Herbal Treatment for a Bee Sting

So, you've planted all those herbs designed to attract butterflies and provide you with spicy food and wonderful fragrances all summer. Suddenly, you discover a small problem. The plants you're worrying over and nurturing - literally on bended knee -- are also attracting bees and all manner of stinging pests.
If you invoke the ire of a bee, wasp, or yellow jacket and end up with a nasty stinger in your tender hide, there are some herbal remedies that can help.

First, if you aren't sure whether or not you're allergic to bee stings, watch for these symptoms and get emergency help right away if you start experiencing them.

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• An itchy, red rash that's larger in area than the sting itself
• Swelling. This can be in the area of the face, throat or mouth.
• Problems swallowing
• A drop in blood pressure
• Faintness or dizziness
• Rapid pulse

If you're on the receiving end of a bee sting and AREN'T allergic, try treating it with one of these handy home or herbal cures:

Note: Be sure to get the stinger out and wash the area with soap and water before applying a remedy.

• Apply a slice of fresh garlic to the sting and rub it back and forth slowly.

• Crush basil and apply a thin layer on the sting. You can do this with parsley, too.

• Make a paste of honey and granulated sugar and apply it to the sting. Repeat as needed.

• Place a thin slice of onion on the sting.

• At bedtime, try placing a dollop of toothpaste on the sting. It will help get you through the night.

• If you have a papaya lying around, the enzymes in a nice slice will help neutralize bee toxin.


• Slice an aloe vera leaf and add the gel to the sting.  Repeat as needed.

Most of these methods require a little time to work, at least 15 minutes and as much as an hour. Try applying them and then covering the affected area. If the discomfort returns after a while, reapply your remedy of choice.

If you are stung and it's not a life threatening situation, consider it a gardener's rite of passage.