FACTS
- Insect-related deaths were most commonly associated with three types of jobs: farming, construction, and landscaping.
- Bee, hornet and wasp stings can be deadly — and over a recent six-year period, those stings have killed more and more people.
- If a bee does sting someone, others should stay with the victim to make sure an allergic reaction doesn’t occur. The sting site should be washed with water and soap and the stinger should be removed — but a fingernail or gauze should be used, rather than squeezing or using tweezers.
STATS
- Bees were the most common insect involved, with 52 of the 83 fatal occupational injuries over the 2003–2010 period resulting from bee-related incidents. Eleven workers were killed in wasp-related incidents, including 3 incidents involving yellow jackets (which are a type of wasp). Fatal occupational injuries involving insects are often associated with anaphylactic shock. In total, 39 of the 83 case narratives noted the decedent suffered anaphylactic shock.
- During 2000–2017, a total of 1,109 deaths from hornet, wasp, and bee stings occurred, for an annual average of 62 deaths. Deaths ranged from a low of 43 in 2001 to a high of 89 in 2017. Approximately 80% of the deaths were among males.
- Up to about 100 people die in the U.S. each year from allergic reactions to insect stings, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.