Top 10 Ways to Avoid Bee Stings

While it doesn't take any rocket science to prevent getting stung by bees, there are some simple ways by which you could avoid getting stung. Here is a list of ways to avoid bee stings.
The Top Ten
1 Never try to swat a honeybee

Bees are generally passive unless annoyed or threatened, and usually only sting in self-defense.

2 Smell horrible

Bees like flowers that smell nice. You stink, they fly away.

3 Wear camouflaging clothes

Not necessarily the ones used by the military, bees have poor eyesight and mostly won't be able to spot you wearing light colours in the day and dark colours at night.

4 Wear a hat

Bees are in a heightened state of readiness when they are close to hair or fur. They have been proven to have a lower threshold for stinging people with hats.

5 Never mow the lawn

The low buzzing of motorized garden tools can agitate swarms, hives or colonies. Just manually trim all the grass instead.

6 Keep your shoes on

Particularly avoid walking barefoot over lawns that contain blooming clover, which bees love.

7 If a bee head-butts you, move quickly in the opposite direction

Sentry bees patrolling the edges of the hive's territory do this to warn off invaders.

8 Try to stay indoors until sunset

Bees generally sleep after dark.

9 If a bee lands on you, hold still

Pretend you're a statue. Rapid movement startles the bee and encourages stinging.

10 Be very careful with food while outside

Items like soda cans are notorious: Bees climb in unobserved, and are frightened into stinging when the child drinks. Something as small as a forgotten raspberry jam stain on a sweater can be a problem.

The Contenders
11 Never go outside again
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