The average person will never come across a bee swarm, much less be stung by hundreds of bees at once. Because of this comfort level among the majority of humans, we often take the danger for granted. Bees can be extremely dangerous in swarms and one wrong step can set them off.

The real danger with swarms of bees comes when we disturb them or venture too close to their nests. When they suspect danger, they attack as a group and will not hesitate to sting. Some ways in which humans disturb these swarms include mowing the lawn, weed eating, walking by a nest and in some cases, purposefully attempting to remove or kill the bees. People often underestimate the danger of a swarm of bees, simply because they do not understand the danger.

For some people the danger of swarming bees is of paramount importance. Some people are highly allergic to the venom that a bee injects when they sting. There are many instances across the world where people have died from a single sting. What would happen to a person like this that received twenty or thirty stings as can happen when bees swarm? Sometimes these swarms will sting hundreds of times.

For the average adult that is not allergic to bee venom, the swarm is still quite dangerous. The venom from that many stings can reach critical levels with any human being rather quickly. Some of the symptoms of these types of bee attacks are as follows:

• Chills
• Vomiting
• Massive Swelling
• Breathing Problems
• Quick Blood Pressure Drop
• Heart problems
• High Fevers

Each of these symptoms can lead to a very dangerous situation. Heart attacks, strokes and other life threatening situations can quickly come to one that leaves the stings untreated. Worse still is the bee sting victim that can not get away from the swarm. The most at risk groups are children, the elderly and those that have a compromised immune system.

When you are attacked by a swarm of bees, the consensus is to run as fast as you can away from the nest. You are supposed to remain as calm as possible, and not swat at the bees. It is also recommended that you do not yell or scream until you are safely out of danger from the bees. The reasons for this are because bees respond to sound, and they also respond to the excess oxygen you are releasing from your mouth when screaming. Needless to say, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Staying safe from swarms of bees is fortunately something that we likely will never have to worry about. Still, it is important to understand what to do, and why you should leave them alone when you do see them. Make sure your children understand the dangers as well.

Sources:

- Dangerous Wildlife in the Southeast; F. Lynne Bachleda

- Twenty Years Personal Experience Working With Bees

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