Great Info Tips

There are precautions to take around bees and wasps. First of all, you must remain calm even it the situation gets tense. Avoid any perfumes, after shaves, colognes and scented soaps. Don’t dress like a flower! Bright colored or dark clothing is not good. White or light tan clothing is best. A bee suit is the best outfit to wear. You need to cover your entire body when you are ready to treat a nest. Coveralls are a second choice, along with gloves and a bee veil. Note the location of any overhead power lines if you are using a ladder or a bee pole. Make sure you plan an escape route if you have to make a quick getaway. Move quietly, slowly, avoid making noise, don’t vibrate the nest by walking heavily, and don’t use a flashlight or cast a shadow on the nest. Be extremely careful if you have to use a ladder since the only way to get away is straight down. If you do get stung, brush off the bee or wasp, and quickly but calmly get away from the area.

First Aid for stings: Wash the sting area to remove the attractant of pheromones that were left on you by the stinging bee or wasp. This attracts other bees or wasps to you. That’s why some people get stung many times at once. Honeybees leave the stinger behind with the venom sac attached. The stinger can then continue to pump venom into the wound. Get the stinger out by either pinching it or scraping the stinger off. The longer it stays in you the more venom is released, leaving a larger welt. Yellow jackets and other wasps don’t leave the stinger in your skin, so they can sting you again and again.

For all stings: Wash the area with soap and water to remove any venom on the skin surface. Put ice on the area to reduce the initial pain and minimize swelling. To reduce pain and itch you can use products such as an analgesic, antihistamine, Benadryl, or cortisone creams. If you notice any signs of allergic reactions consult a doctor. Allergic reactions could appear within 30 minutes of the stings depending on the number of stings a person gets. Reactions can inculde redness, hives, and loss of breath.

Caution around any bees nest is first and foremost. If you don’t feel you can handle bee or wasps nests, call a professional exterminator. As for nest inside walls of the home, it’s best to have a professional handle that since it may be a lot bigger than you think it is.