As if Hurricane Helene wasn't devastating enough with the flooding and destruction it has also resulted in another unwanted factor. After the damage caused by Hurricane Helene North Carolina is facing another unpleasant circumstance, increased bee stings. Although the two things seem unrelated there is a direct correlation between the wrecking Hurricane Helene has caused and the increased amount of bee stings residents are facing.
Hurricane Helene And Bee Stings, What's The Connection?
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Although bees may not be the first thing on your mind after surviving a hurricane they are also affected. While people were losing their homes and animals were being trapped in shelters, the bees were also suffering. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee were the states that were mainly impacted by Hurricane Helene.
In those states the hurricane brought both intense rainfall and damaging wind. Suggest.com shares "The Category 4 cyclone uprooted trees and transformed the landscape, impacting human communities, wildlife populations, and insects." Something many people may not know is that "North Carolina boasts a substantial bee population."
In fact, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation shares that "North Carolina has more than 500 native bee species." While that amount of bees "greatly benefits ecosystems, biodiversity, and agriculture" the bees have been uprooted. The devastating effects of the hurricane have disturbed many nests and beehives, leading to more defensive behaviors from the bees.
Therefore, the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene has led the bees to be more agitated, thus leading to more bee stings.
Why This Could Be An Issue
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While the destruction of beehives is bad for the environment and our overall ecosystem, the angered insects also pose another threat; allergic reactions. The Boston Children's Hospital shares that "about 2 million people in the United States are allergic to bee stings." In severe cases of the allergy, this can lead to anaphylactic shock.
Now, with homes destroyed many do not have access to their medical equipment or medicine, including Epipens. Furthermore, with hundreds of agitated bees on the loose, their chances of getting stung just dramatically increased. Luckily, people are jumping in to help.
"District Relief, a humanitarian aid organization, has provided care centers in North Carolina with over 2,000 Epipen shots to address the potential risks of bee stings" according to Suggest. While there have been no recorded deaths during Hurricane Helene that are due to bee stings, experts still want to be prepared.
Pharmacies are stocking up and people are on high alert. Beekeepers say that "experiencing more than a dozen stings can lead to a buildup of venom in the body" this can result in severe illness. Best wishes to those affected by Hurricane Helene, as they battle floods, loss, and now the threat of bee stings.
