. The group is called a colony. Colonies can range from 50 to 500 individuals, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Bumblebees eat nectar and pollen of flowers. Luscious nectar provides them with energy, pollen provides them with protein. They make honey by chewing pollen, mixing it with saliva.

Breeding

The queen is the mother of all bees in the colony. After awakening from hibernation, the queen finds food, looking for a good place for a nest. After the nest is located, it lays eggs and stores them.

The queen sits on eggs, warming them, for about two weeks. When calves hatch from eggs, the uterus feeds them with pollen, and the calves are called larvae. For two weeks, the larvae form cocoons around themselves, remain there until they develop into adults.

Insects born at the end of the summer are males called drones and the Queen's future bees. Both leave the nest as soon as they mature. Males from other nests mate with future queens, and then die. After mating, future uterus feed themselves and hibernate.

Compared to wasps, bumblebees are quite gentle and obedient. They are not inclined to sting, if their nests are not disturbed, spend their days flying from flower to flower, collecting pollen. They live in underground nests, die when autumn comes.

Conservation status

Many bumblebees are listed in the Red Book, disappear or are under threat.

There are many opinions as to why the overall population of bees and bumblebees is declining.Some scientists believe that maybe the disease kills them.

Others believe that environmental pollution, global warming or the lack of native flowers may be to blame.

Other facts:

• Bumblebees more than honey bees emit more heat. This allows them to work in cooler weather.
• Bumblebees do not die when they sting. This property is characteristic of honey bees.
• They are covered with a “film”, which makes them waterproof.
• The queen trembles to keep warm and keep the egg warm.

Dangerous insects: bumblebee bites or not?

Everyone knows that the bees bite. But not everyone knows whether a bumblebee bites or not and whether its bite is dangerous to humans. This insect can sting if provoked.

About bumblebees and bumblebee venom

A bumblebee is a sitting-bellied insect from the bee family. There are about 300 types of these insects on the planet. They are not afraid of the cold and can quickly warm their bodies up to 40 ° C, which gives them the opportunity to start collecting nectar first in the morning, when it is still cool and the bees are inactive.

Bumblebees have a yellow-black color, often striped. There are insects with orange or red stripes, and there are individuals just black.

A bumblebee sting is notched and rarely remains in the victim's body, which is different from a bee sting.

Inside, the bumblebee sting is hollow, like a needle in a syringe. Through it, during a bite, an insect lets in a microscopic portion of the poison, causing pain, overthrow and irritation.

Bumblebee poison is a protein mixture, which is why an insect bite causes an allergic reaction in many people. Serotonin is present in bumblebee venom, which lowers blood pressure, and as a result, shock can occur.

Usually, an allergic reaction makes itself felt in the first half hour after the bite and is accompanied by itching, redness and swelling of the whole body, vomiting, nausea or diarrhea, signs of suffocation can appear.

Later, fever, cramps, chills, joint pain, fainting can add to the above symptoms. With such symptoms, immediate hospitalization is required, otherwise the consequences may be unpredictable.

A great danger is the simultaneous bites of a large number of insects. A toxic reaction may develop, provoking complications in the work of the heart and central nervous system.

They have the possibility of an allergic reaction to insect bites increases many times.

Apply ice to the bite site - this will slow down the spread of poison throughout the body

Recommendations for stings of stinging insects

If the sting is left in the body, you need to pull it out with processed tweezers. Do not try to squeeze it with your fingers so as not to infect the victim.
The wound immediately needs to be treated with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, vinegar or put cotton wool soaked in one of the listed funds.

A piece of ice or a cold compress should be applied to the bite site, especially if it is the eye area or other sensitive area. Cold will relieve swelling, reduce pain and slow down the absorption of poison. To remove the poison, you need to attach a piece of sugar moistened with water to the damaged area.

Drink the victim a large amount of liquid, mainly hot tea with sugar.If the patient does not feel better, symptoms of an allergic reaction appear, then a doctor should be called immediately.

Home treatment

In most cases, a bumblebee bite is safely treated at home. For example, you can put a fresh leaf of plantain or parsley to an injured place and replace it with a new one every 2 hours.

To the damaged area, you can attach chopped onion, apple, raw potato or crumble 2 cloves of garlic, mix with honey and attach this mixture to a bite. The dressing needs to be changed twice a day.

You can also dilute baking soda with water until liquid forms and apply to the affected area or prepare a solution of soda (1 tsp per glass of water), moisten cotton wool in it and apply for a quarter of an hour.

Grind activated carbon, add water until gruel forms, put in place of the bite and cover with a film to avoid quick drying.

If there is no activated carbon, attach a validol moistened with water to the damaged area. You can also use medications, for example, Fenistil gel, which successfully removes irritation.

Often people involuntarily provoke insects, starting to wave their hands, trying to drive them away. Such behavior, as well as the smell of perfumes, alcohol, fried meat only attract and make bumblebees nervous.

When should I go to the hospital?

1. If bitten simultaneously by several bumblebees or bees.
2. When a child or an elderly person is injured.
3. If the bite has occurred in the eyeball or the mucous membrane of the mouth.
4. When previous insect bites caused an allergic reaction.
5. There are symptoms of infection: severe chills, swelling, pain, the bite becomes purulent.

When a bumblebee bites, it is less painful than a bee or wasp sting because its poison is not as dangerous as bee or hornet. In addition, a wasp can bite several times.

Although bumblebees bite, you do not need to destroy them, because they pollinate plants well, and their honey contains protein, sucrose, a lot of minerals and is very useful.

Bumblebee bite - what to do if it bites and the consequences of this

Bumblebee belongs to the family of Hymenoptera insects and is considered quite peaceful by their representative. By himself, he does not sting anyone, but can only do this for the purpose of self-defense.

They do not leave a sting during bites, because there are no nicks on it. But the sting itself just does not cause pain.

The pain is due to the poison that the insect injects when bitten. This poison causes the appearance of painful sensations. In addition, he is able to provoke the appearance of an acute allergic reaction, so you need to know how to provide first aid for an insect bite.

What is dangerous bumblebee bite

There are many varieties of these insects and they differ mainly in appearance. The following types can be distinguished:

1. Purple bumblebee carpenter. An insect that has a black body and a blue-black head. Its wings are a dark purple hue. As a rule, they are not aggressive, but if provoked they can sting painfully. Sting mostly female.
2. Stone bumblebee - got its name because of the special preferences for nesting. He does it between the stones. It has a dark color, but the segment below the abdomen is scarlet.
3. Earth bumblebee - named so because its nesting place is in the ground.This species has a black color with yellow hairs located on the front of the chest. A white fluff covers the abdomen. The female of this species is much larger than the male and she has a sting that can be used in defense.
4. Garden bumblebee. In this specimen, the abdomen in front and back has a yellow tint, and the bridge between the wings consists of black hairs. They can make nests in hollows or in hollows of the soil.

It should be noted that usually insect females sting people, but they do this only in extreme cases and for self-defense, if they feel a threat to them.

Bumblebee bites are especially dangerous for women who are carrying a baby, as well as when breastfeeding. In addition, bumblebee bites can be dangerous for young children, because they are most prone to allergic reactions due to a fragile immune system.

It is very dangerous if the bite is in places such as the nose, eyes or mouth, because getting poison on the mucous membranes can cause severe swelling, disrupting their proper functioning. These consequences are very dangerous, unlike those when a bumblebee bites by the finger. If a bumblebee bites a finger it will be more unpleasant than dangerous.

What symptoms appear

When a bumblebee bites, it’s not very nice. However, one plus is that the insect does not leave a sting in the place where it stung. But, despite this, the local reaction to this is not long in coming.

Usually it manifests itself: painful sensations, in the place where the insect bit; incessant itching and burning; the appearance of a lump-shaped seal and swelling of the tissues.

Allergic reactions occur quite rarely, especially with the first bumblebee bite. At the initial bite, antibodies to the insect venom are not yet present in the human body.

However, it happens that a person has an individual intolerance, and in this case an allergic reaction can occur immediately.

Then the following symptoms may be noted:

In quite rare cases, anaphylactic shock can occur, in which dizziness may appear, a person may faint, convulsions may occur. In this condition, a person needs the prompt help of doctors, that is, you should immediately call an ambulance or deliver the victim to the nearest hospital.

How to provide first aid at home

If an allergic reaction does not occur with a bumblebee bite, then it is possible to help the victim to remove symptoms at home. To do this, you need to perform a few simple steps:

• If a sting is still left from the bumblebee, then it must be carefully pulled out. It is better to do this with tweezers, which must first be disinfected. After this, the bite site should also be treated.
• To the damaged area you need to briefly put a cotton wool moistened with an antiseptic, which is suitable as an alcohol solution, hydrogen peroxide, or Miramistin.
• Then, a cold compress should be applied to the bite site, which will help relieve swelling and is suitable as an anesthetic.
• To prevent the occurrence of an allergic reaction, an antihistamine should be given to the victim. It can be Zodak, Fenistil, Suprastin or other means. To do this is better in any case, and even if a person does not have a predisposition to an allergic reaction.
• And you also need a plentiful drink. You can drink water and sweet tea. Drinking plenty of fluids will help alleviate the condition of the body if a bumblebee bites.

If a person becomes worse, do not delay the call of a doctor.
In addition, it should be noted that when insect bites, it is necessary to refrain from combing this place, because this can only aggravate the situation.

In addition, during this period you should not drink alcohol and take a hot bath, because it helps to dilate blood vessels and, accordingly, promotes the spread of toxin. And also remember that if you feel unwell, you should definitely see a doctor. Here's what you should know if someone is bitten by an insect. And bite it, maybe only for self-defense.