Apiphobia, excessive fear of bees, wasps and bumble bees

Many people have an excessive fear of bees, wasps and bumblebees, and this is not a rarity, it happens more often than you might think. This fear comes at the thought of being stung by these insects. So, if your dream is to have your own hive to make your own honey or you like the countryside and you live with someone who suffers from apiphobia, you have a problem.

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1. Normal reactions to stings

We have all been bitten by insects as children. The most frequent are probably mosquitoes, and some of us have been stung by wasps. A certain fear of being bitten is also quite normal, as it is part of our survival instinct. Beekeepers have been and continue to be stung by bees. However, they have lost their fear of bee stings or are used to them.

However, whether you are used to it or not, bee stings or any other insect stings create respect. If what they create in you is an excessive fear, you get completely upset and your heart rate shoots up, it is a clear sign that you suffer from apiphobia.

2. Where does the word apiphobia come from?

The word apiphobia and its synonyms melisophobia is the exaggerated fear of bees. This term comes from the combination of two Greek words “apis” and “phobos”. Therefore, its meaning is phobia of bees, as well as melisophobia, phobia of honey bees.

a) Symptoms of suffering from apiphobia

Some of the symptoms of suffering from apiphobia are the following:

• Just the thought of bees makes you anxious.
• Crossing paths with a bee, wasp or bumblebee creates panic.
• Total avoidance of areas where they think a bee might be.

b) Causes of apiphobia

The degree of intensity of this fear of these insects varies from person to person depending on several factors. In addition, each person may react differently depending on their personality and life experiences.

Among the causes of apiphobia, the following are the most important:

• Genetics: Some research has found indications that genetics may influence the development of apiphobia. Therefore, if your parents have suffered from it, it is more likely that a family member will also develop it.
• Transmission of fear through adults: Parental overprotection against bee stings can lead to children overestimating the harm of bee stings.
• Exaggerated or fabricated stories: The media, fake videos, legends in some regions of the world, can cause many people to have a misconception of reality and this can lead to apiphobia.

3. Is fear of bees irrational?

Fear of insect stings is common, as they can cause great pain and even death. However, most insect stings in Spain only cause some pain unless you are allergic, in which case the problem can be very serious. In addition, recovery from these stings usually lasts a day at most. Although most stings do not cause great pain, it is also normal to want to protect yourself from them.

If you suffer from apiphobia, here are some things you can do to get rid of your fear.

a) Get informed

Knowing the insects, knowing the consequences of their sting, the reasons for their defence, etc. will give you more knowledge and therefore you will know the effects of the sting and how to avoid being stung.

b) Therapies against fear

Excessive fear can also be treated with therapies so that your brain does not start to think in an irrational way.

In short, apiphobia is an excessive fear of being stung by bees, wasps and bumblebees. However, if you want to become a beekeeper or learn more about bees and the world of honey, don’t despair, this phobia can be cured with these tips or by asking for help from a professional.

4. How to get rid of wasps?

Wasps are very annoying insects both for beekeepers and for other people. In the case of beekeepers, they do not like wasps as they feed on the hive’s own honey. Wasps also feed on the larvae and pupae in the hive, as they are a source of protein. For the rest of us, wasps are unwanted because of their annoying stings, which are often painful and in the case of some people, can be fatal for those allergic to stings.

Back to beekeeping. Wasps attack bees in order to enter the hive. However, if the hive is healthy, this will not be a big problem, as the bees themselves will avoid their entry. However, in the case of weakened hives, wasps can cause considerable damage to the hive once inside.

The first thing a beekeeper can do to limit the attack of these insects is to reduce the size of the entrance to the hive, as the bees are smaller in size. However, if this is not enough, there are other methods to fight wasps. These methods are also useful for use in houses or gardens where there is an overpopulation of wasps.

The methods we recommend are as follows:

a) Searching for wasps’ paper nests

If you look for wasp nests and eliminate them, you will be able to get rid of these insects. You should not start this search at the end of the summer, you can start it at the beginning of the summer. At this time the nests will be small, but you will prevent them from growing and the problem from becoming bigger in the following months.

a) Wasp trap

This trap that you can make by yourself is very simple, quick to make and also very ecological and sustainable. In addition, we will avoid using insecticides that damage the environment.

These traps should be used in summer, as the wasps are hibernating in winter. In winter they hibernate in tree holes and on the ground. When the good weather arrives, the queen wasps leave their nest and prepare a new nest for the breeding of a few wasps, which then reproduce until a larger colony of wasps is formed.

At the beginning of the summer, not many wasps have yet emerged and are unlikely to be a nuisance. However, it is only at the end of the summer that the colony is numerous and the wasp nests are of considerable size. The nests have been there since the beginning of spring, but it is at the end of summer that they are already of considerable size and are more easily found.

• How to make one?

There are many traps to catch wasps and other insects. In our case we recommend using a two-litre plastic bottle from a soft drink or water bottle. In this way we also give these bottles two lives and it is a way of recycling. Milk cartons are also very good as traps. In addition, we will take advantage of the hole where the milk comes out.

In the case of soft drink bottles or similar, cut off the top. Then pour the mixture inside. Finally, we will place the cut part upside down. The aim is for them to fit through the tube.

These pots should be placed in different places where we know that wasps pass through. We should also bear in mind that they are not very pretty, so placing them a bit hidden is a good idea.

Likewise, we have to check them weekly. In case we have insects inside, we should remove them. Likewise, we should refresh the juice inside them to cool them down and make them attractive to wasps again.

• Best baits to attract wasps

To prepare a good juice that attracts wasps and not bees, we must use the following ingredients. Vinegar, sugar and banana. Mix these ingredients together and our juice is ready. Also, on the internet or on the recommendation of other beekeepers, you can find other very interesting juices. However, this juice will not give unpleasant smells.

5. Role of wasps and other insects

The extermination of all wasps and other insects is not a good option. For we have to take into account that wasps also have a fundamental role in nature. These insects also help to control pests and environmental problems.

In short, controlling wasps in the right way is something natural and something we can do. In the case of beekeepers, to defend their hives and make their honey business profitable. In the case of the rest of the people, so that we can enjoy the environment and not find ourselves in an extreme case with taking someone to hospital because of a wasp sting.

Source:

Carolinahoneybees honey blog