Bee stings hurt, and that’s a fact. Plus, getting stung by a bee often means hours of itchiness and discomfort. If you have allergic reactions, you might even have to deal with life-threatening situations. With bees, hornets and wasps flying around camping trails, learning about the most efficient bee sting remedy can be an ultimate life-saver.
Bee Sting Prevention
Avoiding possible encounters with wasps, bees and other stinging groups is easy. As a guide, below are some of the things you need to greatly consider:
- Before setting up a tent, scout for possible nests. If you have spotted one, relocate to another site.
- Don’t apply perfume, scented lotions or any sweet-smelling formulas on your skin as they strongly attract bees.
- Don’t wear brightly-colored clothing.
- Keep food items away from your tent. When setting up, keep your tent 100 meters away from your kitchen and trash bins. Also, keep all left-overs tightly sealed.
- If you are allergic to bees, always bring emergency medications such as epinephrine.
- Stash on Benadryl and other anti-histamines.
- If you spot a bee in your tent, disable it by using a hair spray.
- Do not walk around the camping site bare-footed. Some species nest on the grounds.
I always recommend to buy these Sting-Kill Disposable Swabs from Amazon. They work effective and they assure a prompt relief of pain and itching. I always have a stock at home, whenever you might need it.
Bee Sting Remedy
No matter how careful you are, bees can always catch you by surprise especially if you are in the wilderness. In case you got stung by a bee, below are some of the best bee sting remedy:
- If you were stung by a honeybee, inspect the affected area for a stinger. Scrape it out of your skin right away because it continues to discharge venom for 3 minutes.
- If an ice pack is available, apply cold compress for pain relief.
- Take anti-histamine or apply a topical medication on the area to relieve itch, discomfort and inflammation.
- If medications are not available, apply alternatives such as aloe vera, basil leaves, parsley, baking soda, toothpaste or honey. You can also apply a mixture of water and Epsom salt on the affected area.
- Watch out for signs of extreme allergic reactions like difficulty of breathing and swelling of the face, tongue and throat. If these signs appear, reach out for a dose of epinephrine and call for emergency help. Extreme allergic reactions can re-occur for up to 24 hours.
Take emergency medications with you, especially if you are about to hike in unknown areas is crucial for your survival. After all, you are always better safe than sorry.