Bees are among the most common of insects in the animal kingdom. They belong to the Hymenoptra family, under the phylum Arthropoda. Currently, there are about 20,000 known species of bees, categorized under nine recognized families. Many are still undescribed, however, so the number might be higher. Bees are found in all continents except Antarctica, and in all places where there are flowering plants just ripe for pollination. Bees are an important part of the ecosystem, primarily in pollinating flowering plants. Depending on the demand, they either focus on gathering nectar or gathering pollen. Aside from the important job of cross-pollination, bees—particularly honey bees—are also prized for their unique ability to create honey, a sweet and viscous fluid derived from the nectars of flowers. Honey has been used as a substitute for sugar and other sweeteners, mainly because it has an attractive chemical property and distinctive flavor. Honey collecting has long been a practice of humans, dating back to ancient times, well about 10,000 years ago. Useful as the bees are both in pollination and in the production of honey, they can also be quite dangerous if you disturb their hives. As a means of protection, bees have a stinger they can use to drive away invaders and unwanted visitors from their homes. Bee stings are among the most common insect accidents around. Most times, they can only hurt, but there are times when they can be life-threatening.

Bee Aware

A bee's stinger consists of three parts—a stylus, and two barbed slides (called lancets) on each side of the styles. When a bee stings, it does not push the sting in. Rather, it is drawn in by the barbed lancets. When the bard of one lancet gets caught on the skin and retracts, it pulls the stylus deeper into the wound, together with the other barbed slide. When the other barb has caught on, it also retracts, pulling the stylus further in. The process is possible because the slides move alternately up and down the stylus. The pulling goes on until the sting is fully in the wound and it will continue even after the stinger and its mechanism is detached from the bee's abdomen. A bee's sting can contain several chemicals. Phospholase A2, apamin, melittin, hyaluronidase, and kinins are some o them. In particular, melittin is the toxin responsible for the pain you feel when stung. Once you're stung, your body overreacts by producing lots of histamine. Histamine is a biogenic substance involved in local immune response. It is found in higher concentrations in your lungs, skin, and stomach mucosa. Histamine release is usually triggered by a disruption of the skin, in this case, a bee sting. The thing with histamine is that it is a very potent arterial dilator; you can develop hypotension from it and pass out. Histamine also causes bronchial constriction in the lungs, hence you may find some difficulty in breathing, experience wheezing and, in severe cases, suffer a respiratory collapse. Times like these, you are said to have a severe allergic reaction to the bee sting and is the only time a sting can be fatal. On the other hand, bee stings on nonallergic people do not really cause serious problems, aside from the pain. If a person receives multiple stings, however, there may be serious complications such as muscle breakdown or kidney failure. Death, though rare, can happen to nonallergic people. People who are at an especially high risk are children, elderly people, and those who are already weak to begin with. A single sting in the mouth or throat can also cause swelling and obstruction of the airways. Another complication can be a bacterial infection developing on the sting wound.

Getting Rid of Bee Stings

When you find yourself stung by a bee, here are the things you can do to get rid of the symptoms and alleviate your suffering:

1. Remove the barbed stinger right away. Remove the stinger as soon as you can; don't even contemplate on the method of removal. Studies have shown that how you remove the stinger does not have any effect on the amount of venom delivered to the wound. A delay of a few seconds will lead to more venom being injected, and the more severe your reaction will be.
2. Apply cold compress on the sting wound. An ice pack will do well in lessening the pain and swelling of the wound. In applying an ice pack, make sure that you do not directly put it on your exposed skin. Use a cloth as a buffer between the skin and the pack.
3. If the victim is allergic to stings, get help immediately. Get medical help as soon as possible if you know that you or someone you know is allergic to bee stings and is stung. If the victim is carrying an epinephrine auto-injector, then use it right away. Do not wait for symptoms to appear. While waiting for help to arrive, watch for any symptoms of anaphylaxis, including itchiness, swelling, and difficulty in breathing.

4. Apply antihistamines. Allergic reactions can be lessened with the use of antihistamines such as diphenhydramine. Although they cannot stop an anaphylactic seizure, they can help in lessening your the itching and swelling.
5. For the pain, take painkiller medications. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are good medications for stopping the pain. Before you take it, though, make sure that are not allergic to those medications or you don't have any other underlying condition that may be exacerbated by taking painkillers.
6. Wash the sting with soap and water. Keep the sting wound clean and free from bacteria by washing it with antibacterial soap and water. Alternatively, you can also apply antibacterial ointment on it. It is important that the wound will not develop any bacterial infections.

Most bees usually release an attack pheromone when they sting. These pheromones alert other bees if the range is close enough, and the swarm will take defensive behaviors until the intruder/victim has fled or is killed. When you get stung by a bee, immediately get out of the area. A bee sting is trouble; imagine what effect a dozen or more will do.