Overview of the Fear of Bees (Apiphobia)

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsBee StingsKiller BeesTreatment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Bee Stings

Killer Bees

Treatment

Known as apiphobia, the irrational fear of bees is arguably one of the most common specificanimal phobias. Like all phobias, the fear of bees may have many different causes. Some people develop a phobia after being stung or watching someone else get stung, but prior exposure is not necessary for the fear to occur.

Some people are highly allergic to bee stings. In people with an allergy, even a single sting could cause a dangerous anaphylactic reaction.

By definition, a phobia is irrational. For those who are allergic to bee stings, however, the fear is perfectly rational. If you are allergic to bees, then a fear of them is not necessarily considered a phobia.

Bees take on the role of villain in numerous films, but the popular media may be to blame for some cases of apiphobia. So-called Africanized bees developed when specially bred African bees, believed to produce more honey, were accidentally released in the 1950s. The African bees mated with other species of wild bees, producing a strain of Africanized bees that are more aggressive than the relatively docile European bees.

As the Africanized bees continue to spread across the world, the media reports on their progress, often greatly exaggerating their aggressive tendencies. The term “killer bees” is often used to describe this strain, even though they are responsible for only one or two deaths in the United States each year.

Bees are exceptionally common, making it very difficult to avoid them. Fortunately, like all phobias, the fear of bees generally responds well to a variety of brief therapy options. Of course, if you are allergic to bee stings, it is important to work with your physician to develop an appropriate plan to minimize your risks.

Behavioral Therapy and Other Treatment for Phobias

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Schönfelder ML, Bogner FX.Individual perception of bees: Between perceived danger and willingness to protect.PLoS ONE. 2017;12(6):e0180168. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180168American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Stinging insect allergy.Pucca MB, Cerni FA, Oliveira IS, et al.Bee updated: current knowledge on bee venom and bee envenoming therapy.Front Immunol. 2019;10:2090. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02090Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Schönfelder ML, Bogner FX.Individual perception of bees: Between perceived danger and willingness to protect.PLoS ONE. 2017;12(6):e0180168. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180168American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Stinging insect allergy.Pucca MB, Cerni FA, Oliveira IS, et al.Bee updated: current knowledge on bee venom and bee envenoming therapy.Front Immunol. 2019;10:2090. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02090Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Schönfelder ML, Bogner FX.Individual perception of bees: Between perceived danger and willingness to protect.PLoS ONE. 2017;12(6):e0180168. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180168American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Stinging insect allergy.Pucca MB, Cerni FA, Oliveira IS, et al.Bee updated: current knowledge on bee venom and bee envenoming therapy.Front Immunol. 2019;10:2090. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02090Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Schönfelder ML, Bogner FX.Individual perception of bees: Between perceived danger and willingness to protect.PLoS ONE. 2017;12(6):e0180168. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180168

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Stinging insect allergy.

Pucca MB, Cerni FA, Oliveira IS, et al.Bee updated: current knowledge on bee venom and bee envenoming therapy.Front Immunol. 2019;10:2090. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02090

Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

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