How bad does a bee sting hurt?

What it feels like to be stung by a bee

Surely you will have received a bee sting at least once. If, on the other hand, something like this has never happened to you and you are wondering what it feels like and how bad a bite of these insects hurts, here is some information for you.

First of all, it should be noted that the intensity of pain is first of all subjective but also depends on other factors such as the amount of poison released by the sting. In fact, the latter is not constituted only by the external and pointed part that we notice when we observe a bee but it is actually a complex organ to which a pocket of poison is connected which is subsequently released when the bee stings.

It is this substance that makes you feel the pain when you receive the attack. Usually the sensation is that of a intense burning followed by itching.

The painful consequences and irritation involve the area around the inoculation site of the sting and can increase in the 24 hours following the sting. Fortunately, in most cases, the disorders tend to disappear within a few days. The situation is different for allergy sufferers who can go into shock.

Why bees sting: here's the explanation

Bees, unlike wasps, are not very likely to sting. They use the sting only in case of defense . Bees consider their sting as a real weapon to protect themselves from predator attacks and use it only when they feel particularly threatened.

In some cases it happens that bees sting humans when they are near the hive. Here their protective instinct leads them to become more aggressive than usual.

A tool used by beekeepers to make bees more docile is the use of pheromones . They are particular olfactory hormones emitted by the queen bee that make bees feel safe and inhibit their aggressive behavior. It is no coincidence that it happens to find many videos on the web in which beekeepers find themselves without protection but are not stung by bees. This happens thanks to the use of the queen's pheromone. Obviously, using professional equipment and protective suit is always recommended for your safety.

What to do in case of a sting

Don't be alarmed in the event of a bee sting. In 90% of cases, the sting causes manageable local inflammation . First, it would be useful to apply ice to stop the spread of the poison and to locally anesthetize the painful symptoms.

Any sting left in the skin should be removed immediately. A small sterile needle is usually used but tweezers are fine as well. If at that moment you do not have these tools available, you can try to remove it with and fingers, always being very careful not to press on the poison bag .

Absolutely avoid sucking the poison out through the oral mucosa. Then applying a cortisone or antihistamine ointment is highly recommended. In cases where the swelling or inflammation extends to other areas in addition to the puncture site, it would be advisable to have a medical opinion regarding the administration of oral cortisone.

On the other hand, in allergy sufferers, the bee sting could be really dangerous. It is for this reason that allergic people usually receive an emergency kit from their doctor with various medications (antihistamine, cortisone and adrenaline) that alleviate the allergic reaction and stabilize circulation in cases of sting.

Using the sting and queen bees

Queen bees, unlike the rest of the female bees in the swarm, use their stingers in a completely different way. Remember that the sting is a purely female organ, so the male bees or the drones of the colony are not equipped with it.

The queen's sting is used for breeding purposes. In fact, the queen bee has a larger and smoother one unlike that of the workers which is slightly curved and serrated. The sting of the queen bee is used to release and then lay eggs inside the cells.

A queen is capable of laying thousands of eggs per day. This operation will be carried out by the sovereign bee throughout its existence until its reproductive rhythm is no longer so efficient. At that point, it will have to leave the hive to be replaced later.

Why do bees die after being stung?

The fact that bees die after stabbing can be described as a "half truth". In fact, it happens that bees lose their lives after stinging a human being. But is this always and absolutely? The answer is no.

By nature, the bee can defend itself without dying. This happens for example towards other small insects. When a bee bites an insect with a rigid exoskeleton, its sting is retracted by the latter and the bee continues to live without problems.

In the case of a sting on humans, however, the situation is very different. Human skin is supple and soft, different from that of insects that the bee is used to sting. It therefore happens that when the bee inserts its sting into our epidermis, then it is no longer able to retract it. 

The sting remains attached to us and when the bee tries to fly away, it detaches and with it also a part of the bee's internal organs.

For this reason, after having stung a human being, the bee dies.

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