How do you avoid and treat bee stings?

Avoiding bee stings should be relatively easy to do, as long as you avoid bees. Honey bees shouldn’t pose any health threats as long as you steer clear of their nests. Some people are allergic to bee venom and these victims may experience a reaction that requires medical attention immediately if the swelling from a sting site moves to other parts of the body and/or the victim shows signs of difficulty breathing, nausea, hives, or dizziness.

Otherwise, when someone is stung by a bee, it’s important to stay calm and walk away from the area where the sting occurred. Some more aggressive bees have been known to chase intruders, when agitated. The next thing to do is calmly and quickly remove the stinger by scraping across it with a fingernail or a piece of gauze. Tweezers aren’t recommended as squeezing the stinger can release more venom into the victim’s skin. Next, wash the sting site with soap and water. Then, apply a cold pack to reduce swelling. Taking over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, can help relieve the pain. Some stings hurt more than others and in most cases, the muscles around the sting can remain sore for several days.

If you feel like you need to have an active beehive removed from your property, contact a professional pest control company that offers bee removal services, such as OrgreenX Pest Control. Our technicians are available to service your home or business in Sarasota County or Manatee County to keep you and your family or employees safe from bees