Table 8 Activities at risk for Hymenoptera stings and behaviors to adopt
Examples of activities | Preventive actions |
|---|---|
Eating and drinking outdoors | Keep food covered and drinks closed until consumption; avoid cooking outdoors; keep the waste tightly closed, clean the edges of bins and spray them with insecticide |
Barefoot walking (especially on meadows and beaches) | Wear closed shoes; avoid sudden movements if approached by a honeybee or a wasp |
Gardening (particularly cutting hedges or flowers) | Wear gloves and pay attention to the use of electric mowers, which could inadvertently disturb or break hidden nests |
Fruit-picking; staying close to the hives when honey is collected | Stay away from hedges, orchards, and vineyards; keep an insecticide in the car; beekeepers must employ protective measures (e.g., coveralls, masks, shoes) |
Outdoor sports | Avoid brightly colored or black clothes, colognes, hair lotions and perfumed cosmetics, as they attract insects; do not wear shorts, low-cut dresses, unbuttoned shirts and clothes that can trap insects; try not to carry out recreational or work activities in the open air alone |
Removing vespid nests (from ceiling or windows) | Provide the house windows with mosquito nets; entrust the cleaning of any honeybee hives or nests in the house or nearby to specialized personnel |