The bee family has larger hairy relatives - bumblebees. They are similar not only in appearance, but also in lifestyle, sociology, and the ability to make honey, which, however, is worse than bee honey. Seeing this insect in a frightening war paint, people wonder if bumblebees sting. How dangerous they are will be discussed.

Do bumblebees bite

Each insect is able to defend itself. Therefore, it makes no sense to ask the question: does the bumblebee bite or not, because not every enemy can be intimidated by one appearance. By themselves, bumblebees are docile, their fighting spirit is manifested in 2 cases: when someone encroaches on them, or insects solve their "housing problem".

Unlike bees, bumblebees do not know how to equip their nests, so they look for ready-made cozy "apartments". True, the uterus can lay clutches in the crevice of the stump, the hollow, even in the ground, but bird nests are more attracted to insects. Favorite places of settlements are meadows, forests, fields, where flowers that give nectar grow abundantly.

Bumblebee

If there are no abandoned "houses" nearby, the relatives of the bees begin to attack the already settled birds. So the latter know firsthand whether bumblebees bite and try to retreat immediately, sometimes abandoning already laid eggs to the mercy of fate.

Often there are misunderstandings in the communication of bumblebees with a person (more on this in more detail below). For some, such contact is without consequences, for others it provokes the following symptoms:

  • extensive redness of the body areas adjacent to the bite;
  • the development of urticaria, accompanied by severe itching;
  • swelling of tissues (especially in the mouth and larynx);
  • nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea;
  • heart palpitations and choking.

Important! If at least one of these symptoms is present, this is a reason to contact a medical institution. Otherwise, the bite of a small insect can result not only in fainting, but also in death.

To avoid contact with insects, it is recommended to bypass their habitats, especially not arranging picnics next to their homes. Going into nature, you should take a number of safe measures:

  • as much as possible to protect the body with clothing;
  • have a first aid kit on hand, in which antihistamines are necessarily present;
  • once at the picnic site, carefully look around to make sure there are no bumblebee nests.

It is recommended to avoid bumblebee habitats

Better to play it safe once again than worry about the bites later.

Do bumblebees have a sting

Black bumblebee

The body structure of the insect in question is identical to that of the bee. Therefore, you should not even doubt whether bumblebees have a sting. It is present in its intended place - at the end of the abdomen. True, only females are equipped with tools, which have to protect their nests.

Note! Instead of a sting, nature endowed males with genitals, because their main purpose is to fertilize the uterus. Therefore, some doubt whether a bumblebee has a sting when they consider a caught member of the family.

Having done his job, the male leaves the nesting place, leaving the female “to fend for themselves”. The latter have to take care of the protection of honeycombs and offspring on their own.

The sting of a bumblebee is as sharp as that of a bee, but does not have the characteristic notches. Thanks to its perfect smoothness, the protective organ can be easily removed from the body after being bitten.In other words, the bumblebee sting is a "reusable" tool. This is another difference between related insects - the bee loses its sting after the first bite, since the barbs prevent it from being removed from the body.

The protective organ of a female bumblebee is like a medical needle - the same sharp and hollow inside. A poisonous composition is fed through it, where the main one is bombolitin. Phospholipase is also present, in large quantities capable of destroying red blood cells. Serotonin, which is relatively life-threatening, is also harmful to humans.

The sting of a bumblebee is as sharp as a bee

For people who are not prone to allergies, the bumblebee bite does not cause much inconvenience, except for cases when the insect stings in the neck area.

An allergic reaction is provoked in a person sensitive to poisons. Its most harmless manifestations are itching, swelling and redness at the site of the sting. In this case, it is necessary to immediately provide first aid so that the situation does not end in disrepair - anaphylactic shock.

If we compare the pricks produced by bumblebees and bees, the latter sting more painfully, and their venom is more toxic. Added to this is the difficulty of removing the sting from the body (as well as the pain of this process).

Although the bumblebee tip may remain after the injection (for example, break off). In this case, the sting must be immediately removed with disinfected tweezers so as not to provoke the development of the inflammatory process.

After that, the wound is treated with hydrogen peroxide. You can also use alcohols, but diluting them correctly with water: ordinary - in a ratio of 1: 3, ammonia - 1: 5.

Bumblebee stings or bites: the difference

What a bumblebee looks like

Faced with an insect and receiving an unpleasant injection, they say that the bumblebee has bitten. But is this statement correct? Do bumblebees sting or do they bite? Both expressions can be considered true if we clarify which individual had to face.

Bumblebee stings

The male, naturally, cannot bite due to the absence of this organ. This, as mentioned above, is the prerogative of females. They are always more aggressive.

But the male bumblebee is not so harmless - they have powerful mandibles. They actively use these jaws to find food for themselves. In case of danger, males protect themselves by them. But this bite is not so dangerous compared to the impact of a sting, since it is not poisonous.

Does a bumblebee attack a person

What to do if bitten by a bumblebee

Seeing a large bee-like insect, many are frightened, not knowing whether bumblebees bite people. On their own initiative, they do not attack a person if there is no aggressive action on his part. Seeing a bumblebee nest next to their home, many try to get rid of the insect, not only fumigating them with smoke, but also destroying the "houses".

Note! Don't try to catch bumblebees with your hands. Even a male is able to stand up for himself, biting his palm with sharp jaws.

Can a bumblebee bite a person on its own initiative? This is possible in 2 cases:

  • if the clothes are blue, for some reason this shade is dangerous for insects; therefore, an inadequate reaction can be expected; although the sting itself practically does not pierce the tissue, the insect can injure an open area of ​​the body;
  • bumblebees are aggressively tuned to the smells of alcohol, fumes, perfumery and tobacco; this can be a pretext for an attack by a whole swarm of insects in the immediate vicinity.

Sometimes relatives of bees are irritated by the smell of oxidized metal. This “scent” of the body arises from the constant wearing of watches with bracelets and jewelry. The metal is oxidized under the influence of sweat secreted by the skin, which is quite typical for the hot season.

Bumblebees are attracted by the smell of fried meat, watermelons, melons, and sweet drinks. Therefore, it is not recommended to have picnics near insect dwellings, so as not to brush off the annoying invasion later. This makes bumblebees unnerving and can be a pretext for an attack.

Attracts bumblebees and the smell of fried meat, watermelons, melons, sweet drinks

If a person is still hurt, it is advisable to take action immediately, even if there is no tendency to allergies:

  • apply fresh parsley or a plantain leaf to the injured area, changing the compress every 2 hours until the swelling subsides;
  • dressings with pieces of apple, raw potatoes, onions mixed with honey help well;
  • you can periodically treat the wound with lemon juice;
  • folk healers recommend making compresses with a soda solution, activated carbon gruel or validol.

If the bite is on a sensitive area (for example, in the eye area), then it is better to apply cold compresses or ice cubes. This will help relieve pain, relieve swelling and inhibit the absorption of poison.

Additional Information. A compress using refined sugar moistened with water is capable of pulling bumblebee toxin out of the wound.

You cannot drink alcohol after a bite - alcohol will only increase the allergic reaction. But hot sweet tea and a large amount of liquid will be in place.

In some cases, it is more rational to seek medical help:

  • if several bumblebees stung at once;
  • when the bite fell on the throat, oral mucosa or eyeball;
  • in case an elderly person or child is injured;
  • in the presence of severe pain, swelling, suppuration and chills.

Note! If the victim is allergic, after contact with a bumblebee, you should not wait for the body's reaction, but immediately consult a doctor.

Most dangerous if the bite was not one, but several individuals attacked

It is most dangerous if the bite was not one, but several individuals attacked. In this case, the amount of poison that has entered the body from the sting increases many times over, and the internal systems can hardly cope with intoxication.

Such situations are rare, because bumblebees usually do not attack in a flock. This happens more often if there were attempts to destroy the insect nest. Even when it was hurt by accident, the bumblebees will not understand, they have an instinct for self-preservation.

You should not hunt for wild honey produced by bumblebees - in terms of taste, it is in many ways inferior to bee honey. On the other hand, attempts at such penetrations can have dire consequences.

Whether the bumblebee stings or not, first of all, it depends on the people themselves. It is enough to keep a distance from these insects and not provoke contact with them. You should not harass bumblebees, given their value to nature - they are excellent plant pollinators. Experienced summer residents even specially breed a swarm next to greenhouses and hotbeds.