The bumblebee (Bombus) is considered a friendly representative within the real bee family (Apidae). The furry insects leave their winter quarters much earlier than bees, wasps and hornets in spring and are therefore one of the most important pollinators in early spring. However, compared to the other striped flying insects, bumblebees are designed not to sting, but to bite. Many people ask themselves the questions: are bumblebees dangerous and how do you have to treat stings or bites?
Sting or bite?
The question of whether a bumblebee stings or bites is related to the peaceful nature of the insects. Like all bees, bumblebees have a stinger and even use it very successfully for defense. However, the key point about the animals is that they do not sting frequently and remain calm even when in direct contact with humans. This leads to the assumption that the insects do not sting. Bumblebees have a strong defense mechanism that always works the same way:
aggressiveness
Keep in mind that different bumblebee species react differently aggressively:
- Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum): aggressive
- Field bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum): particularly peaceful
- Stone bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius): calm
- Meadow bumblebee (Bombus pratorum): calm
- Dusky bumblebee (Bombus terrestris): particularly peaceful
- Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum): calm
- Mossy bumblebee (Bombus muscorum): quiet, critically endangered
- Sand bumblebee (Bombus veteranus): quiet, critically endangered
The tree bumblebee is considered the most aggressive bumblebee species in Germany and becomes particularly aggressive if you get too close to the nest. Tree bumblebees can react particularly aggressively, especially in midsummer. You should beware of these, as the animals with the brown thorax and the almost stripeless, dark abdomen raise their middle leg less often than their relatives. The brown bumblebee, on the other hand, is arguably one of the most peaceful species, which is what makes it so popular as a pollinating insect. If you buy bumblebees as pollinators in stores, they are usually dusky ground bumblebees.
bumblebee sting
When you approach a bumblebee and it feels threatened, it will initially show this by raising one of its middle legs, aimed directly at the potential threat. It's never one of the front or back legs, only one of the middle legs. Which middle leg is raised differs from bumblebee to bumblebee and is often dependent on the human or pet's position relative to the insect.
If the raised leg has been ignored and the bumblebee still feels threatened, it will start to make a loud buzzing noise. This is not comparable to the humming animals make when collecting nectar from within a flower, as the pattern of the vibrations is different.
If this warning signal is also ignored, the bumblebee will turn onto its back while humming and stretch its abdomen in the direction of the attacker. The middle leg usually remains raised. Now it's time for you to leave the insect alone, otherwise a sting will inevitably occur.
It becomes particularly dangerous for you when bumblebees are on their backs and carry out the sting. From this point it can happen in an instant that the insect decides to sting. Get away from the insect now at the latest.
As you can see, bumblebees are usually not dangerous because they show you exactly when to expect a sting.
bumblebee bite
The insects can bite, but the biting tools do not penetrate the skin and are only used to open flowers. The notion that bumblebees will bite is wrong, and if you've been attacked by one of the peaceful hummingbirds, it's always a sting, even if the wound appears fairly small. Bumblebees will only bite if they get caught in your hair or clothing. However, there is no danger from the bite, because they only want to flee.
tip: As with bees and wasps, bumblebees are purely female specimens that have a stinger. However, the males, the drones, defend the nest by ramming into the attacker at high speed, which can be painful, especially in the face, as the insects become small projectiles.
symptoms
If you or your loved ones have been stung by bumblebees, you will have to reckon with symptoms similar to those of a bee sting. The only big difference is the amount of poison, since bumblebees do not have barbed stingers. That means the bumblebee can sting multiple times in a row, although the insects usually flee once you've stung. Of course, this does not apply to the defense of the nest, where up to 600 animals can attack and sting several times. After a sting, the following symptoms appear:
- Swelling up to 10 cm
- itching
- severe pain around the puncture wound
- redness
- Stitch site heats up
- white halo around the sting
These symptoms usually last for a period of up to 24 hours. Above all, the swelling hurts and itches, but you should not scratch it, otherwise there is an open wound with a risk of infection.
allergy sufferers
The majority of the population can be happy about the swelling after a day, while a small part with a sensitive immune system usually has to wait up to a week. Bumblebee stings are particularly bad for people with an allergy to insect venom. Because bumblebee venom is similar to bee venom, it contains the neurotoxin apamin, which contains the following amino acids:
- cysteine
- lysine
- arginine
- histidines
These are among the most toxic substances within the poison and, together with other proteins, can pose a risk to allergy sufferers. People with an allergy may experience the following symptoms, along with pain and classic swelling, if they get bitten:
- Vomit
- unconsciousness
- hives
- diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- shortness of breath
- fear of suffocation
- tachycardia
- anaphylactic shock
All of these symptoms can occur within a period of ten to thirty minutes and represent an acute danger to life for the allergy sufferer. However, since the concentration of bumblebee venom is not as high as that of other insects or bees, there are very few deaths from bumblebee stings. However, you should treat the sting as soon as possible. As with bees, wasps and hornets, healthy people should also be careful not to be stung in the mouth, neck and throat area. The swelling could lead to an airway obstruction.
tip: The sting of bumblebees is not sharp enough to penetrate human skin. However, when attacked, the animals fly so fast that the impact drives the stinger deep into the skin, which can be very painful, or if you hold or step on the animal, providing the necessary force for the sting.
treat bumblebee sting
Once you or your family has been stung by a bumble bee, here are some things you should do to treat it:
- cool the sting site
- Use ice cubes or wrapped cold packs for this
- apply cool compresses for long periods of time
- do not scratch
- Use antihistamine ointments
- these relieve the itching
With these methods, a bumblebee sting can be treated very well. If the symptoms have not disappeared after a period of two to three days, you should consult a doctor. They can check and treat the stitches if the classic methods don't work. Alternatively, you can use home remedies that will break down the proteins within the venom, reducing the swelling and itching and allowing it to go away more quickly. These would be:
1. Lemon
Cut fresh lemons into slices and rub them on the affected area. After that, leave the lemon slice on the skin for some time. The acid destroys the corresponding molecules, resulting in symptom relief.
2. Alcohol
Apply some medicinal alcohol to the sting via a cotton pad. This cleans the wound and destroys the corresponding molecules.
3. Heat
Gently heat a spoon and press it onto the wound. The heat acts like a stitch healer, which makes the home remedy particularly effective.
Allergy sufferers should be observed permanently after a sting. Likewise, just as a precaution, you should contact a doctor to be on the safe side. If the symptoms worsen, be sure to contact an ambulance.
tip: Even if you suffer from an insect venom allergy, it may be that a second bite from the animals is significantly less dangerous than the first. Since the poison only remains in the body in small amounts, the organism can often protect itself better against bites despite the allergens it contains.