Many of us have heard that bumblebees can sting many times, but has anyone wondered why this is? The bumblebee sting has no notches, therefore it does not remain in the body of the victim, which gives the insect the opportunity to re-attack. Perhaps this is the biggest threat with bumblebee bites, because multiple injections can bring more serious consequences.

Varieties of bumblebees for toxicity

More than 300 species of these hymenopteran insects are known, and they are distributed throughout the globe. The exceptions are most regions of Africa and Australia. Bumblebees do not bite if they are "not touched", they are peace-loving insects, but their poison is more toxic than bee venom.

Did you know? Not all bumblebees sting - only females inflict bites, since males have no sting.

The strength of the action of the poison on the human body largely depends on the type of insect:

1. An ordinary bumblebee has a black body on which two yellow stripes are located. It nests in the ground and is a very rare member of the insect family, found only in western Europe and is a protected species.
   

2. Forest . The smallest representative of the insect family under discussion. It also has a less bright color, compared with other species of bumblebees. Their nests of moss and grass are found on the surface of the earth. Also, representatives of this type of insect populate the abandoned burrow of rodents.
   

3. Purple bumblebee carpenter, a bright insect, has a beautiful blue-black color and indigo wings. But to bumblebees, he refers only to his names, which is given for external resemblance. In fact - this is a bee, their nests can be found in dry wood.
   

4. Garden, a very large representative of this family of insects. The length of the female is about 25 mm. The coloring is bright and expressive, consists of three colors - black, yellow and white. For nesting takes abandoned mouse holes.
   

5. The bumblebee has a yellow stripe on the chest and a white tail. Bumblebee females reach a length of 19–23 mm.
   

Bite symptoms

In most cases, as a consequence of a bumblebee bite, a person has only a slight local reaction.

So, a person who has been bitten by an insect can observe in his bite:

• redness;
• swelling;
• burning;
• itching

Did you know? Ground bumblebee is very useful in agriculture. It pollinates crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplant. That is why, in the twentieth century, a technique for industrial breeding of this type of insect was developed and successfully implemented. Although these symptoms are unpleasant, they do not pose a threat to health and pass on their own after a few days. Also, in more delicate areas of the skin (for example, the eyelid), the local reaction may be more pronounced and last longer. But a bite in the mouth or neck already poses a threat to human life, as it can cause suffocation due to swelling of the larynx and airway spasm.

Also, there are times when a bite causes a very strong allergic reaction. This is due to the fact that in some people the body begins to produce antibodies of immunoglobulin E, which are aimed at the destruction of albumin structures (part of the bumblebee venom). The presence of antibodies will show a blood test.

As a result of an allergic reaction, urticaria, itching, swelling of the face and neck occur. The victim can also observe:

• vomiting
• intestinal upset;
• diarrhea.

Important! An allergic reaction to the first bite often does not occur (but there are exceptions), because the body has not yet developed antibodies. But with subsequent bites, it is worthwhile to be more careful and attentive, because antibodies accumulate and a strong response to the resulting bumblebee venom can follow.

The respiratory system may be affected - larynx irritation, cough (as with a cold), a pressing feeling in the chest and throat. In especially serious cases, an allergic reaction can be loss of consciousness (a symptom of lowering blood pressure), as well as anaphylactic shock.

The response to the bite (redness and swelling) manifests itself during the first 30 minutes. But allergic, it may linger, so it is important to monitor the general health of a person who has suffered from an insect attack during the first day. With each subsequent vinegar, the body's reaction will only intensify and become more and more threatening to human health and life.

What to do if a bumblebee has bitten?

After a bumblebee bite, you need to calm down - panic in this situation will not help. Then you can begin to provide first aid, it is worth starting with an examination of the affected area for a sting. Bumblebees do not leave a sting in the human body, but there are times when it breaks off. In this case, it must be removed with disinfected tweezers, but in no case squeezed out.

First aid

All first aid measures are aimed at alleviating the physical condition of the victim, as well as at preventing the occurrence of an allergic reaction.

Important! If the affected area is the area of ​​the mouth or throat, the patient must be hospitalized immediately, since there is a high likelihood of suffocation.

After removing the sting from the wound, you can proceed to the following actions:

1. To disinfect the bite site, for this, in addition to medical alcohol, you can also use vinegar, a weak solution of manganese or ammonia diluted with water.
2. Then you need to apply a cold compress, using, for example, a heating pad with cold water or ice wrapped in tissue - this will reduce pain and swelling.
3. The use of antihistamines is also recommended. For example, Claritin, Zirtek, Suprastin, Tavegil. These drugs will help to slightly reduce a possible violent allergic reaction.

After receiving first aid, you need to contact a family doctor who will give recommendations on further actions.

Further treatment

To transfer the insect bite more painlessly, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• heavy drinking to reduce toxic reactions;
• peace - a bite can provoke dizziness and headache;
• local anesthesia.

In place of the bite, you can apply ointment or gel, for example, "Rescuer", "Diprospan." In case of too violent reaction, antihistamines may not be able to cope, in this case, the use of "Dexamethasone" or "Diphenhydramine" is necessary. If there is a threat of a serious allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock, it is necessary to use adrenaline and be sure to seek help at the clinic.

We advise you to read what to do with a bee sting.

Preventive measures

To avoid bumblebee bites, just do not disturb the insect. Nevertheless, if a person is prone to allergies, and especially if it is known that there is an allergy to bumblebee bites, you must follow these rules:

• Do not go into greenhouses;
• Be especially careful around the hives;
• antihistamines should always be at hand;
• it is advisable to know the address of the nearest hospital where you can turn for help in case of a health threat;
• for people with an acute manifestation of an allergic reaction, it is recommended that you always have an adrenaline injection with you.

Cases of bumblebee bites are quite rare. But still, you should be careful, especially people with violent allergic manifestations of insect bites

Also, for allergy sufferers, in order to avoid repeated attacks of an acute reaction, it is advised to undergo a course of desensitization treatment, during which the body adapts to the poison. This treatment should be carried out only in specialized centers. You can find out about clinics involved in such treatment at the family doctor.

Why is a bumblebee bite dangerous?

Most people can easily tolerate the effects of a bite, of the symptoms observing only redness and swelling. But in 1% of cases and, most often, only with repeated contact with bumblebee venom, a serious allergic reaction can develop, which can even lead to death.

Read also how dangerous a hornet bite is for a person and how to provide first aid.

There are three types, or stages of such a reaction:

• the spread of redness and swelling throughout the body, itching;
• vomiting and diarrhea;
• aggravation of all previous symptoms, and the onset of suffocation.

If an increase in body temperature, a rapid pulse, cramps, and loss of consciousness join in with all of the listed symptoms, then anaphylactic shock can be expected. In this case, the patient requires emergency specialist care and hospitalization.

Also, especially dangerous consequences of a bumblebee poisoning can be for pregnant women, children and people suffering from any other type of allergy, due to the possible occurrence of a more violent reaction.

In fact, there are not many people stung by a bumblebee, in view of the non-aggressive behavior of the insect, but, of course, they all remember this experience well. A bumblebee bite is somewhat more painful than a bee sting and its consequences can be more unpleasant. Of course, the insect has, one might say, a passive character, but you should not provoke it once again.