When you’re getting ready for summer, bee stings are always something that are a worry. But what happens to a bee once it stings its victim? In this article, we’ll explore the lifespan of a bee after it stings, and examine the various stages of its life cycle. From its winged journey to its eventual passing, we’ll uncover the intricate details of the bee’s life after it stings.
1. Introduction to the Lifespan of a Bee After It Stings
The lifespan of a bee after it stings is pretty brief, but its impact is felt for much longer. When a bee stings, its venom-filled stinger is ejected from its body, and the bee dies shortly after. But, what exactly happens after the initial sting?
- Immediate Effects: The immediate effects of the sting are felt through the injection of the venom. A bee’s venom contains various bioactive compounds that can cause pain, inflammation, and even an allergic reaction in humans.
- Hive Impact: Upon dying, the bee may leave behind part of its stinger. As a result, the hive must exhaust considerable amounts of its resources to quickly replace the lost bee.
In some cases, the surviving bees may take defensive action against the creature responsible for the death of their fellow bee. In the danger of a predator or human intrusion, swarms of alarmed bees may take to the air and swarm their perceived enemy, attacking them with repeated stings.
Though violent, these actions are believed to be an instinctive strategy of self-defense for the hive.
2. The Painful Sting of a Bee
The least among us often cause the most pain. A tiny, yellow-and-black striped bee might seem harmless, but it has a powerful sting.
The Damage Cause by a Bee Sting
- A bee sting can cause pain, burning, swelling, warmth and itching at the site of the sting.
- In some cases, it can also cause dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
- If the sting is from a honey bee, some of its barbed stinger may remain in the skin, and venom may continue to be injected.
More serious reactions appear rarely and can include anaphylactic shock and even death. Those allergic to insect stings are especially vulnerable to more severe reactions.
Treating a Bee Sting
The first step is to remove the stinger. Scrape it off with a fingernail or scraping tool, taking care not to squash the stinger and inject even more venom. Then treat the pain and inflammation with pain killers, cold compresses, and anti-itch medications. People with known allergies to bee stings should immediately seek medical help.
3. Symptoms to Watch For
Migraines can be different every time, and in order to manage them properly, it’s important to be aware of the varied symptoms.
Pain – The classic symptom of a migraine is an intense or throbbing headache. The pain usually starts on one side of the head before spreading. It can last between 4 and 72 hours.
Sensory Warning Signs – A common warning sign of an upcoming migraine is neurological disturbances. These might manifest as unusual smells, bright lights, blind spots, sparkling lights, or tingling in an arm or leg.
It’s also important to be aware of less common symptoms which may signal an oncoming migraine. These can include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, neck stiffness, or increased sensitivity to sound and light. Unusual cravings for certain foods may also occur.
- Pain
- Sensory Warning Signs
- Less Common Symptoms
4. Potential Complications after a Sting
There are certainly risks in being stung by an insect, especially if it contains a venomous toxin. The potential complications can range from mild to serious depending on the insect and the sensitivity of the individual who was stung.
Though most stings are harmless, some people may experience an allergic reaction with symptoms such as hives, facial swelling, wheezing, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, and more. If you experience any of these symptoms after getting stung, seek medical attention immediately.
Below are a few of the potential complications that may arise after a sting:
- Anaphylaxis
- Cellulitis
- Tetanus
- Envenomation
- Necrosis
- Vasculitis
- Thrombocytopenia
- Renal failure
Left unchecked, any of these complications could become lifethreatening. For this reason, it is important to know the symptoms and seek medical help immediately if they arise. There are various medications available depending on the severity of the complication.
5. The Bee’s Final Stages
As bee larvae enter the final stage of their life cycle, their metamorphosis begins to take shape. The pupal stage requires the larvae to form a protective coating of wax around them in order to put their bodies into a resting state and begin the transformation into adult bees.
This next stage in the life cycle of bees is crucial for their development, as they must remain inside of the cocoon for the appropriate amount of time to grow wings, antennae and other adult attributes. This period requires the bee to remain motionless and rely on its food reserves to sustain them.
At the conclusion of the pupal stage, the adult bee is allowed to emerge. This is the only time the adult bees will remain in the hive and out of their regular environment. They are now equipped with their wings and antennae and must must search for food and find a mate.
To accomplish this, the adult bee leaves its hive and engages in a series of activities, known as the foraging stage, which consists of:
- Collecting nectar and pollen
- Meeting and mating with other bees
- Defending the hive
- Maintaining the hive temperature
At the conclusion of these activities, the bee will have fulfilled its purpose and will cease to exist.
6. Bee Sting Remedies
If you happen to find yourself on the wrong end of a bee sting, don’t panic. As uncomfortable and painful it can be, there are some simple that can help soothe the swelling and itchiness associated with bee stings.
First off, it’s important to remove any visible stingers, particularly when it comes to honeybees. A easy way is to use a credit card or any thin, straight object to scrape the stinger off.
Here are some recommended home remedies to help ease the pain and discomfort of a bee sting:
- Wash the area with soap and water.
- Use a cold compress to soothe swelling.
- Apply a paste made from baking soda and water.
- Apply a paste of meat tenderizer and water.
- Apply a mixture of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water.
- Apply a topical ointment with 1 percent hydrocortisone cream.
If a bee sting causes symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling in other areas of your body, or dizziness, seek immediate medical attention.
7. Why Long-Term Follow-up is Important
It is vitally important to follow-up with your health over long-term periods. Doing so gives your doctors an accurate picture of your health, and can assist in early and accurate diagnosis. Here are 7 reasons why long-term follow-up is essential:
- It allows medical professionals to review any changes in your health history, detect any disruptions to your health, and identify any potential health risks.
- It can prevent diseases from developing and help to manage existing chronic conditions.
- It can identify any potential side-effects of medications and treatments.
- It can update and adapt the medical advice you receive.
- It can help you assess the effectiveness of an existing treatment or therapy.
- It can provide your doctor with information on how your overall health changes over time.
- It can give you an updated medical record, which can become invaluable if you need to consult specialists.
Long-term follow-up is essential for monitoring health progression and detecting any changes, no matter how small. Regular follow-up gives medical professionals a more comprehensive picture of your health, as well as providing you with the peace of mind that your health is being checked and monitored.
8. Final Thoughts on the Lifespan of a Bee After It Stings
It can be easy to take the lifespan of a bee after it has stung us or someone who is close to us for granted. We may wonder what happened to the bee after it stung us, what kind of pain it experienced, if it even survived the ordeal… the truth is that the bee’s lifespan changes drastically after it has stung.
After a bee has stung, it will lose the stinger, along with whatever venom is left inside it, in the process of stinging. Immediately after it stings us, the tip of its abdomen will be left behind. This adbominal tip becomes paralyzed and the bee will die very soon after.
Due to this, the lifespan of a bee after it stings is extremely short; usually not more than a few minutes. Because of this, they cannot sting more than once. In other words, after a bee has stung us, it will die soon afterwards.
The lifespan of bees is already short to begin with; they do not live longer than 8-10 weeks in any case. So every sting a bee inflicts on us or someone close to us, is their last act and their short life comes to an end.
It is important to remember this when we interact with bees, and not take their life span after it has stung us, for granted. Although we sometimes have to protect ourselves from bee stings, it is not a difficult thing to do if we are aware of the life cycle of a bee and how it changes drastically after it stings.
Once a bee stings, it’s all downhill from there. But even in death, their work isn’t done. This fleeting moment of expiration is just the catalyst for a new journey full of unsuspected but invaluable contributions to the environment. A bee’s sting may be sharp and painful, but it’s both a warning and a sign of the contributions that these creatures make to our ecosystem – even after they’re gone.
