Bees are very sensitive to the way people behave so if you act calmly rather than running around and slapping your hand around you are less likely to be stung or frighten a bee. However, the statement that bees can “smell fear” has been used in many cases and when taken literally is kind of silly. While smell does play a role in hive defense, the odor that the bees sense is not necessarily the “smell of fear” but the smell of something foreign that could possibly become a threat to the hive or the workers. Fear is defined as an emotion, an internal response that is generated by a being’s nervous system when it encounters a situation it perceives to be dangerous. The word smell however has been broadly defined in some cases as being a distinctive quality characterizing something.
It is very likely that the statement that animals or insects such as bees can “smell fear” developed from the idea that animals are able to sense if a nearby creature is acting strangely. As a result of an alarm response to this action, the bee uses pheromones to alert its members of the family group to the presence of an intruder or potential threat. In this manner, the “fear scent” produced by a honeybee worker does not provoke aggression by a predator; instead it functions to protect the hive and its other workers. The detection of a foreign odor by a honeybee worker may in fact be something that is enough to elicit an alarm secretion.
When this pheromone is released and the alarm excites other working bees in or near the hive, it attracts them to the source and thus, to the intruder. The secretion itself does not necessarily cause an attack however. The attack producing stimuli come from the intruder, whose behavior usually is what then guides the attack. It could be said then, that if an individual were to approach a bee hive, and his body odor since it is a foreign smell to the hive may sufficiently excite the bees, if the person than becomes afraid and begins to move about a lot, he is more likely to be attacked by bees.
Bob says
March 21, 2015 at 7:59 amMy dog ate a bee one time.
Bob-B says
November 14, 2015 at 2:59 amI never ate a bee.
Flying dog says
May 31, 2017 at 1:29 pmhahahah lol. my dog’s home is in the back of our house and 2nd floor but my maid feed him and he escaped jumped through the terreca and he didnt know that it is high (he is afraid of heights) so he is shivering, then i called my dad i just saw him fly unto the sky xD i was terrified that there is blood but then my brother come down and he saw OUR dog still WALKING omg thats the best dog xD
Lily says
September 23, 2016 at 7:10 amHumans do secrete a different sweat when scared which has a very different smell then sweat from exertion or heat. This should’ve been brought up that it could be a factor that animals CAN smell fear (in a way).
xxproreapsxx says
February 5, 2017 at 4:50 pmmy dad ate a bee one time
Bernice says
April 9, 2017 at 8:18 amI have a phobia of bees but seek to be their ally. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?
Matt says
May 25, 2017 at 12:39 pmStart slowly.. Go to a nice open field in the spring/summer and just watch them flying from flower to flower.. As you grow more comfortable start observing them more closely.. Until you are laying down with your face right in front of the flower they are collecting pollen from.. Try and get close enough that you can see the individual hairs on their body and the dense lumps of pollen on their legs.. Dont worry they are too busy to notice or care about your presence.. If you can find a bumblebee they are definitely the slowest and calmest.. If you succeed at getting this far the next step would be to find a local apiarist (beekeeper) and ask if they can show you their hives up close and personal.. Im sure they would be happy to help.. And finally if you are up for a real challenge eventually attempt feeding some bees barehanded.. Put some maple syrup or honey on your fingertip.. And slowly and calmly put your finger near the opening of their hive.. They will come out and take turns lapping up the sugary treats.. Which i find to be completely adorable.. Eventually though through slow exposure you should be able to beat your fears.. Hope this helps and you can eventually learn to appreciate the bees from up close.. ^.^
Kim says
August 14, 2017 at 12:30 amOk bees once chased me into a gas station after I started pumping gas. 3 times I was sitting at a red light and a bee came straight at me at my front window and the side window. And once I returned to my car only to find a dead squished bee on the driver’s seat. Am I releasing some kind of pheromone that says to the bee - attack?
Nico says
March 27, 2018 at 2:02 pmI’m so glad to hear there are other people out there who enjoy eating bees. For every meal, I eat a big bowl of bees with my aluminum spoon. I know that bees are going extinct, but I just can’t help myself! The little buggers’ stingers feel so amazing on my tongue and they’ve got a real nice crunch. Now I can see why bees are used to advertise honey products, such as Honey Nut Cheerios; they’re just so delicious! And to top it all off, eating bees is an excellent source of protein. I will never get tired of eating bees, and it makes me so happy to hear stories of other people eating bees. It makes feel like less of an outsider. 🙂