The summer is full of things that bite, have you noticed? Bees, wasps, fire ants, snakes, spiders, flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and scorpions.
I'm going to talk about two in this article; one because the are so common -- mosquitoes; and one because they can be so dangerous -- bees.
One summer I let a friend of mine place a beehive in my back yard. It was fascinating to watch and did wonders for th fruits and vegetables.
Although I never was stung, I admit I was unnerved a time or two when I got in the way of a bee heading for her favorite flower.
Bees will frequently travel in a straight line at full speed to a previously visited flower and are as surprised as you are to find a body in their way. There are about forty people in the United States who die every year from a systemic reactions to a bee sting.
All stings will cause a local reaction, but it is that systemic that are the most dangerous. Beginning signs of a systemic reaction are: hives over the body, tightness in the chest, hoarseness, wheezing, facial swelling, dizziness, thick tongue, fainting, and signs of shock.
If these occur, immediately go to the emergency room for treatment.
Most bees sting only in self-defense or in defense of the nest. The yellow jackets, however, have been known to sting un provoked.
A honey bee's stinger, which has a barbed tip, should be removed with a horizontal scraping motion. Do not squeeze the stinger. Cool ice or compresses and topical itching creams (Calamine) are good first aid measures.
In addition, antihistamines (over the counter or Benedryl) and steroid tablets (from your doctor) might be of value in extensive, local reactions.
There are some ways to prevent stings. The most obvious is avoiding areas where bees and wasps hang out like clover fields, orchards, and bird baths.
Avoid wearing right colored clothing with flowery prints and shiny jewelry. and wear long pants and sleeves if possible.
Don't use perfume, cologne, hair spray, or scented soaps; and on hikes, avoid kicking at dead logs and other things that will vibrate and anger nearby bees.
A "bee cloth" can be used to trap the frightened insect and shake it out the window before it stings if you can have it handy in the car. Make it from a large handkerchief or yard of cheesecloth. Trying to kill it will only make it more frightened or angry.
Avoid rapid movements when a bee wants to "rest" on you. Back up slowly and don't slap or brush it away. It is either resting or curious and usually won't sting unless it is frightened or antagonized.
Mosquitoes, on the other hand, do come after you. They are also attracted to bright clothing, light, humidity, sweat and other human odors.
In sensitive individuals, a hive like wheal and persistent nodules may last for several hours or days at the bite.
An old fashioned treatment is to place some moist salt over the mosquito bite and allow it to dry and fall off on its own. It works. Cool compresses and antihistamines are useful as well.
Long sleeve shirts and long pants protect a lot as well as any type of mosquito repellant containing the chemical DEET.
Some people report the use of Vitamin B1 (75 to 150 mg per day) to be a valuable natural repellant as it is excreted in the sweat and produces a material offensive to insects.
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