It’s warm weather season! All kinds of bugs come out of the woodwork, including bees.
Bees are amazing creatures and important for naturally pollinating our crops. Some pollen sticks onto their bodies when bees pollinate a flower and fly off. As the bee flies from flower to flower, fertilization occurs, and plants thrive, reproduce, and give other wildlife a food source while carrying to produce their own.
Bees and wasps can make their nests anywhere.
It’s a pain to get stung. I did two summers ago. Wasps buried their nest underneath one of my parent’s bushes near the front walk, and I got stung in the chest.
It is scary that the nest could be anywhere you don’t expect them to be. So, while you are gardening or relaxing on your porch, make sure that you look under trees, roof eaves, equipment, pool decks, etc.
What can you do to avoid being stung by bees while outside gardening?
When you see a bee, do your best to avoid being stung, especially if you are allergic. Here are some ways to do that.
According to the CDC, you should do these things to avoid bees:
- First, wear pale colors as much when outside.
- Bees believe that you are a flower if you wear vibrant colors outdoors
- Beekeepers wear white suits because they will not get stung as much with light-colored clothes.
- Avoid using scented soaps, shampoos, and deodorants.
- Make sure to shower/bathe every day.
- According to the CDC, when you sweat, bees sting you. Sweat angers bees.
- If you know that you will be around many flowering plants or gardening, wear clothing that will cover your body as much as possible. Also, ensure it is sweat-resistant, if possible. I know it’s tough not to sweat while outside in the heat tending to your garden.
- Working outside in your gardens, keep the food waste to a minimum.
- It also applies if you have a compost pile that is not a bin. Wasps like to hide underneath those as well near discarded food. So, please be careful when you are around garbage and food waste.
- If you are allergic to bees, ensure to have your EpiPen with you at all times, just in case something does happen. It’s always good you are prepared for anything.
- If it is a severe allergy, wear a medical identification bracelet or necklace for the EMTs to care for you as fast as possible.
- Have you ever had a bee fly into your car? Trust me. It happens more times than I like. I joke that they think I’m too sweet and want to ride with me.
- If a bee comes into your car and you drive, slowly pull over to the side of the road and open all the windows. You want to make sure that the bee has a way to escape from your car.
What can you do if you get a bee sting?
- Do your best to stay calm. From experience, you will get irked and frustrated, maybe even scared.
- When you swat at an individual wasp or bee, it may sting you again.
- Got stung by multiple bees, what do you do? When bees sting, it releases a cocktail of chemicals (Melittin, histamine, and other proteins), according to Bee Culture, the magazine for American beekeeping.
- When getting stung, all I have to tell you is to: Run away! Get to a safe place away from the bees.
- Go indoors and take cover.
- Get into a shaded area to hide from them.
- What not to do: Jump into the pool or other bodies of water. Bees are known to hover over the water and continue to sting you.
Applying First Aid to a Bee Sting
- Do not know if you are allergic, have someone watch over you for a bit to make sure you don’t react to the sting.
- Clean the area with soap and water.
- If you see a stinger in your skin, use your finger or a piece of gauze to wipe the area.
- Apply ice for reduction of swelling
- Put a bandage over the wound.
- It will help not to scratch the site, and you won’t risk any infection.
Wrapping it up
Remember: Bees are friends, not foes!
Please ensure you are careful around them if you see them pollinating near where you are weeding or hanging out on your front porch.
Key things to remember when you do have a bad interaction with bees: know first aid, have an epi-pen (for allergies if applicable), get to a safe place where bees can’t continue to sting you, and the #1 thing is to make sure you do your best to stay calm in the situation.
However, if the situation is that bees have made a home somewhere dangerous to your family, call your local exterminator.
Happy Gardening, Green Thumbs lovelies!
