Bee Stings And How To Be Prepared

On a fairly regular basis you will see stories on the news about bees. Another attack, and a person is stung dozens and in some cases hundreds of times. If you have never been stung before or you know you have an allergy from bee stings, this could be perplexing. Aren’t bees supposed to leave you alone if you leave them alone?

In several southwestern states including Arizona are home to the Africanized honeybee. They can be easily and indirectly provoked. A loud noise or a certain color could cause an attack. It might sound as if there is no solution to this, we can’t eliminate the bees. There are however some precautions you can take to help prevent an attack:

1. Watch what you wear. If you’re going to be outside, don’t wear perfume or cologne. Wear light colored clothing. If you smell and look like a flower, bees will think you are one.

2. Watch your food. If you are out at a picnic or sporting event, cover your food when you’re not eating it. Especially the sugary food!

3. Carry medicine. If you have a known allergic reaction to bee stings and are going to be outdoors for a while, have your medicine with you.

4. Know your surroundings. The best courses of action is to look around you. Check under that tree before you lay out your picnic. If you see a few swarming around, look and see if more are nearby. If you’re at home, regularly check your trees and awnings for bees.

If you unfortunately do encounter a swarm and they attack, cover your head and try to walk away quickly to take shelter. Do not run and wave your arms, you will only anger bees more. It could be difficult to stay calm, but try your best. We hope these tips were helpful, we want you to enjoy your time outdoors in the valley!