Angry bee season is here, and it’s important to take extra precautions around bees. While bees can be aggressive at any time of year, the peak of their aggression comes during the summer months. In particular, August and September are known for “angry bee season”.

While it's a great time to enjoy outdoor activities, angry bee season can present a risk for those who are allergic to bee stings or have severe symptoms after being stung. Here are some tips by AFC Urgent Care Malden on how to protect you and your family from angry bees and what to do if you do get stung by a bee.

How to avoid bee stings?

But what can you do to avoid getting stung? First and foremost, it's important to be mindful of your surroundings. Bees are attracted to bright colors like red and yellow, so wear white or light-colored clothing when you're outdoors. You might also want to avoid sweet-smelling flowers that attract bees, such as lavender and honeysuckle. If you see a nest on your property or in your yard, contact a professional for removal services; this will help prevent bees from getting too close to you in the first place!

If you do get stung by a bee, don’t panic; here’s what to do:

For the most part, you can treat a bee sting like any other insect bite. The most important thing is to not panic and follow these steps:

• Don't rub the sting or scratch it aggressively. This will only make the situation worse by spreading venom through your body faster.
• Don't use ice or cold water, as this can cause an allergic reaction that may result in swelling and discoloration around the area of contact (known as angioedema). 
• Don’t tweeze or squeeze. Instead, scrape the stinger out with your fingernail.
• After that, wash the affected area with soap and water—or at least flush it out with running water for several minutes if you can't get to a sink right away. If you are allergic to bees or wasp stings and begin experiencing an allergic reaction (swelling around your mouth/face/lips), seek out medical treatment immediately since these symptoms could be life-threatening without medical attention.

I think I am allergic to bee stings, what should I do?

Most allergic reactions to bee stings will involve swelling and itching at the site of the bite or sting but not elsewhere on the body, such as the face or neck.

If you’re allergic to bees or other insects, it’s important to go to the emergency room. You may need to follow up with your doctor for medical treatment for your allergy if you are allergic to bees or other insects or have severe symptoms after a sting.

The doctor can help with:

• Giving you an epinephrine auto injector prescription. You should carry it with you at all times.
• Treating anaphylaxis if it happens again

Angry Bee Season Recap And Treatment For Bee Stings At AFC Urgent Care Malden

If you're lucky enough not to get stung during angry bee season, we wish you well! But if you do end up getting stung by a bee, please remember our tips on how best to deal with it: remove the stinger as quickly as possible, then wash the affected area with soap and water. If you’re highly allergic, then use your EPI pen and go to the ER immediately. 

If you’re not allergic, but got stung by a bee and need help removing the stinger, you can come to AFC Urgent Care Malden any day of the week! You can walk-in or make an appointment online, today!