Have you ever been swarmed by bees? It’s not a nice situation to be in! If you don’t act fast, you may get several stings. The results can be deadly; bee stings are known to be harmful to the kidney.
Human’s first instinct in these cases is running, getting yourself out there will be your brain’s priority. However, is that the right thing to do?
Here Are the Reasons Bees Chase You
Bees are mainly attracted to sugars, scents, and patterns. Their smelling is their primary sense, that’s why scents irritate them. There’s a couple of reasons why bees chase you. Check them out so you can steer clear!
Sugars
Most kinds of bees feed on flowers’ nectar, which is sugary. That’s why other sugary foods attract them. When you’re out on a picnic, try to keep the sugary drinks and fruits away, it can cause bees to visit you!
Scents
A lot of scents irritate bees and trigger them to sting you. Besides sugary ones, these scents include sunscreen, lotions, perfumes, skincare products, and hair products. Try not to use these things outdoors unless there aren’t any bees around.
Colors & Patterns
Unlike other insects, bees can see a wide range of colors. Their sight can detect color ranges from ultraviolet to orange. Furthermore, they get attracted to geometric patterns, which explains the structure of their hives!
These kinds of patterns can trigger them, so try to avoid them while going near beehives. However, bees can’t see the red color, so wear all the red you want!
Flowers
It’s a no-brainer that bees get attracted to flowers. Disturbing flowers can cause bees to attack you, protecting their food source. Even if you can’t see any bees around, they can start a surprise attack. Moreover, bees feel vulnerable when they’re eating; they get ready to sting on the spot.
We know it can be tempting to move flowers around while having a walk in the park, but try to avoid it!
Beehive Threats
Stay away from beehives; don’t try to approach it in any way. It’s the bees’ kingdom, they’ll do anything to protect it.
Bees interpret any approach to their hive as a threat. They’ll get ready to attack you in no time. Sometimes you won’t know if you’re near a beehive or not. It happens a lot to hikers and campers.
Furthermore, it may happen if you’re not aware of a beehive near your house. Most times, you’ll not realize you’re near one until it’s too late. Try to avoid getting yourself in this situation because the whole hive will come for you!
Here’s the Reason You Shouldn’t Run Away
Why can’t you run away from a swarm of bees? It’s a dangerous situation, you could get caught in the middle of hundreds of angry bees. More importantly, what should you do if you can’t run?
The reason why you can’t run away from bees or wasps is that you won’t be able to get away from them. You’ll just get yourself stung more. Running is a sudden movement, and bees don’t act well when they’re startled. They’ll convey your sudden speed as a threat, and they won’t stop chasing you.
The right thing to do is back away in slow steps, without flailing your arms around or swatting the bees.
If you can’t help but run, you should cover your nose and mouth with any kind of cloth. Do it with your shirt if needed. The Carbon Dioxide you release attracts the bees, so covering its outlet will help get you out with minimum damage.
5 Things to Avoid When Bees Swarm You
Besides running, there are several other things that you should avoid doing in front of angry bees. Knowing about them can save you from deadly results.
As they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Sudden Movements
Bees only sting humans when feeling threats towards their nest. So while you think moving quickly is your way out, it’ll lead to more stings. You shouldn’t jump, jerk away, run, scream, or make any sudden movements.
The right thing to do is move away from the bee in slow movements. Once it realizes you’re not there to hurt it, it’ll leave you alone.
Swatting
Whether it’s a bee or a wasp or another dangerous insect attacking you, swatting at it is the wrong thing to do. Although it’s a human instinct that you can’t help, it can provoke your attacker even further.
Bees will retaliate against your sudden arm movements by stinging you, you don’t want that to happen. Additionally, if it’s a wasp attacking you, you should take care that it can sting you repeatedly, unlike the bee, which injects its stinger into your flesh and then dies.
Jumping in Water
You may see it happen in a lot of movies and comics, but surprisingly, it’s the wrong thing to do!
People usually go for jumping in the water when swarmed by large numbers of bees. You shouldn’t go for this unless you plan to stay underwater for a ridiculously long time. Bees chase their threats for up to half a mile; they’ll wait for you by the water until you reappear.
Throwing Objects
A lot of people resort to throwing any random object at the bee to keep it away. Throwing objects is among the sudden movements that can startle the bees.
Throwing an item at a bee nest can cause a catastrophe! Instead of one angry bee, you’ll have hundreds of bees coming towards you. Avoid this if you want to get out unscathed.
Killing the Bee
Killing the bee that’s attacking you will get you in trouble. Dead bees give off an alarming scent so that their hive-mates will rush to the area. Their scent can stay in the air for up to 12 hours.
If you’re away from the hive, you can kill the bee and run away. However, if the hive is nearby, don’t do it.
To Wrap Up
Bee stings are not fun! If you have a relative or a sibling who has been stung before, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You’ll want to avoid getting stung at any cost!
The first step is to stop for a second and think; don’t act on impulse, and don’t irritate the bees!