Posted on 09/21/2023 9:57:19 AM PDT by Red Badger
A 59-year-old man died on Monday after he was stung by a swarm of bees, a Kentucky coroner said.
The man, who has not yet been publicly identified, was moving an old bag of potting soil from his porch in Kentucky's Harlan County when the bees came out of the bag, Deputy Coroner John W. Jones said in a social media post. Family members started performing CPR and the man was rushed to an emergency room where he died just before 6:00 p.m. Officials have not said if the man was allergic to bees.
"Our heartfelt prayers go out to the entire family and friends," the coroner's office said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
How common are deadly bee stings? A total of 788 people died from stings by hornets, wasps or bees between 2011 and 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The annual number of deaths ranged from 59, in 2012, to 89 in 2017.
Around 84% of deaths from stings occurred in males.
The average person can safely tolerate 10 stings per pound of body weight, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
How to avoid being stung The USDA advises avoiding bee colonies by looking around and listening for the sound of buzzing. If you do find a colony, leave it alone — don't disturb or tease the bees. Don't try to remove the bees yourself.
Wearing light-colored clothing may help. Honey bees, one of several varieties that sting, may be aggravated by colors that remind them of their natural predators, such as bears and skunks.
Those wary of bee stings should also avoid strongly scented shampoos, soaps and perfumes.
What to do if you encounter aggressive bees If you encounter aggressive bees, the USDA advises running away quickly. While running, pull your shirt up over your head or use your arms to protect your face. The areas around your eyes, nose and ears should be protected.
Head toward an enclosed shelter, such as a vehicle or building. Do not jump into water as bees will wait for you to come up for air.
Avoid swatting at the bees or flailing your arms, which can aggravate the bees.
Call 911 to report a serious stinging attack.
How to treat bee stings Wash the site of a bee sting with soap and water, health officials with the CDC advise. Wipe over the area with gauze or scrape the area with a fingernail to remove the stinger. Do not squeeze the stringer or use tweezers.
Someone who's been stung can apply ice to reduce swelling. Avoid scratching the sting as this can increase swelling and the risk of infection.
Taking an antihistamine can reduce skin symptoms and taking pain medications, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can relieve pain, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Those suffering from a severe allergic reaction may need to use an epinephrine injector and visit an emergency room for treatment.
A drone is a male honey bee. Unlike the female worker bee, a drone has no stinger. He does not gather nectar or pollen and cannot feed without assistance from worker bees. His only role is to mate with a maiden queen in nuptial flight.
All active bees are females................
To bee or not to bee. That is the question..............
11 posts to get there!
>> ‘Africanized honey bees’ are a deadly species that have now invaded N America. Gotta be very careful. There are some do’s and dont’s regarding what to do if attacked by a swarm. <<
Not exactly. African honey bees are the same species as the European (or “Western”) honey bee; just a different, more aggressive population. (Honey bees are not native the United States.) Africanized honey bees are a hybrid between African honey bees and European honey bees, which escaped from researchers in Brazil in the 1960s.
United States Department of Agriculture........And we always believe the government don’t we?...............
***‘Africanized honey bees’ are a deadly species that have now invaded N America.***
I remember all the fear back in the 1970s of the African bees. But Don’t worry! Scientists said the African bees would mate with the tame bees and become tame themselves!
It didn’t work.
Has Bill Gates been buying potting soil companies lately?
Reminds me of the steps that the crew on Apollo 13 had to do in the correct order to ensure their safe return from a mission that went awry.
Awful.
Prayers for the repose of his soul and for comfort to his loved ones.
Ground wasp = yellow jackets
In my experience anyway.
“Not exactly. African honey bees are the same species as the European (or “Western”) honey bee; just a different, more aggressive population.”
Exactly.
If you keep bees, just know the genetics of each queen.
And if you get your queens from a breeder, those queens will have some African-New World genetics.
The female “worker” (slave) bees are generally blind, while the male bees typically have very good eyesight and help keep the females on track. And since the females don’t reproduce (only one, the queen does), the whole durn species are a bunch of drones. :^)
Which describes the MSM perfectly...............
Why was there never a rival gang, The Gypsy Moths?
It also means the worker bees are always complaining that the drones never stop and ask for directions.
What? and ruin the surprise???
Dunno but they did get their own letter of the alphabet
One time my Dad got stung we scraped out over 80 stingers.
He swelled up a little at each spot but other than a few minutes with some cool packs that went right back to work.
True, but these were just honey bees.
It seems everything Africanized is dangerous.
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