Understanding Bees and Wasps to Avoid Stings and Use Repellents

Understanding Bees, Wasps, and How to Repel Them

Bees and wasps both belong to the insect order Hymenoptera and can deliver painful stings when threatened. Learning how to repel these insects can help prevent uncomfortable bites and reactions.

Key Differences Between Bees and Wasps

While bees and wasps share some common features, there are key differences between the two insects:

• Bees feed exclusively on pollen and nectar while wasps are predators that eat other insects and scavenge for meat.
• Bees have robust, hairy bodies compared to smooth, slender wasps.
• Wasps have narrow waists while bees have more rounded abdomens.
• Bees can generally only sting once since their barbed stingers become lodged in skin, while wasps can sting multiple times.

Types of Bees

Different bee species have unique behaviors and nesting habits, but most fall into one of two categories:

• Social bees - Live together in colonies or hives with designated roles including queens, drones, and workers. Social bees include honey bees, bumblebees, and stingless bees.
• Solitary bees - Live independently and do not form colonies. There are over 250 native solitary bee species in North America including mason bees, leafcutter bees, carpenter bees, and more.

Common Types of Wasps

Some stinging wasps commonly encountered include:

• Yellowjackets - Black and yellow in color and often mistaken for bees. They scavenge for food and build nests in holes or cavities.
• Hornets - Larger than yellowjackets with brown or black bodies and bigger nests made of chewed wood mixed with saliva.
• Paper wasps - Long legs with black, brown, red, or yellow markings. They build umbrella-shaped nests under eaves or balconies.
• Mud daubers - Skinny, spider-like wasps that build mud nest tubes on walls or ceilings where they store paralyzed spiders.

Dangers and Risks from Bee and Wasp Stings

Stings from bees, wasps, hornets, and yellowjackets can be painful, but are typically harmless beyond some minor swelling, redness, and itching. However, there are some risks to be aware of:

Allergic Reactions

While uncommon, around 5% of people have severe bee wasp repellent allergies that can lead to life-threatening anaphylactic shock requiring emergency treatment. Symptoms include swelling, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing, and low blood pressure.

Toxins and Venom Potency

In general, bee venom and wasp venom differ in composition and potency. The majority of fatal insect sting reactions in the U.S. are due to wasps rather than bees since wasp stings can be more toxic.

Infection

If a stinger becomes embedded in the skin, bacteria can enter around the wound leading to infection. Signs include increasing pain, swelling, redness and pus around the sting after a few days.

Mass Attacks

Disturbing a nest or hive can provoke a defensive swarm leading to multiple stings. Getting stung over 10 times requires urgent medical care as the increased venom dose becomes dangerous.

Preventing and Repelling Bee and Wasp Encounters

Taking some sensible precautions greatly limits disturbing bees, wasps and their hives so stings become unlikely:

Avoid Nests

Being aware of locations with bee or wasp nests allows giving them a wide berth. Look for areas like soffits, cavities in walls, low tree branches, holes in the ground, overhangs, or ceiling corners which offer shelter to build nests and hives.

Manage Food Outdoors

Restrict food consumption to indoor or covered areas. The sweet smells and residue from spilled soda, juice, picnic leftovers or uneaten pet food can attract stinging insects outside. Promptly cleaning BBQ grills and areas where food was eaten also discourages wasps.

Limit Fruity Fragrances

Avoid wearing strong perfumes, scented lotions, or brightly colored clothes that may contain fragrances mimicking flowers or fruit ripening. These types of scents often pull in investigators from local bee or wasp colonies.

Know Peak Activity Times

Be especially vigilant from late summer through early fall when bee wasp repellent foraging reaches a maximum. Cooler temperatures early or late in the day also see more intense activity cycles centered around gathering food or building nests.

Install Screens

Well-fitting screens over doors, windows, and vents block most stinging insects from entering a home. Ensure any gaps get sealed off to prevent sneaking a way inside.

Use Caution Removing Nests

Trying to personally knock down an active wasp or bee nest often leads to retaliation stings. Only remove abandoned hives and nests in winter or contact a professional pest control service for safer elimination.

Topical Bee and Wasp Repellents

Applying external skin or perimeter treatments adds another layer of defense against bee and wasp stings when outdoors:

Essential Oils

Many insects dislike the strong aroma from potent essential oils. Oils from eucalyptus, peppermint, citronella, tea tree, lavender and lemon grass work as effective bee wasp repellent options.

Plant-Derived Repellents

Topical repellents containing ingredients like soybean oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, IR3535 or picaridin provide some protection against bee and wasp stings.

DEET

Repellents with higher concentrations of DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) are among the most effective against all biting and stinging pests. Use DEET cautiously around finishes or fabrics since it can damage certain surfaces.

Permethrin Sprays

Permethrin-based repellents designed for treating clothes, shoes, backpacks, and camping gear provide lasting bee and wasp protection even through laundering. Take care not to breath in spray vapors and avoid direct skin contact.

First Aid for Bee and Wasp Stings

If stung, prompt first aid eases discomfort and prevents infection:

Remove the Stinger

For bee stings, scrape away the stinger with a flat surface to eliminate venom release without squeezing the venom sac. Do not pull out wasp stingers since they do not become embedded like bee stingers.

Wash the Area

Thoroughly cleanse the sting location with soap and water to flush out toxins and debris while also reducing risk of infection.

Apply Cold Pack

Chilling the sting site with a cold compress, ice cubes, or chilled pack brings relief by easing swelling, numbness, and itching sensations.

Take Antihistamine

An oral antihistamine containing diphenhydramine (Benadryl) blocks allergic reactions and lessens redness, soreness, and hives.

Use Hydrocortisone Cream

Applying a topical hydrocortisone cream further counters inflammation and irritated skin around the sting.

Seeking emergency care remains vital for severe reactions involving trouble breathing, nausea, chest tightness or rapidly spreading swelling. An epinephrine pen injection may become necessary while awaiting help.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.