As long as you don't disturb them and give them some space, bees will pretty much leave you alone. They're even less interested in stinging you than you are in being stung, after all.
In truth, stinging is their defensive mechanism. Those “individual workers” that are away from their colony just solely focus on foraging and typically ignore humans even at proximity. Stings are only provoked by accidental but firm touches like stepping on a worker bee or striking a bee or wasp with the hand.
If it lands on you, gently blow on it to make it fly away. Remember, bees don't sting for fun. They do so only when they feel threatened or are defending their nests. In most cases, bees will choose flight over fight.
If you are not near a nest and are simply observing these bees on a patch of flowers, the chances of being stung are highly unlikely unless bees are physically handled and feel threatened, or accidentally get caught in clothing.
A worker honey bee typically only stings if threatened, or if you are near its hive. An exception to this rule is the Africanized worker bee, which is known to be more aggressive. Africanized bees may sting with less provocation than it would take for a regular honey bee to sting.
“Breath is what tells them you're there,” he says. Because most insects get cues from smells in the air, when you hold your breath for 10, 30, or even 50 seconds, they will no longer detect your presence. This will very likely result in bees and wasps leaving you in peace.
Basically, bees cannot literally smell fear, but if you are fearful, your body will release certain pheromones, which bees can detect as a threat.
If bees fly into you or begin to swarm over or around you, they are probably trying to warn you off. Remember: don't swat at the bees, just leave. If you accidently disturb a nest, run immediately. Try to get to an enclosed shelter (such as a car) or run until the bees stop following you.
Bees follow you because Sweat is sweet to bees.
Some bees are attracted to human sweat. Sounds gross, but it's true. These bees are usually metallic in color and rather small and harder to notice than their yellow and black counterparts. These bees can sting but aren't known for being aggressive towards humans.
Aggressive honey bees can chase you a long distance and reach speeds of up to 20 mph, according to the British Beekeepers Association. But “you can run faster, especially when motivated, than bees can fly after you,” Nieh said, because flying in a swarm, as opposed to flying solo, can slow bees.
Under normal circumstances, bees are docile, ignore people and are preoccupied with foraging for food and bringing it back to their hive. Most bee stings happen when people accidentally step on or sit on a bee, if they make contact while trying to swat a bee or wasp away, or if they come too close to a hive.
The worker bees of a hive can sting only once, because the stinger is barbed and the bees cannot remove it without pulling out their abdominal tissue. Bumblebees have smooth stingers that are easy to remove, so these bees can sting more than once, BeeSpotter reports.
It is best to allow the bee to remain outside, where it can get access to nectar and pollen from flowers. If you have no suitable plant pot available, then you could place the bee in a shoe box, ensure there are sufficient air holes so that it can breathe.
Bees also have a distaste for lavender oil, citronella oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, lemon, and lime. These are all topical defenses you can add to your skin to keep bees away. Unlike other flying insects, bees are not attracted to the scent of humans; they are just curious by nature.
They really do hold a grudge." Gauging the mood of the colony is crucial and inexperienced beekeepers can further risk its wrath simply because they're determined to succeed.
Bee venom contains several active molecules such as peptides and enzymes that have advantageous potential in treating inflammation and central nervous system diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Some beekeepers, who are repeatedly exposed to beestings, develop immunity. They often get swelling and itchiness until immunity is achieved. After that, these reactions either disappear or are greatly reduced. However, immunity can fade over of time if the person is not exposed to stings, typically over winter.
Honeybees generally attack only to defend their colony, but will also attack if they are seriously disturbed outside the nest. Common sources of attack stimulus for honeybees include alarm pheromone, vibrations, carbon dioxide, hair, and dark colors (Crane 1990).
In one study, scientists paired images of human faces with sugar-laced water and found that bees recognized and remembered faces associated with the sweet reward — even when the reward was absent.
Bumblebees are gentle creatures that humans have befriended. Petting a bumblebee is not a common experience and attempts to pet one should be around somebody well-versed in bee behaviour. Some bumblebees may allow people to lightly pet them. Their hairy bodies make them soft to touch.
Bees can learn to recognize human faces, or at least face-like patterns, a new study suggests. Rather than specifically recognizing people, these nectar-feeding creatures view us as "strange flowers," the researchers say.
If you encounter stinging bees and are a long way from shelter, try to run through shrubs or brush to distract the bees. If there is no shelter nearby, keep running until you leave the bees behind. Some bees may pursue victims a half mile or more before giving up the chase. Don't be fooled into seeking escape in water.