What to do if attacked by a Swarm of Bees?

Honey bees living in the Valley of the Sun is a fact of life. Warm, sunny weather most of the year is the perfect climate for flowers and flowers attract bees. Although there are many benefits derived from honey bees, of course, there presence can also be a danger if you are attacked by a swarm of bees. Bees can and do attack humans and animals when they feel there is a threat to their nest, or colony.

So what should you do if you are attacked by bees?

Experiencing a bee swarm attack can be dangerous. Here are a few tips to help you if you are attacked.

Run away

If you are under attack from a swarm of bees, run as far away in a straight line and as fast as you can. Never stand still and simply attempt to hit or swat them. If you don’t start running as far away as possible, you will soon find hundreds, if not thousands more bees all over you attacking.

When running away from a bee swarm attack, do not stop running until the bees stop following you. It has been reported that some bees might chase their victims for up to a half of a mile before giving up.

Find Shelter

If you can get inside a well-sealed, building or vehicle, that should help. Some may think that an air conditioned room will slow down bee activity, but only if the room temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit will it slow down bees. Even during Arizona Summers, most Valley homes don’t maintain temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do not hide in water

Never jump into a body of water, such as a swimming pool, lake, pond or river. Why? That is because the bees will simply wait until you stick you face out of the water for air and continue to sting and attack you.

Once the Bee Attack is Over

Once you have determined that the bee attack is over, you would be well-advised to immediately remove all bee stingers from your skin to avoid any additional venom being released into your skin from the stinger’s venom sac. Read our post about what to do when stung by bees here.

At The Beehive, we offer live bee removal and have extensive expertise and knowledge when it comes to bee removal throughout the Phoenix metro area.  Call us today at 602-600-5382.

 

Categories : Safety