When Are Individuals Attacked By Bee Swarms? How Many Different Ways Can A Person Die From Bee Stings?
Most people who are attacked and stung by bees did not anticipate having a bee encounter before falling victim to an attack. It is not uncommon to read news stories during the summer about people being attacked and stung repeatedly by swarming bees. When it comes to attacks by stinging insects, bees, yellowjackets and hornets are the most common culprits. Although yellowjackets and hornets are more aggressive than honey bees, the Africanized honey bee, or the killer bee as it is more commonly known, causes numerous deaths in America each year.
Every year in the United States, more than 220,000 visits to the emergency room occur in response to attacks from bees and wasps, as hornets and yellowjackets are technically wasp species. Of these 220,000 annual attack victims, 60 die as a result of the venomous stings they sustained. Obviously, the vast majority of bee attacks on humans occur outdoors, and people with outdoor occupations are the most common victims of bee attacks. Also, people who indulge in regular outdoor hobbies, such as gardening, amatuer beekeeping, and farming are at a high risk of falling victim to bee attacks as well. Of course, people with bee allergies are at a high risk of dying from bee attacks, even if they have an Epipen on them at the time of an attack.
There are two ways a person can die from bee stings. The more common cause of death from bee stings is anaphylactic shock induced by an intense allergic reaction. The other cause of death from bee stings is referred to as “massive envenomanation”. Non-allergic people who die from bee stings always die as a result of massive envenomanation. This form of death occurs when victims sustain so many bee stings that their organs fail in response to the massive dose of toxic venom in their bloodstream.
Do you have an allergy to any insect stings or bites? If so, do you carry an Epipen? Do you know someone who does? Do they carry an Epipen?
