Treatment of bumblebee stings and allergies
This information on bumblebee stings provides guidance for reducing the chance of being stung by a bumblebee and about the possible reaction to a sting and treatment. The poster version of Bumblebee stings and allergies can be downloaded here.
Bumblebee, honeybee, and wasp stings
Bumblebees are found in the natural environment in many countries. In addition, bumblebees and honeybees are used as pollinators in agricultural and horticultural crops. There are various subspecies with differing appearances including different colours and patterns. In general, bumblebees are larger than honeybees, and hairier than wasps.
Only bumblebee workers and queens have a stinger, as is the case with honeybees and wasps. Drones cannot sting. The stinger is a weapon for defence. When a bee stings, some venom is injected into the body through the stinger. In humans, this generates a short severe pain that then fades away. Occasionally (in approximately 1% of cases), an allergic reaction against the injected venom develops.
The response to a bumblebee sting can differ per incident.
The stinger of a bumblebee or a wasp has no barbs. This means that the worker or queen can withdraw her stinger, and is able to sting again. A honeybee’s stinger does have barbs. When a honeybee tries to withdraw its stinger, it tears loose from the abdomen, taking the venom gland with it.
How to prevent bumblebee stings?
Bumblebees rarely sting. The chance of being stung by a bumblebee can be reduced by avoiding provoking them or making them aggressive. First of all, it is important to be calm when working with bumblebees. Do not wave your arms at the bumblebees, bump the hive, touch or hold the bumblebees, etc.
Stung? Reactions and treatments
Usually a bumblebee sting leads to a non-allergic, local reaction: swelling, itchiness and redness at the site of the sting, lasting for only a couple of hours. This can occur directly after the sting, but more generally it starts after some hours. The swelling or itching may last for hours or even days. In some cases, the local reaction may spread somewhat; in this case it usually takes longer for the symptoms to disappear. This still counts as a local, non-allergic reaction.
Treatment of a non-allergic, local reaction
Usually medical treatment is not necessary. Some measures can be taken to minimize the local reaction, in particular if the person was stung in a sensitive location, such as near the eyes. As soon as possible after being stung, the person should take an anti-inflammatory (such as aspirin or ibuprofen). Cold compresses should also be applied to the site. In addition, a number of anti-itch ointments are available (e.g. containing diethyl-m-toluamide).
In the rare case of a sting in the mouth or pharynx, the patient should be taken to hospital immediately, because this can result in blocked airways. At the hospital, the patient will be given corticosteroids (such as prednisone) and will be kept for observation.
Allergic reaction
In about 1% of the population, repeated stings (or in some cases only two or three stings) may lead to an allergic reaction, also called a general allergic reaction, a systemic allergic reaction, or an anaphylactic reaction. Because an allergic reaction involves antibodies formed during a previous exposure to an antigen, it is not possible to have an allergic reaction after the first sting. Allergic reactions usually become evident very soon after the sting (from a few seconds to half an hour after the sting).
Allergic reactions are classified in four levels, in order of increasing severity:
Level 1 - itching, redness and swelling (urticaria, hives) over the whole body
Level 2 - level 1 symptoms plus intestinal problems (vomiting, diarrhoea)
Level 3 - level 1 and/or 2 symptoms plus difficulties in breathing and/or a feeling of suffocating
Level 4 -