A bee buzzing nearby can cause apprehension, but it’s often a benign encounter. Understanding their motivations helps alleviate fears and promotes a more informed response to these important pollinators.
Common Reasons for Bees’ Proximity
Bees often approach people for natural reasons, primarily foraging for nectar and pollen. They are attracted to sweet scents, so perfumes, scented lotions, bright clothing, or sugary drinks can draw them in as they mistake these for potential food sources.
Accidental encounters are common during flight paths, as bees fly between flowers and their nests. A person might simply be in their established route. Scout bees might be exploring new areas for potential food sources or nesting sites. Bees can also be attracted to the salt in human sweat, particularly certain species like sweat bees.
Identifying the Type of Insect
Distinguishing bees from other stinging insects like wasps is important for understanding their behavior. Bees, including honeybees and bumblebees, have rounder, robust bodies covered in dense, fuzzy hair, which helps them collect pollen. Honeybees may have visible pollen sacs on their hind legs. Honeybees are often brownish or golden with black stripes, while bumblebees can have black and yellow, white, or orange hairs.
Wasps, like yellowjackets and hornets, have sleeker, smoother bodies with a narrow waist. Their coloration is often bright yellow and black. Yellowjackets can be aggressive, especially in late summer or fall when food sources dwindle, and are attracted to human food and trash. Unlike most bees, many wasps can sting multiple times.
Interpreting Bee Actions
When a bee flies around a person, its actions convey intentions. If a bee is hovering nearby or circling gently, it is engaged in exploratory behavior, investigating a scent, color, or assessing its surroundings. Bees have poor vision for large objects like humans, focusing primarily on flowers and food sources.
A bee might gently bump into you as a warning, especially if you are too close to its nest. This is a direct signal for you to move away before defensive measures escalate. While most bees are not aggressive, they become defensive if their hive or life is threatened. A loud, persistent buzz can also indicate it wants you to leave the area.
Safe Responses to Bees
When a bee flies near you, remain calm and avoid sudden movements. Swatting or flailing your arms can provoke the bee, causing it to perceive you as a threat and increase the likelihood of a sting. Instead, slowly move away. If a bee lands on you, it might be seeking moisture or salt from your sweat.
To avoid attracting bees, limit strong perfumes, sweet lotions, and bright clothing, as these mimic floral attractants. Do not leave sugary drinks or food uncovered outdoors.
Most bees sting only as a last resort. A honeybee dies after stinging due to its barbed stinger. Bumblebees and other bee species can sting multiple times but are generally docile unless provoked or their nest is disturbed.