Can Bee Sting More Than Once

Can a Bee Sting More than Once?

Every person, at least once in a lifetime, has been stung by a bee. Some people might consider it extremely severe; however, it is not what you might think. Bee stings are not as severe as the snakes.

But first of all, what is a bee? And do all the bees sting? Majority of the people associate bee with an insect with wings that sting. But not all bees are stringers. Only some major types of bees, including honeybees, have the qualities to sting.

Bees are often some kinds of fuzzy insects. Bees feed on flowers and have numerous types throughout the world. The most famous type of bee is the honeybee. Honeybees make their nest in human-made hives and trees. They use wax inside their nests. While all the bees together produce honey that is further used for food. But despite producing something as sweet as honey, honeybees are tough stingers, and getting stung by them hurts bad.

Why Does a Bee Sting?

Why does a bee sting
Honey Bee Sting, Source: Wikipedia

Bees do not sting unless you give them a reason to. They often sting when they are upset. If you tease or try to harm them, you should get ready to get stung by them. So, it is always better to take your precautionary measures, stay aside, and not tease them if you want to save yourself from getting stung.

What Does a Bee Sting Look Like?

If a person gets stung by a bee, the portion often turns red and sometimes even blue and purple that looks like a bruise. You will see a red bump around the area being stung. If something like that happens, then you should see a Dr. and go for proper treatment. Through it might not be extremely hazardous, but it’s always better to play safe.

Bee sting wound
Bee Sting After a Few Minutes; Source: Wikipedia

However, if the sting is from a fire ant type of bee, then the area will be like an itchy blister. So, how the sting looks depends upon the type of bee.

What Does a Bee Sting Feel Like?

When the last time a Dr. gave you an injection? Do you remember how it felt? Getting stung by a bee feels the same. It feels as if someone is putting in an injection. It itches a little bit and feels hot for a while.

Can a Bee Sting More than Once?

The ability of bees to sting more than once depends on the type of stringers they have. Overall, there are more than 20,000 species of bees found worldwide.

In the United States, the majority of stinging insects are bees, yellow jackets, hornets, wasps, and fire ants.

The ability of a bee to sting more than once depends upon the ability of the species.

In the following paragraphs, we have listed some specific types of wasps and bees, stating their ability to sting.

Wasps

Can Wasp Sting More Than Once

Wasps are capable of pulling out their stringers without causing damage or injury to themselves. This unique quality enables the Wasps to sting more than once.

They don’t leave the stinger behind to keep pumping venom into you, wasp stings can still be very painful, which can cause short severe pain and sometimes serious allergic reactions.

Honeybees

Honey Bee in comb

Moreover, worker honey bees are also known for their unique stinging ability. Honeybees are blessed with a special type of hooked stringer, barbed stinger. The hook helps in keeping the stringer inside the victim’s skin even after he is being stung, pushing more bee venom into the skin. Afterward, the stringer tears out of the honeybee’s body, resulting in flying out of the bee. And ultimately, the bee dies. That’s why it is said that bees die after stinging a victim.

Drones

Can Drone Bee Sting?

A drone is a male honey bee. Unlike the female worker bees, drones do not have stingers and gather neither nectar nor pollen. They are unable to feed themselves or emerge from their pupae, requiring workers to do these for them. A drone’s only role is to mate with an unfertilized queen.

So, you shouldn’t be careful of bumblebees.

Bumble Bees

Can Bumble Bee Sting?

Bumblebees are equipped with highly smooth stringers. The smooth stringers enable them to sting multiple times without injuring themselves. That’s why just like wasps, bumblebees are also capable of stinging multiple times. So, you should be careful of bumblebees. It is better not to make them feel threatened; otherwise, you will get some harsh sting that might even start forming bruises.

Carpenter Bees

Can Carpenter Bee Sting more Than Once
Can Carpenter Bee Sting more Than Once

The stringer of the carpenter bee is the same as the bumblebee. It has a highly smooth stringer that sticks well. With this type of stinger, the bee can sting numerous times without being injured. Unlike honeybees, this does not die after a sting. Both the carpenter bee and bumblebee are considered docile bees.

What Happens After a Bee Stings You?

Some people are allergic and have sensitive skin; victims with such skin types must visit a doctor after getting stung by a bee. You should not ignore it in such instances because it might turn out hazardous and even cause a disturbance.

Those with sensitive skin start getting rashes, red patches, and even itching. Some people even get nausea, tight throat, dizziness, or a drop in blood pressure, and even most of the victims also experience difficulty breathing that will turn out to be dangerous and are all signs of anaphylaxis and can indicate that an allergic reaction is occurring.

If something like this happens to you, you should rush and visit a doctor immediately without thinking twice.

In such cases, it is also necessary to call emergency medical services immediately.

The severity of reactions to stings varies greatly.

How to Remove a Bee Sting without Seeing a Doctor?

Yes, you read it right. A honeybee sting can be removed at home, too, without seeing a doctor. The sting is easy to remove. Ask for help from an adult at home because it can’t be done by yourself alone. It is easy. Just pressing the area being stung with higher pressure might be of great help. But remember to do it as quickly as possible without waiting longer.

How to Remove a Bee Sting
Bee Sting; Source: Wikipedia

Afterward, you should be washing the area using hand-wash, soap, and water. You can also apply ice around the area. You will feel relieved, and it might help with itching. You can also take some pain relievers if it feels a bit painful.

In What Instances Going to Doctor Helpful?

If you are getting swelling, redness, itching, or something like that, it is recommended to see a doctor. Doctors often suggest taking some medicines such as antihistamine that controls the symptoms well.

Moreover, as discussed above, seeing a doctor is always recommended for those with allergies and sensitive skins. Doctors mostly give a shot to such patients to control the allergy or skin sensitivity. If the case is a severe reaction, then the doctor might also recommend emergency medicine. It stops the toxic reaction.

If you have a bee sting allergy, immunotherapy medical treatment is something you can also talk to your doctor about.

How to Keep Yourself Safe from Getting Stung?

To keep yourself safe from getting stung, you should always make sure to wear shoes when outside. Most people have the habit of touching or disturbing the hives. If you do so, you are giving an open invitation to the bee to sting you. So, you must avoid it.

Some people often wear sweet perfumes and attractive lotions that also invite bees. It is better not to wear such items when planning to go somewhere with a higher amount of bees. Bees also get attracted to flower pints and bright colors. If you are wearing a dress with bright colors and a flower print, the bee will be more attracted. It is better not to wear such dresses to save yourself from getting stung when planning a trip outdoor on a bright sunny day.

Final Thoughts…

Bee stings can be a bit severe, but it does not mean all the bees need emergency treatment caused by a systemic reaction. Moreover, not all bees are capable of stinging more than once. Therefore, you should always be careful when you see a bee. You may not know what type is it and how powerful is the insect stings. If you are having allergies and sensitive skin, you must be extremely careful because getting stung by a bee might cause trouble for you.

Just follow the minor steps discussed above, and you will be saved and least attracted to the bees of all types.

Scroll to Top