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Bee-ware of bees this summer
Spring activities bring us outdoors
and in contact with nature. If you're doing yard work or other
activities, you are more likely to encounter bees. The San Antonio
Fire Department would like to offer the following tips:
Be prepared:
Wear light-colored clothing. Bees tend
to attack dark clothing.
Bees are sensitive to odors, pleasant
and unpleasant. The smell of newly cut grass has been shown to disturb
honey bees. Avoid wearing floral or citrus aftershaves or perfume.
Check your house and yard at least
once a month to see if there are any signs of bees taking up
residence. If you do find a swarm or colony, leave it and keep family
and pets away.
Bees are attracted to loud noises like
lawnmowers. Survey the home before you do any yard work.
If bees attack:
Try to find shelter as soon as
possible. Take refuge in a house, or a car with windows and doors
closed.
DO NOT JUMP INTO WATER! Bees will wait
for you to come up for air.
Once you are away from the bees,
evaluate the situation. If you have been stung, or if you are having
any symptoms other than local pain and swelling, seek medical
attention immediately.
Remove stingers as soon as possible to
lessen the amount of venom entering the body. "Scrape" or "brush"
stingers from the skin with a blunt instrument or plastic card.
If you are allergic, always carry a
bee string kit.
Ice packs may reduce swelling.
Do not let stingers remain in the
skin. Venom can continue to pump into the body for up to 10 minutes.
Don't tweeze or pinch stingers when
removing. That will inject more venom into the body.
Don't cut the skin, try to suck venom
out or use meat tenderizer on the wound. This could lead to infection.
Call 311 or 207-6000 if you see bees
on public property. If bees are on private property call the licensed
pest control company of your choice.
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