What to Do If You Get Stung by a Bee While Clearing Graves Early for Chuseok?

Beware of Bee Stings During Beolcho!

Mowing work.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] What should you do if you get stung by a bee while performing beolcho (grass cutting around graves)?

Most beolcho is done from the 15th day of the 7th lunar month (Baekjung) until before Chuseok.

Between July and September, when beolcho is performed, the rising temperatures increase bee activity, and due to the life cycle of hornets, their population rapidly grows, so caution is needed to prevent bee sting accidents.

According to statistics from the Fire Agency, a total of 16,751 people were transported to hospitals due to bee sting accidents over three years from 2017, with an average of 5,584 people transported annually.

Also, 75.7% of accidents occurred between July and September, coinciding with increased outdoor activities.

Among 31 patients who died from bee stings, 26 died during this period, and 10 people died from beolcho work before Chuseok, accounting for 32.3%.

Dr. Bae Byung-gwan, head of the Regional Emergency Medical Center at Daedong Hospital, said, “From now until late September, not only beolcho but also hiking and outdoor activities increase the risk of bee sting accidents, so vigilance is necessary,” adding, “It is advisable to familiarize yourself with prevention and emergency response methods for bee sting accidents in advance.”

If stung by a bee, symptoms can range from mild pain, swelling, and itching at the site to life-threatening emergencies.

If stung, first move to a safe place away from bees and check if the bee stinger is embedded in the skin.

If the stinger is visible in the skin, use a credit card or similar object to scrape it off parallel to the skin.

At this time, avoid using fingers or tweezers to grasp the tip of the stinger, as this can cause the remaining venom inside the stinger to enter the body.

After removing the stinger, wash the area thoroughly with running water and apply an ice pack to reduce swelling.

If severe swelling, paleness, itching, vomiting, cold sweat, difficulty breathing, convulsions, or loss of consciousness occur after a bee sting, immediately call 119 for help and promptly visit a medical institution.

When going for beolcho, wear long sleeves, long pants, and a wide-brimmed hat to cover the skin as much as possible, and wear light-colored clothing.

Avoid strongly scented cosmetics that may attract bees and refrain from sweet drinks.

Hornets commonly found near graves tend to build nests in empty underground spaces, so vibrations from weed trimmers or footsteps increase the likelihood of attacks.

To reduce the chance of bee attacks, check the area around the grave for beehives before starting beolcho.

If hornets are found, there is a high possibility of a beehive nearby, and if small clumps of soil are piled in front of a small hole, there may be a Vespa mandarinia (giant hornet) nest.

If a beehive is found, report it to 119 to have it safely removed before performing beolcho.

Dr. Bae said, “During beolcho, besides bee stings, there is also a risk of snake bites, weed trimmer cuts, stone splashes, and autumn infectious diseases such as hemorrhagic fever,” adding, “It is best to check the terrain in advance to prepare for possible accidents, take care of your health, and perform beolcho with two or more people.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.