table of contents
- Bumblebees
- Can bumblebees bite or sting?
- Harmless animals
- Visible defense behavior
- The bumblebee sting
- frequently asked Questions
The fat bumblebee is a real wonder of nature. According to physical calculations, she would not be able to fly. But she does! But is there a risk of getting a bumblebee bite?
In a nutshell
- Bumblebees belong to the genus of bees
- very peaceful insects
- only female bumblebees have a stinger
- Bumblebee stings are harmless
- there is no bite of a bumblebee
Bumblebees
Bumblebees (bombus) are without question one of the most popular insects. When the black and yellow furry bumblers fly around, spring is here!
The cute little animals, like the honey bees, are among the state-building insects. They live in colonies with a queen, workers, drones and young queens. The bumblebee people only live one year. Only the young queens survive the winter.
Can bumblebees bite or sting?
For generations there has been a belief that a bumblebee bite is possible while they cannot sting.
The sympathetic animals have powerful biting tools. These are not used for defense, so that a bumblebee bite is almost impossible. Only female bumblebees have a piercing device with a powerful sting. This is very long. In contrast to the sting of the bee, it has no barbs and does not get stuck in the human skin after a sting. In contrast to bees, which lose their sting after a single sting, a bumblebee can sting multiple times.
Harmless animals
One reason for the rumor that bumblebees cannot sting is due to the animals' lack of aggressiveness. You are very peaceful. A bumblebee bite can only occur when they are harassed.
Note: Different species of bumblebee, such as the tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), react aggressively when their nests are threatened. Under no circumstances should a bumblebee's nest be touched or damaged!
Visible defense behavior
When bumblebees feel threatened, this can be recognized by clear signs. First there is a loud hum. The insects first stretch a front leg towards the attacker, later their rear end with the stinger. Male bumblebees show similar defensive behavior, although they do not have a dangerous sting.
The bumblebee sting
If in exceptional cases there is a Bumblebee sting comes, this is not very painful. The furry insects inject only a small dose of poison into human skin.
Typical features of a bumblebee sting are:
- swelling
- Redness
- Itching at the injection site
Note: Most people quickly forget a bumblebee bite. Cooling compresses or ointments relieve the slight pain.
Sensitive people, children and allergy sufferers may experience additional symptoms:
- skin rash
- Vomit
- Racing heart
- shortness of breath
- Impaired consciousness
Call an ambulance if
- Signs of an allergy appear,
- the puncture site is near the eyes or
- a stab in the mouth or throat has occurred.
frequently asked Questions
Various earth bumblebees are often on the ground. It can happen that on the way to the lake you step barefoot on a bumblebee and get stung. Clean and cool the injection site.
Those who don't corner the beneficial insects usually won't get stung. Children are often fascinated by the humming animals and want to catch them with their hands. It can happen that they are stung by a bumblebee. In no case should you hit the bumblebees to fend them off.
Many insects react to colors. While mosquitoes prefer yellow and orange tones, bumblebees are attracted to blue in color. Anyone who is allergic to bumblebee poison should refrain from wearing blue and light blue clothing in spring and summer.
