Bee Attack

by Stephen Schleicher, MD

What to do if attacked by bees? I read an excellent article published in the Washington Post titled: What to do if you get attacked by bees? First, run away. Well, this sure seems obvious. The point is: run to shelter (any shelter) in a straight line because this will get you there fastest. An enclosed space such as a building or a car with the windows rolled up will certainly do.

Second point: don’t swat bees as this will only aggravate them more. Rather than flailing away, use your hands to cover your nose, mouth and eyes. Plus, covering your mouth and nose reduces the output of carbon dioxide which further agitates bees.

Jump into water if near a lake or stream? According to the article, no. To quote: “Angry bees may wait for you to come out and can track you via bubbles of carbon dioxide you might release when underwater”. Plus, you might drown. As for stingers: if visible, try to scrape them off with your fingernails but don’t pinch the skin as this can cause more venom to be released. Stinger chemicals cause