You got stung where?!?!

Great article by one of my favorite science writers out there, Ed Yong (@edyong209): The Worst Places To Get Stung By A Bee: Nostril, Lip, Penis.

Yep you read that right! Rob, please keep this in mind if you ever think inspecting the hives in the buff is a good idea.

Some of my favorite quotes from Ed’s piece:

“It started when a honeybee flew up Michael Smith’s shorts and stung him in the testicles.”

“Some locations required the use of a mirror and an erect posture during stinging (e.g., buttocks),” he wrote. If you are chuckling at the image of a man twisting around in front of a mirror to apply an agitated bee to his butt, I assure you that you are not alone.”

About getting stung in the nose: “It’s electric and pulsating,” he Smith. “Especially the nose. Your body really reacts. You’re sneezing and wheezing and snot is just dribbling out. Getting stung in the nose is a whole-body experience.”... “But if you’re stung in the nose and penis, you’re going to want more stings to the penis over the nose, if you’re forced to choose.”

For those who want to see the actual paper:

Smith ML. (2014) Honey bee sting pain index by body location. PeerJ 2:e338

One comment

  • Dr T

    I know someone who got stung on her lady hive, or pikachu–whatever you want to call it. How does that compare to getting stung in other places?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *