Insects & Pests · Reference · Intermediate
Mass Bee Attack: Run to Enclosed Shelter
The advice that saves you from a defending colony is the opposite of the advice for one curious bee.
This is for educational purposes only. Not professional medical, electrical, or safety advice.
Warning
In a mass attack, do not hide in water or thick brush — bees may stay in the area for 30 minutes or longer. Run to enclosed shelter and protect your nose and mouth.
- 01
Know which situation you are in
One or two insects: be calm, move slowly, don't swat. A colony that is defending itself and sending many bees: this is an escape situation, not a stand-still situation. The two calls require opposite responses.
- 02
Run to enclosed shelter
Go for a building, a vehicle, or a tent you can zip shut. Do not stop in open ground to fight, swat, or pull stingers — reach shelter first, then deal with stingers.
- 03
Cover your nose and mouth
Pull a shirt or cloth over your face as you run. Breathing in stingers is the part that turns a bad afternoon into a life-threatening one.
- 04
Do not hide in water or thick brush
University of Florida extension warns that bees may remain in the area for 30 minutes or longer. A pond, a creek, or a thicket is a trap that keeps you in the attack zone, not a refuge.
- 05
Once you are inside
Remove stingers by scraping, wash the skin, and watch for the anaphylaxis signs: trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, faintness. Get emergency help for anyone showing them.
- 06
Plan the route before you need it
Know where the nearest enclosed shelter is before you mow, stack wood, or clear brush — and make sure everyone who lives with you knows to run there instead of standing still.