WHEN A BEE STINGS

Everyone that has been stung by a Honeybee knows that it can be a very painful and traumatic experience. We've heard stories of being stung in many places; eyelids, buttocks, arms, fingers, legs ... bees defend their hive ferociously. And being on the receiving end of a sting is no fun for anyone - the bee included!

So what do you do if you get stung or see someone being stung by bees? Well, here are a few pointers to consider and keep in mind next time you find yourself being dive bombed by a guard bee:

Stay Calm - Freaking out and running away from a bee could alert any bees near you and make them react in unison towards your intrusion.
Cover your face - A sting in the face can be life threatening. Make sure you protect your eyes, nose and mouth as a sting in any of those places could trigger breathing problems or more serious side effects if you have an allergy
Find Cover - Get immediately into a building or vehicle and cover your body as much as possible
Do not swat - Swatting at the bees will only anger them and trigger their defense mechanism further
Do not jump into a body of water - Some varieties of bees will wait for you to come up for air. And if you've already been stung, having an allergic reaction in the water is not something you want to go through
Call 9-1-1 - If you or someone you see has been stung and is having breathing difficulties, call 9-1-1. Medical attention is always a good decision.
If you have already been stung and can see the stinger do NOT try to pull it out. Squeezing the stinger in an attempt to grab it will only trigger the stinger muscles to pump more bee venom into your body. Instead, Flick the stinger away using a hard straight object such as a fingernail or credit card.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS

An allergic reaction can be a scary situation to go through, especially if it is your first reaction or if it happens to a loved one. Here are some things you can do if you are forced to face an allergic reaction on your own:

Call 9-1-1 - Do NOT wait and hope that symptoms will go away on their own. In the case of allergies ALWAYS SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION
Watch for Symptoms - Nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing, swelling of the face and/or throat, fever, hives, itching, asthma flare up, joint pains or muscle pain, unconsciousness, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, chest discomfort.
Remove the Trigger - Find the Sting location and flick the stinger out so that there is no new venom pumping into the victim.
Stay Calm - Reassure the person and keep them from panicking in order to lessen the severity of the reaction.
The Epipen - In the case of individuals with life threatening allergies to bee stings, locate and use (if necessary) the Epipen.
Check airways and make sure that the victim is still breathing. Provide CPR if person is unconscious and unresponsive.