Hobbies And Interests
Bee Stings
If you are allergic to bee stings, even just one sting can be fatal. That's why it's very important to keep an Epi-Pen on hand if you've been diagnosed with the allergy, in case you do get stung. However, anyone can have a severe reaction to bee stings, depending on the number of stings and the location of the bites. Bee stings on the neck and head can be the most dangerous, but wherever the sting hits, you should pull out the stinger if it's still in the skin.
Dangerous Around Children
Because most children haven't yet been diagnosed with a bee sting allergy, if you have a bee nest in your yard in an area where children tend to congregate, you should spray some insecticide. Bee stings hurt, even if you're not allergic to them, and can instill a fear of insects in children.
Changes to Native Plant Species
When bumblebees shift from one continent to another, the effects on native plants can be significant. In Australia, European bumblebees were introduced in 1992 to the island of Tasmania. If they happened to spread to Australia, for example, some of the weeds in the genus Solanum could spread throughout Australia. Many of these weeds are toxic to livestock.
Interaction Between Exotic and Native Bees
According to the Australian Native Bee Research Centre, if the bees from Tasmania made it to the mainland, they would have several key differences with the indigenous Australian bees. First, bumblebees store food away, but Australian bees do not. If a drought came, the bumblebees would thrive. Bumblebees also have a longer flight range, about 2.5 miles, compared to their Australian native counterparts, so they can out-forage the competition. Over time, the Australian species would not thrive.