Pest and Diseases

15 Home Remedies For Bumblebee Sting

Source : instagram

Understanding how to deal with the unfortunate and distressing situation that resulted from the bumblebee sting is very crucial for every individual. After the incident and before you can think of anything else, how good would it be if you get to alleviate the consequences of the sting simply by using the resources of your home?

Considering that, we have put forward this useful guide listing 15 different home remedies for bumble stings.

1. Remove the Stinger and Wash the Wound

An inexperienced person can never understand the discomfort and pain associated with the bumblebee sting. But we never know which days are bad for us and there’s no option other than facing the situation with a calm mind.

Although bumblebees are less likely to lose their stinger, in some cases, the stinger might get stuck in the wound, you can detect it with your eyes as a small black dot underneath the skin. Before you apply anything to the wound, you need to remove the stinger and properly wash the wound with soap and water. This is the first and foremost step you need to execute while using home remedies against bumblebee stings.

2. Cold Compress

Source : facebook

Applying ice packs or cold compresses is the next thing you can do to relieve the pain and irritation of a bee sting. The coldness around and directly over the bite area soothes the pain while also helping to minimize the spread of venom.

How To Apply?

You need to properly wash the bite area before applying a cold compress. A good rinse will wash away the venom residue from your skin. After that, you need to wrap an ice pack in a soft cloth. You can also go for pre-wrapped ice packs.

Gently place the ice packs on the affected area, making sure to apply gentle pressure against the skin. Perform holding and discarding several times, but remember to hold for about a few minutes and discard for the same interval. You may need to repeat the process several times until the pain and discomfort are greatly lowered.

3. Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera is a magical house plant. The gel extracted from its leaves possesses different alleviating properties that can soothe and potentially treat the affected area of the skin. A study published in the National Library of Medicine around 2015 on aloe vera projects its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

How to Apply?

If you’ve grown aloe vera plants in your house, you can easily extract the gel from the leaves of the plant. Simply trim a leaf and remove the outer leaf covering to get the gel. You can directly purchase a good aloe vera gel from the store as well.

Apply this gel to the affected area by gently rubbing it with your finger or with the help of a soft cloth. In no matter of time, you will be rewarded with a cool sensation followed by reduced swelling in the affected area.

4. Honey

Do you know more use of honey other than as a sweetening agent? Well, you should know that honey is a promising element in the medical field, and in the case of bumblebee sting, it has some proven remedial effects on the victim. Around 2015, a study on honey was put forward which projected on the antimicrobial aspect to address the pain and swelling associated with bumblebee stings.

Similarly, honey is also found to possess antibacterial properties that can prove to be effective against bee sting inflammation and infection, while also encouraging the wound to heal faster.

How to Apply?

Many medical professionals are also found to use honey in different wound treatment phenomena such as dressing, this way the wound is expected to heal faster. When you get stung by the bumblebee, you can apply honey over it to soothe the pain and heal the wound.

Make sure to apply a few drops of honey on the affected area such that the entire bite area gets covered with it. Give a gentle massage and allow the honey to work on its own. While applying honey, be mindful that you do it indoors, or else more bees will get attracted to the smell of the honey.

5. Baking soda

Source : facebook

Baking soda is a popular household element with amazing usefulness in a wide variety of sectors and areas. Adding more useful areas, baking soda is widely used by people around the world to treat bumblebee stings. The alkaline property of baking soda is believed to counteract the acidic bumblebee venom and surprisingly it has worked for some people as well, although proper research and proof are yet to support the case.

Many medical professionals suggest not using baking soda on damaged skin or any kind of open wound because the alkalinity of the baking soda can further harm the wound. Although strong evidence and scientific proof are yet to be put forward to support the relieving properties of baking soda, people are widely using this remedial solution against bee bites.

How to Apply?

To apply the baking soda over the bite area, you need to prepare a paste of baking soda and water. Remember to create a thick paste and directly apply it over the affected area. You may mix ¼ cup of baking soda with 1-2 teaspoons of water for the paste.

After applying, you need to allow the paste to work on your skin, make sure to remain still for about 10-15 minutes, and again reapply the paste. You may need to repeat the process for some period to experience the actual alleviating property of the baking soda.

6. Toothpaste

You should know that toothpaste possesses alkaline properties just like baking soda and thus, people believe that it can work against the bumblebee bites. However, this remedial solution has not been verified yet and there haven’t been any side effects associated with the act as well.

The use of toothpaste on the affected area, if acid and base are going to react with each other, the acidic venom is believed to get drawn out from the site. If the toothpaste contains other ingredients like mint then the use may further provide a soothing and cooling sensation.

How to Apply?

You can simply pinch out a small portion of toothpaste on the bite area such that it adds a layer on top of the affected site covering the entire area. Make sure to allow the paste to remain in the area for a few minutes and wipe it out using clean water. Repeat this process several times, you may get rid of pain and irritation.

7. Onion Slices

Onions are a must-have cooking ingredient in the household. Your every meal and dish is incomplete in the absence of onions. It is quite surprising to hear that you can make use of onion slices against bee stings as well, the associated pain from bee stings can get lowered and eventually cease.

How to Apply?

You need to cut the onion making fine slices and place the slices over the bite area such that the flesh portion of the onion is in contact with the wound. Give gentle pressure on the area along with onion slices and see if the pain gets lowered. You may need to reapply and press another freshly cut onion until you feel comfortable.

8. Cucumber

Source : facebook

Cucumber is a popular salad and its popularity is beyond the culinary world as well. You must have seen people often placing cucumber slices on their faces and eyes, the natural chemical it possesses is found to work against wrinkles while also contracting the body tissue. Considering that, cucumber slices can also be placed on the bumblebee bite area for cooling and calming effects.

How to Apply?

Grab a fresh cucumber and cut it making medium-sized slices. Pick a slice and gently rub on the skin where the wound lies. Make sure to apply gentle pressure around and over the bite area. You may need to place several slices of cucumber for some period and finally, you may feel the pain and discomfort has gone away or at least lowered to a great extent.

9. Banana Peel

Bananas are a common fruit around the world and everyone is a fan of bananas. One bite is a must whenever you see it lying on the kitchen table but there’s more you can do with a banana. The sting associated with the bumblebee and banana peel has a strong relationship and the chemical banana peel possesses is found to work just fine against the bee sting.

How to Apply?

If you get sight of the banana at your home while seeking home remedies for the bumblebee sting, accept your fate and go for the banana peel. Make sure to gently rub the peel against the skin where the wound has occurred and wait for the result. You may need to rub for some minutes and may as well go for a couple of banana peels more to lower the discomfort and pain associated with the bumblebee stings.

10. Papaya Slice

Papaya fruit is another element of the list. The sweet and nutritious flavor of the papaya can prove to be an excellent choice as a remedy against the bumblebee sting. The chemical or enzyme ripe papaya possesses has been found to counteract the pain and irritation associated with the bee sting.

How to Apply?

Pick a fresh papaya from the market and make sure to choose a ripened one that is ready to get eaten. If you have grown papaya in your garden, choose the evenly ripe one. After that, make a paste of it and apply it directly over the wound. Let it remain still and allow it to work for about an hour before rinsing it with cold and clean water.

11. Lemon

Source : instagram

Lemon could be another readily available and easy-to-lay hands-on element in your household. We can understand after some period of bee stings, it can become really hard to face the situation and your mind may not be able to think forward and straight. But looking for one of the most common cooking elements might be easy in such a distressing situation.

How to Apply?

If you have fresh lemon or fresh lemon juice, either can work fine against the bee sting. Simply use a soft cotton cloth and pour a small amount of lemon juice on it before applying it to the wound. You can also go for lemon slices just like with the cucumber slices as mentioned earlier.

Cut the fresh lemon into fine slices and place the slice directly over the wound such that the flesh side of the slice is in touch with the wound. This way you can lower your easiness and pain to a great extent.

12. Garlic

Garlic cloves have several health benefits but did you know garlic can be used as a bumblebee bite treatment? Yes, garlic has its usefulness beyond its daily use in the culinary world. People have been widely using garlic cloves or their juices to treat the bumblebee sting or let’s say to alleviate the distressing consequences invited by the bumblebee sting.

How to Apply?

Pick a couple of garlic cloves and crush them down to make a thick paste. After that, you need to apply the paste directly over the wound such that it covers the entire affected area and majorly the wound portion should get in touch with the garlic paste. Allow some time for the paste to sit on the wound and rinse it with clean and cold water afterward.

13. Turmeric Paste

Turmeric powder goes with almost all of the dishes and food items. Although it is used in amounts as compared to other spices and ingredients, its absence can be felt in the taste of the food. Well, there are some more things you can do with the turmeric paste, and treating bumblebee sting is certainly one of them.

You can place a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a cup and mix sandalwood powder on it to make a paste. This paste can then be applied to the sting area. Make sure to cover the entire affected area and look for the result. You may need to reapply the paste after giving a good rinse of the wound.

14. Salt

Source : facebook

Salt can also be used against the bumblebee sting. In our guess, salt is the first thing one can lay hands on when rushed to the kitchen quickly and without any hesitation. It is also a mandatory culinary element and a must-have item in the kitchen.

How to Apply?

You need to prepare a paste by mixing salt and water such that one part of the salt is dissolved in the two parts of water. This way a thick paste is created which you should apply over the wound and allow the paste to work for about 20 minutes. After that rinse the area gently and see if any changes occur. If not, you may need to repeat the process a few more times.

15. Essential Oils

You must have heard about essential oils and their multiple uses in daily life. When it comes to treating or alleviating the consequences associated with the bumblebee sting, essential oils should not be skipped. The use of essential oils in the bite area is found to lower the pain and swelling, eventually healing the wound.

There are several essential oils on the market with different compositions and properties such as lavender oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and so on. If applied following the right approaches, you can get over the wound while also relieving the itchiness and irritation. Learn more about how to get rid of bumblebees!

Can Bumblebee Sting?

Source : facebook

Bumblebees can sting you under certain conditions of threat or defense but in general, they are unlikely to sting you if they do not feel provoked. You should know that male bees are naturally unable to sting you, only the queen and the female workers can. In any case, you need to be aware of what a bumblebee sting looks like.

Many cases have occurred where the victim has been stung by the bumble bees near the entrance area of the nest, that is when the victim tried to go near the nest or may have smooshed them. It is very rare for the bees to attack and sting without any reason.

Can Bumblebees Sting More Than Once?

Source : instagram

Bumblebees are different from honey bees in terms of stinging mechanisms. Unlike honey bees which can naturally sting only once and die after that, bumblebees can sting the victim more than once and several times using their barbless stingers without possibly losing the stinger.

You should know that bees irrespective of their types are very essential part of the natural ecosystem. They are best remembered as pollinators upon which all the edible crops and flora of the entire world depend. Thus, you need to be aware of how to attract them through the best plants for bees.