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bee-phobia
Summer is coming up. I love warm weather, and where I live.. well lets just say its rarely above 60 F in the Spring or Fall haha. But the summer's its really nice :) The only bad thing is that there are bees, wasps, and hornets.. I'm so scared of them :( I literally run around waving my arms trying to get them away. I've never been stung by a bee before, and I heard it hurts and stings really badly.. Even if I just hear them buzzing, I will freak out. I've tried to calm down and not get as scared but it doesn't work :(
Can someone help me with my bee-phobia?
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This is a pretty common phobia that many people have. Most people get freaked out when they see a bee, wasp or hornet and it's easy to see why. Getting stung does hurt and some people react especially badly. However, if you actually look at the facts, the chances of getting stung are relatively low.
Let's start with bees. You may be interested to know that only female bees can sting and that they are generally non-aggressive. It's highly unusual for a bee to sting unless it feels threatened. If you leave it alone and ignore it, it will leave you alone. So all that running around and arm waving you do to try and get rid of them? Probably only provoking the situation. In the year 2000 out of a population of 281 million people in the USA only 54 people died from bee stings. Going on that statistic, you are more likely to be murdered, struck by lightning or die from flu then you are from being stung. Unless you are one of the rare few that has an allergy to bee stings, you will be able to tolerate around 1000 stings at one time, which is probably never going to happen.
Wasps are more aggressive and you are probably more likely to get stung by one but again, the chances are still low as long as you leave them alone and don't provoke them.
Here are some tips on how to avoid bee and wasp stings, taken from the following website: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
- If surrounded by a swarm of bees or wasps, move out of the way slowly. Do not try to wave the insects away. Violent movements will only excite them and make them more aggressive and likely to attack.
- Insect repellents are effective.
- Never aim a blow at a wasps' or bees' nest or attempt to throw them because the insects will immediately attack.
- Stay away from things that attract insects, such as flowers, trees, bushes and piles of wood.
- Be extra careful if you are eating or drinking (especially sweet things) outside.
- Smells and bright colours attract insects. Avoid scented creams and strong perfumes if you are going to spend time outside.
If you DO get stung then unless you are allergic, you are likely to only suffer a small local reaction. It will probably be sore, red and itchy around the area where you got stung. You may also notice some slight swelling. But that's it. Tattoos, piercings and waxes are all equally, if not more painful than a sting.
Here are some links to websites about the treatment of bee and wasp stings. They also contain additional information which may put your mind at rest:
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[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
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