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Bumble bees are very peaceful creatures that are rarely at odds with others in their environment but they get aggressive when provoked. However, even their aggression is measured compared to honey bees. They live for an estimated 28 days before they die off and their role is taken up by another bee. They look stouter than the common honey bee and they also have hairy bodies.
Do bumble bees make honey?
Yes they do. But having said that they make less honey compared to traditional honey bees. Their role in the environment is the important role of pollination of plants. They are crucial in the growth of plants and without them we would have plants growing around us. Did you know that two thirds of the crops in the world rely on insects like the bumble to pollinate for them to reproduce. The movement of pollen from one crop to another is hugely important for our food production and sustenance.
Bumble bees are particularly great at their role of pollination. This is because the wings of bumble bees beat around 130 times per second with vigor and this vibrates the pollen onto their large bodies which is trapped by the hairs and transported onto other crops effectively.
The bumble bee sting
Only female worker bees and the queen bumble bee can sting and they only do so when under attack or provocation. The difference between a honey bee sting and a bumble bee sting is that the later has no barbs meaning it can remove its sting and sting again repeatedly. The honey bee’s stinger has barbs that cause it to detach from the bee upon stinging you. Although bumble bees rarely sting when they do they can also cause a severe reaction in people with allergic reactions to bee stings. This includes sending one into anaphylactic shock.
Typical reactions to a bumble bee sting include swelling of the area, redness, pain and discomfort. Severe reactions include headaches, swollen lips and eyelids, difficulty breathing, low or high pressure and fever. Some people also vomit and get the chills.
How to avoid a bumble bee sting
Because these bees are not overly aggressive it is possible to co-exist without stepping on each other’s toes. However, to be on the safe side, steer clear of the color blue around a bumble bee colony because this color attracts them. Also avoid strong scents like aftershave and perfume especially something fruity or floral as they will obviously think it is a flower or fruit and swarm you. When they come close don’t swat at them instead blow gently in their direction pushing them away like the wind.
When approaching the hive of bumble bees one should dress protectively but keep in mind that bumble bees can sting through clothing. Even though bumble bees look friendly and fuzzy they are still bees and children in particular should be properly educated about steering clear of them and how to act when attacked.