Summer is here and that can only mean sunshine, blooming flowers and... bee stings. But what
exactly happens when you get stung by a bee, and what would happen if you were stung by
1,000 of them?!
First though let's learn a bit about the history of the bee. The first bees were descendants
of a carnivorous wasp-like insect and appeared over 125 million years ago, evolving into
pollen-eating and honey-producing herbivores, and though they were here well before us,
cave paintings dated to over 10,000 years ago in Spain and France show that man and
bees have a long history together thanks to that honey.
Apiculture- or beekeping- first began around 7,000 BC in the Middle East, with honey finding
use as food, medicine and even preservative. The practice soon spread around the world
from Egypt, to Greece, and Africa. And though famous for their stingers, most bees only
sting in defense of the hive, and give up an attack pretty quickly.
Most bees that is, with the exception of the legendary Africanized Honey Bee. Also known
as Killer Bees, they will pursue a threat for distances up to 3 miles! And if you think
water can save you, think again- killer bee swarms have been known to patiently hover
in wait over water until their victim comes up to breathe so they can continue attacking!
But what actually happens when you get stung by a bee? For that, we'll need to take a much
closer look...v
A bee's stinger evolved from its egg-laying organ, the ovipositor, so only female bees
can sting. Once a stinger penetrates flesh, barbs along its shaft help it dig deeper into
the victim even after the bee has tore free the stinger. The stinger immediately begins
to pump venom into the blood, because the venom is about 88% water and we are ourselves
mostly water, the venom disperses easily through the body.
So what exactly is in that other 12%, and why does it hurt so much? Half of a bee's
venom is made up of a peptide called melittin. Together with Phospholipase A2, this toxic
brew works to destroy cells, bursting red blood cells in the sting site. Apamin, which
makes up about 3% of sa bee's venom directly attacks nerve tissue, causing further pain,
while Hyaluronidase, which makes up about 2% of the venom, destroys cell membranes allowing
the venom to spread easier. As if that wasn't enough, this toxic brew also makes blood vessels
expand- which is why bee stings can be so dangerous to people with low blood pressure.
So what exactly would happen if you were stung by 1,000 bees at once?
Most healthy people can tolerate about 10 stings per pound of body weight. According
to the CDC the average American weighs about 181 pounds, meaning most people could tolerate
about 1800 stings before death. However, even if 1000 stings is far below this fatal threshold,
there is the potential for
serious and life-threatening complications.
The most dangerous part o f a bee sting is when it produces swelling
in locations other than the sting site- or when the sting site is in a particularly vulnerable
area such as the throat. This swelling can compromise the airway and lead to asphyxiation.
Because it also causes blood vessels to expand, all that venom can also critically lower blood
pressure, becoming potentially fatal for the sick or elderly.
But even if 1,000 stings don't kill you outright, they can still be lethal days after the attack!
When a bee stings you it damages a great deal of cellular tissue- and it's the kidney's
job to eliminate this cell tissue and keep it from 'gunking up' the body. However if
there is too much damaged tissue the kidneys can't keep up and may be overwhelmed, leading
to a shut-down. This is why people suffering from extreme bee attacks are typically hospitalized
and closely monitored for a few days after.
For the average human, 1000 stings shouldn't be fatal, but approximately 2% of the population
suffers from extreme allergic reactions that can be triggered by just a single sting. Bees
aren't very prone to attacking people though and with the exception of Africanized Honey
Bees are actually quite tolerant of us- most beekepers don't even wear suits! So while
they may seem quite scary, just remember: bees will typically leave you alone as long
as you leave them alone... typically.