Usually, most bugs are harmless to swallow. But when it comes to bees, the situation is the opposite. Certainly, this six legs critter is an amazing gift of nature. Bees are marvelous, a source of pollination, and of course, honey is the best food ever. Yet swallowing a bee is horrifying. Because it can sting in your throat and cause serious health hazards.
What happens if you swallow a bee? Nothing serious will happen if you swallow a dead bee or a drone. But it could be dangerous if you swallow a live bee. Because it might sting in your throat and cause swelling, blockage, and a life-threatening situation.
In many cultures, bugs and bees are used as food but are not very inviting. However, there are a lot of risks in swallowing a live bee, and this situation becomes worse for the bee allergens. Be careful if a bee stings your throat, nose, and mouth, it could be an emergency whether you have an allergy or not.
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What Happens If You Swallow A Bee Accidentally
In summer, many people get stung by honey bees and wasps and some of them even swallow a few flying creatures just like a bee. Is it safe to swallow a bee? Will it hurt your stomach?
Mostly, swallowing a small fly or insect is not a cause of much worry.
But it could be harmful if you swallow a honey bee. It can cause allergic reactions if its stinger stings you or get stuck in your throat or enters your windpipe. You can experience difficulty in breathing, swallowing, pain, and swelling.
Be alert, it could be an emergency if you have severe swelling, choking, and some other serious symptoms.
What Happens If You Eat A Bee
Normally, eating a bug is icky but not a matter of high concern. However, the insects that can bite or sting can be harmful if eaten or swallowed.
Similarly, eating a drone bee is not much harmful because it doesn’t sting. But if you swallow a worker bee, fire ant, hornet, or wasp it can bite in your mouth or throat, causing pain and swelling in that specific area.
After swallowing, it will pass down in your stomach and is digested with other food just like you digest a tuna fish. However, in some rare cases, eating a flying insect or bee can transmit severe infection and leads to bloody diarrhea.
What Happens If You Eat Beeswax
Bees use beeswax to produce honeycomb, an incredible work of little architects. We eat honey but can we eat the waxy rooms in which honey is made?
You can eat beeswax but in very small amounts. It’s not poisonous. Beeswax is the best natural chewing gum. But if you eat and swallow beeswax in large amounts it can block your intestine and can cause serious health hazards.
You can eat the whole honeycomb because it is packed with nutrients and vitamins.
What Happens If A Bee Stings You In The Throat
Can swallowing a bee kill you?
Yes, swallowing a bee can kill you if it stings your throat, especially if you have an insect allergy. It can cause swelling, and pain in the affected area. Excessive swelling can block the air passage, and result in difficulty in swallowing, choking, and even death.
Be wary, call 911, or go to the emergency room if a bee stings in the throat, nose, or mouth area.
What Happens If You Eat A Live Bee
What to do after swallowing a bee?
Bees are nasty but edible in many cultures, though mature bees do not taste good.
Swallowing or eating a live bee could be dangerous. It can sting or enter the delicate parts of your throat, and nose causing severe swelling. It can also enter the trachea while blocking the airway, and could be fatal.
Never try to swallow live bees for the sake of fun, or whatever your intention is because it can risk your life.
What Happens If You Swallow A Bee Stinger
A teen happened to swallow a bee accidentally and its sting got stuck in her epiglottis. She complained of intense pain in her throat and left ear, and severe swelling. She was admitted to the hospital and the stinger was removed successfully.
It could be dangerous if you swallow a bee stinger. It can get stuck in your throat, epiglottis, or trachea and could be riskier. It can inject venom that can lead to life-threatening situations.
However, swallowing a stinger can be hazardous if a person has allergic reactions to a bee sting. It can result in dizziness, a sudden drop in blood pressure, cardiac arrest, swelling in the mouth, and blockage of the windpipe.
Can A Bug Survive In Your Throat
Certainly, bugs are gross, yet benign if swallowed. Here comes a question, can a bug survive in your throat?
Yes, a bug can survive in your throat and it can move around in your nasal cavity. In some cases, coughing can expel the bug. But if the bug moves down below the vocal cards, it can also block the airway and pose a serious threat.
Generally, taking more liquid (coca-cola) and consuming spicy food can move the bug down in your stomach. Where it can be digested and absorbed within 1-2 days.
Last Lines
In short, it could be dangerous if you swallow a bee, hornet, or wasp. As it can bite in your throat, and get stuck in the epiglottis or trachea causing difficulty in swallowing and breathing, pain, drop in blood pressure, and swelling.
Moreover, many people have allergies to certain insects, their sting, and particularly proteins in arthropods. In this case, swallowing or eating a bee could be fatal if it bites or stings an allergic person.
Go to emergency or call 911 if someone swallows a bee, wasp, and other venomous insects. Because it could put your life at risk.