Perhaps the most famous part of a bee's anatomy is its sting. And the terrifying part for humans is also the sting. If you ask experienced beekeepers for advice, they will tell you that honey bees bred for beekeeping are docile and rarely sting.
If you are engaged in beekeeping, you will see that honey bees are obedient and gentle creatures. You can go the whole season without getting stung. Over the years that we have been professionally engaged in beekeeping, not a single member of our family, not a single guest of our house, and not a single neighbor have ever been attacked by any of our bees. So what is the secret?
Honey bees use their sting only as the last measure to protect their home. When they are far from it, watching the colony is no longer a concern, so they don't usually see any threat and do their own business. But for many people far away from this, it isn't easy to understand how to behave so as not to provoke bees with their behavior.
Here are some actions that you, as a beekeeper, can take to calm the bee down and avoid confrontation between your bees and neighbors or friends.
Position your hives so that they are not facing a walkway, entrance to your home, or other pedestrian passageway. Bees fly high, but they need some distance to gain the necessary height.
Never put the hives on display. Place them in a secluded place, out of sight. The absence of constant passersby will allow bees not to worry about the safety of the colony.
Provide your bees with unhindered access to water. This way, they won't have to look for water on their own, visiting a neighbor's yard.
If your neighbors and friends show interest, introduce them to the hive so they can see for themselves how gentle bees are. And be sure to give honey to all your closest neighbors. Never underestimate the principles of good neighborliness.
Many people have no idea about honey bees. Once stung, they will assume that any bee in their surroundings is a sign of trouble. It's up to you to educate them to reduce their fears.
Here are some useful tips you can give your friends and neighbors to avoid being stung, even if you're not a professional beekeeper.
It's obvious but still to be reminded that the hive should not be opened.
Take your time and move calmly. Sudden movements are a provocation. Don't wave the bee away. It is better to let them crawl calmly on your hand and fly away than to sting you.
Avoid pungent odors. Bees do not like unpleasant odors. Bees keep the hive perfectly clean and react negatively to unpleasant odors.
Wear light-colored clothes. Bees do not like dark colors.
What if a bee stings someone during a visit?
Calmly remove the stinger and fumigate the area to mask the chemical alarm odor left behind after the sting. This alarm pheromone can encourage other bees to sting. Apply a cold compress and take an antihistamine tablet; antihistamine creams can also be used. We recommend always having such medications in your first aid kit because you never know what kind of reaction your visitor can have to a sting. A small percentage of people may experience more severe allergic or even toxic reactions, including severe swelling outside the immediate area of the bite and difficulty breathing.
An interesting fact about our profession. Many beekeepers look forward to getting a few stings at the beginning of the season: the more stings, the less swelling and itching. For many, the occasional sting develops a kind of tolerance. It is thought that bee venom can be beneficial for treating certain diseases. This is called bee sting therapy.