By: Kathy Hubbard
Writing about hives last week made me think about bees. And then I saw a post on Facebook asking if anyone had noticed an unusual abundance of them recently and that settled it. I just had to do some research on bees and bee stings.
Idaho Fish and Game says, “One out of three bites of food you eat wouldn’t be here without bees. Bees help make fruits and vegetables when they pollinate flowers and don’t forget honey!”
They also say that in Idaho we have 707 native bee species, and that doesn’t count honey bees who were brought here in the 17th century when settlers realized raising bees for honey was easier than trying to gather it in the wild.
17th century? And some of us wonder how long we need to live here to be called locals. Never mind that. IDFG says that native bees are the best pollinators for native plants. That makes sense.
When we talk about bees, we most often include those that technically aren’t bees such as wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. Today we’ll group them all together because a sting from any of them hurts like the dickens.
“Bees aren’t aggressive insects, but they can sting when they feel threatened,” Cleveland Clinic’s website says. “Not all bees die after they sting you. In some instances, a bee can sting you more than once if it feels threatened. The honey bee dies after it stings you because a honey bee’s stinger gets stuck in your skin, and they’re unable to disconnect its stinger from the rest of its body. As a result, the bee’s abdomen and stinger pull away from the rest of its body which causes the bee to die.”
Often, a bee sting will cause a sharp, burning pain at the site of the sting; cause discoloration at the site, swelling at the affected area, and/or itchy skin. Not so often, it can cause a severe allergic reaction. You know, anaphylaxis.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction are hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your tongue and throat; lightheadedness or dizziness; stomach cramps; nausea; diarrhea, and/or a fast pulse. This is a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to an emergency department immediately. Do not drive, you’re likely to pass out from the reaction.
Assuming you don’t go into anaphylaxis you can treat the bee sting at home. Cleveland says, “Use your fingernail, a credit card or gauze to remove the stinger by gently dragging it over your skin to pull it out. Avoid using tweezers since they can inject more venom into your skin when you pinch the stinger. Try to remove the stinger as quickly as possible to reduce how much venom enters your body.”
Then use soap and water to clean the area, wrap an ice pack in a towel to reduce swelling and elevate the affected area to lessen swelling. Bee stings are weird because they can hurt and itch at the same time. Oral antihistamines can reduce itching and acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, can relieve the pain. Topically calamine lotion or hydrocortisone can also relieve itching.
“After removing the stinger, your symptoms will start to reduce,” Cleveland says. “You may notice symptoms lessen as soon as a couple of hours after the bee sting. Swelling and skin discoloration usually go away in two to three days. In some cases, it can take seven to ten days for your skin to clear up.”
They also say, “Bees are harmless insects unless they feel threatened. A bee can sting if you swat at or try to catch it; step on it or disturb its hive or nest. You may be at more risk of getting stung if you are playing or working outdoors near a garden, flowering trees, a hive or a nest.”
The bad news is that you can’t prevent all bee stings. Cleveland says, “insects are unpredictable.” But you can reduce your risk by being careful not to disturb them; removing food and dirty dishes after your picnic; not wearing hair or skin products that have a floral smell; and wearing protective clothing like long sleeves and pants and not going barefoot when walking on grass.
And the final advice, “Say calm. If you stay calm and let the bee pass by, it’ll go away without harming you.”
Kathy Hubbard was a charter member of Bonner General Health Foundation. She can be reached at [email protected]. This article was written for publication in the Bonner County Daily Bee on April 29, 2026.