The fat bumblebee, which seems so cozy to us, is one of the wild bees. As such, it is on the move very early in the year and is responsible for pollinating numerous plants - for example fruit trees. The buzzing insect only bites when it feels threatened. Read which measures help against a bumblebee sting.
What helps with a bumblebee sting?
A bumblebee sting is usually harmless and does not require medical treatment. Cooling the injection site, clean tap water, and anti-inflammatory ointments help reduce pain and swelling. If you experience allergic reactions or stings in the mouth or throat area, you should seek medical attention immediately.
First aid for a bumblebee sting
If no allergic reaction occurs, a visit to the doctor is not necessary. Instead, you can relieve pain and discomfort yourself using simple remedies. It is particularly important to cool the area with cold compresses or hold it under cold running water. Alternatively, you can soak a washcloth in cool water, wring it out lightly and place it on the painful area.
However, make sure to use clean tap water or, if necessary, water from a drinking bottle you have brought with you (e.g. mineral water, sparkling water or any additives) as well as clean materials. If dirt gets into the wound, it can become infected and lead to further complications. You can later treat the swelling with special ointments available at the pharmacy, such as Fenistil or Azaron. Try not to scratch the itchy area if possible! This also increases the likelihood of additional infection and subsequent inflammation.
May I introduce, a bumblebee sting. It is very unlikely to be stung by a female bumblebee. Male bumblebees cannot sting because they do not have a stinger. The bumblebee just got lost in my child's sweater and couldn't find the exit. This is the result. Since bumblebees release less poison than bees and wasps, the tears dried quickly. I would be interested in the following. Who among you didn't know that bumblebees can sting?
A post shared by Ironia Ernst (@ironia_ernst) on May 25, 2019 at 8:07am PDT
When should you see a doctor if you have a bumblebee sting?
Even if a bumblebee sting is generally harmless, you should consult a doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms:
- Sting in the mouth, throat or neck: With a bit of bad luck, this can lead to a respiratory blockage if the puncture site swells very much and thus closes the airways.
- Allergic reaction: Anaphylactic shock is very rare but fatal. It is therefore urgently necessary to act quickly if there are signs of an allergic reaction!
- Numerous bumblebee stings at once: The same applies if you were stung by many bumblebees at once. In this case, the amount of poison can cause a toxic reaction - i.e. poisoning - which also requires treatment. But don't worry: Bumblebee stings are only potentially fatal if you are stung by 100 or more bumblebees at the same time.
- Unconsciousness: If the person bitten is unconscious or shows other signs of shock, medical treatment is also urgently necessary.
How do I recognize an allergic reaction?
As a rule, an allergic reaction after a bumblebee sting occurs very rarely, and the affected person must have already been stung by a bumblebee before. The prerequisite for an allergic reaction is the presence of antibodies that have arisen as a result of previous contact.
Allergic reactions appear very quickly and are noticeable within a few seconds to 30 minutes after the bumblebee sting. They are divided into four different levels of severity, all of which require medical treatment:
| Severity | Symptoms | Measures / Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Itching, swelling and redness of the skin up to hives all over the body | medical supervision (e.g. by a family doctor) is advisable, as symptoms can increase in intensity |
| Grade 2 | Symptoms of grade 1 plus gastrointestinal complaints (nausea, vomiting) | Family doctor or hospital, administration of antihistamines |
| Grade 3 | Symptoms from 1 and 2 plus shortness of breath and fear of suffocation | Hospital, emergency room |
| Grade 4 | Rapid heartbeat, dizziness, loss of consciousness, profuse sweating, shivering (=signs of anaphylactic shock) | Call an emergency doctor immediately! |
Every year at least 20 people in Germany die as a result of anaphylactic shock after a bee, wasp or bumblebee sting.
Which home remedies help against a bumblebee sting?
Disinfect and cool onions on the bumblebee sting
Our grandparents liked to treat insect bites with home remedies like these:
- place freshly cut lemon slice on the puncture site
- or freshly cut onion slices / one halved onion
- alternatively, drizzle freshly squeezed lemon juice over it
- Freshly grated horseradish is also often recommended
Although these remedies also have a certain effect, they can also cause problems. It is primarily due to poor hygiene when the bumblebee sting becomes infected - for example because the onion placed on the area has transferred pathogens into the wound.
So it's better to avoid grandma's home remedies, but especially the hot spoon! This should be pressed firmly onto the affected area and thus destroy the toxins. Unfortunately, the heat also destroys surrounding he althy tissue and causes additional pain.
It is better to mix two tablespoons of acetic clay (€5.00 on Amazon) with 250 milliliters of water and apply to the puncture site - but only as long as it is not scratched!
How do I treat a bumblebee sting on my pet
No matter whether you, your child, your dog or your cat were stung by a bumblebee: the treatment recommendations in this case are the same for all living beings. The bumblebee sting is by no means fatal for your pet, but you can still be on the safe side and consult a veterinarian.
Can bumblebees actually sting?
Basically, bumblebees are very peaceful animals and only rarely sting - and only after they have clearly warned their attacker. You can recognize these warning signs if you watch the bumblebee closely:
Raising the middle leg: If the bumblebee lifts its middle leg, this is a clear warning sign and should not be interpreted as “waving” as in this video:
winkende Hummel
Opening the abdomen in the opposite direction: If, on the other hand, the bumblebee turns on its back and extends its rear end including its stinger towards you, you'd better run away quickly. This bumblebee is about to sting and should not be irritated any further!
When do bumblebees sting?
Like all stinging insects, bumblebees use their stingers to ward off enemies or threats. Although the peaceful animals do not sting immediately, they react to threatening stimuli such as:
- Bumblebee is harassed
- held
- confined
- the exit hole from the nest blocked
- the nest is opened
So please don't make fun of poking around in the bumblebee's nest with a stick or picking up a small bumblebee for a close-up look. Be sure to make this clear to your children if you do not want them to be stung.
Correct behavior for bumblebees
Bumblebees should not be bothered
You can avoid a bumblebee sting by simply avoiding conflict situations with the animals or behaving correctly in such situations. Precisely because bumblebees are so peaceful, a sting does not necessarily have to occur: the animals only sting when they see no other way out and even announce their intention. Don't be afraid if such an insect ever lands on you: it will probably mistake you for a colorful flower and, after realizing its mistake, quickly fly away again.
How to behave correctly when dealing with a bumblebee:
- stay calm, no hectic or fast movements
- don't hit the bumblebee
- don't blow on
- don't poke with your finger
- Do not block trajectory
- just ward off gently
- don't scream, don't run
For further prevention, you can also protect your house or apartment with close-meshed insect screens, then other insects - such as mosquitoes or wasps - have no chance of getting in.
Tip
Bumblebees sometimes react aggressively to intense smells - for example perfume, aftershave or alcohol. Therefore, avoid an intrusive smell when you want to work in the garden. You should also not wear blue - especially light blue - clothing, as the color is also attractive to bumblebees.
Do male bumblebees also have a stinger?
Only the queen and the workers have a functioning stinger. However, the male animals - called drones - do not have this ability to defend themselves. But even if drones cannot sting, they still imitate the defensive behavior of female bumblebees: they also threaten, even if they cannot carry out their threat. But the enemy usually doesn't know this because he would have to be able to distinguish between female and male animals. So always err on the side of caution!
Bumblebee sting vs. bee sting – Is a bumblebee sting bad?
Of course, a bumblebee bite hurts significantly more than a mosquito bite. Nevertheless, a bee sting is significantly more painful because the stingers of these animals have barbs - and so the stinger and the stinging device get stuck in the victim's skin. Bumblebee stingers, on the other hand, have no barbs; instead, the insect pulls out its stinging apparatus. That's why the sting is only brief - and much less poison enters the body. In short: Unless complications occur (such as an allergic reaction or inflammation of the puncture site), a bumblebee sting is completely harmless.
What does a bumblebee stitch look like?
You can feel a bumblebee sting immediately because the pain starts immediately. The injection site burns and often feels hot. After a while - it could be a few minutes, but also a few hours - the burning subsides, but now it starts to itch. Typically, these symptoms also occur with a bumblebee sting:
- Skin around the injection site swells
- turns red
- Injection site itself can be seen as a red dot with a white area
- swollen area of skin up to ten centimeters in diameter in most people
- Swelling disappears after about 24 hours
After about a week, all symptoms should subside. In some people, the swelling can be significantly larger and go away more slowly. An allergy does not always have to be present. A bumblebee venom allergy is very rare: Only around three percent of people react so strongly to a bumblebee sting that it is life-threatening.
Excursus
Bumblebee, wasp or bee?
Basically, there are no major differences between the reactions to a bumblebee, wasp or bee sting; instead, the symptoms and the appearance of the affected area are quite similar. The only differences are that the stinger and stinging apparatus must be removed immediately after a bee sting, and the swelling after a bee or wasp sting is often very severe. On the one hand, this is due to the amount of poison injected and also to the frequency: wasps often sting not just once, but several times in a row.
The following video clearly shows the differences between the most common insect bites and also gives tips for sensible treatment:
How long does the pain last?
The pain should subside after just a few minutes. Instead, the puncture site now starts to itch. Itching may last up to a week while symptoms gradually resolve.
Excursus
Useful bumblebees
The different species of bumblebees are closely related to the honey bee and, like them, are also colony-forming insects. However, such a colony of bumblebees does not survive the winter because the cute animals only enjoy their lives for a few weeks. Nevertheless, the hard-working flying artists are incredibly important for our garden, because without them we wouldn't be able to harvest apples or cherries. In contrast to the bee, the bumblebee also flies at temperatures significantly below 15 degrees Celsius - it is protected from the cold by its thick fur.
So it's no wonder that hobby gardeners should make the buzzing insects comfortable in the garden, for example by hanging up nesting boxes for bumblebees or clearing out a few spots in a conveniently placed insect hotel. If possible, both should only be installed where humans and bumblebees do not get in each other's way too often.
Frequently asked questions
Can bumblebees bite?
In fact, bumblebees can also bite, for example to gain and carry away moss or other nesting material. The animal will probably also make use of this option if it is caught in clothing or hair and wants to free itself from it. However, the mouthparts are not used for defense, only the stinger.
I am allergic to bee venom. Are bumblebees dangerous for me too?
People allergic to bee venom must also beware of a bumblebee sting, as the composition of the venoms of both species is very similar. For this reason, bee venom is basically no more dangerous than bumblebee venom, although a bee releases a significantly higher amount. The neurotoxin apamin is effective in both types. By the way, wasp venom has a different chemical composition.
Is it true that aspirin helps against a bumblebee sting?
In fact, aspirin or ibuprufen are very good remedies for inflammation that may occur as a result of a bumblebee sting. Both are anti-inflammatory medications that you can take prophylactically – unless there are other reasons against it. However, neither remedy helps against the bumblebee sting itself.
Is a bumblebee sting more dangerous during pregnancy or with a small child?
Basically, a bumblebee sting is no more dangerous for a small child or a pregnant woman than for any other person - unless one of the complications described above (fever, allergic reaction, sting in the neck or throat, etc.) occurs. However, allergic reactions are more common in pregnant women than in the non-pregnant population, so special caution is required.
Can blood poisoning occur after a bumblebee sting?
If the bumblebee sting becomes infected, blood poisoning can actually occur as a result. Although this complication is very rare, it is fatal if action is not taken quickly enough. Blood poisoning is often manifested by a high fever, although not always. Instead, very young or very old people in particular tend to have a low temperature, in which the body temperature drops to below 36 degrees Celsius.
Tip
So-called sting healers are available in pharmacies, which treat insect bites thermally and work quite well. There are different versions for adults and children.
