For something so small, why does a bee sting hurt so much?

Why Me???

As was discussed on the Fear of Bees page, a bee sting or insect attack isn't personal. The insect is provoked in some way and feels threatened. Their programmed reaction is to use the defenses it has - the sting - to protect itself and/or its colony. Initially attracted by bright colours, flowery scents, movement or a perceived invasion of territory, the bee may become aggressive if swatted at, and unless you can get out of its way, a sting might be the next step.

Stingers

Possessed only by females and only by insects of the order, Hymenoptera (see the honey bee example on the Classification of Living Things page), the stinger is a retractable, hollow structure that is pulled into a cavity in the abdomen when not in use. It is about 1/8 of an inch long. The stingers of different insects can differ in an important way, however. Honeybees, for example, have little hooks or barbs attached to the stinger. When it is inserted into the skin, it catches. As the bee begins to fly away, the stinger and venom gland are torn from the abdominal cavity. As a result, you only get stung once by a honeybee - they die shortly after the sting. Wasps and other bees, such as bumblebees, do not have barbs on their stingers. They can remove themselves from your skin easily and are ready for more action.

Venom

If the stingers were all we had to worry about, I'd be writing solely about the 'fear of needles' rather than venom, reactions to bee stings, allergies and treatment. Indeed, it is the venom (poison) that does the damage during a sting. Venom is produced in the insect's venom sac and is released during the sting.

There are several active components in wasp and bee venom. The most prevalent component, and the one that causes the pain when stung, is melittin. Once injected into you, enzymes present in your flesh, called phospholipases A2 (PLA2s), are stimulated by the melittin. The chemical reaction produces arachidonic acid, which is involved in inflammation.

The Human Reaction

Only 0.1-0.2% of the population (1-2 out of 1000 people) is hypersensitive or allergic to venom - skip ahead to a discussion of Allergies. For most people, the reaction is local (i.e., it is limited to the area around the sting). The melittin causes a sharp initial pain that lasts a few minutes moving into aching and sensitivity lasting up to a few days. In addition, reactions often include swelling, itchiness, and redness, and these reactions can last up to a week in more severe, non-allergic reactions. Below is a table outlining the types of reactions that can occur following a sting.

Treating a Non-Allergic Reaction from a Single Bee Sting

You don't need to spend a lot of money to find relief following a sting. Some people just brave it out. I somehow managed to survive two wasp stings to the face a few years ago without taking or applying anything. It still hurt and looked horrible, but it was survivable. If you are feeling especially wounded, or want to reduce more serious swelling or pain, you can try the following after removing the stinger and a good washing of the affected area.

Natural Remedies: a copper penny (I've read about several successful uses of this - but never tried it myself), ice, honey, vinegar. If you've tried other things successfully, let me know. I'm trained in cold, hard, evidence-based science, but I don't discount anecdote or folk wisdom.

Over-the-Counter Remedies: I am not a proponent of chemical or pharmaceutical use, but some people find some relief using an antihistamine or anti-itch ointment.

By the way, don't scratch! You don't want to end up with an infection on top of the annoyance of a sting.

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