In message <[log in to unmask]>, Vivian Donahue
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>  Bumblebees seem reluctant to sting,  and appear to do so only if
>they feel really threatened.
snip
>So I feel that it is best to treat
>bumblebees with respect as there are some people who have an allergy
>to bee venom that can lead to death even after just a single sting if
>not treated promptly.."
I have been called to advise when a child was stung and so long as they
kept away from the nest (a hole in the ground) they were fine. The
parents were happy with the solution and the reassurance. The child had
trodden on the hole! Another case was a man who actually blocked the
hole (also in the ground) with a stone and was attacked by the bees
which came back. They stopped doing this when he took my advice to
remove the stone!
--
James Kilty