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Bee flies inside man's bicycle helmet causing him to crash

Although it is unusual, it is not the first time we've reported on bee related accidents ...

A U.S cyclist was taken to hospital after he crashed when a bee flew inside his bicycle helmet and began stinging him.

The 73-year-old was cycling in Omaha, Nebraksa when the incident happened.  

He was riding along Highway 36 in northern Douglas County at around 09:30am in the morning when the bee started to sting him, News Channel Nebraska report

He lost control of his bike as a result but fortunately crashed off the side of the road rather than in front of a vehicle. 

Several people stopped to help the man while others directed traffic.

He was eventually taken to hospital with an injured shoulder and a dent in his helmet. 

Earlier this year in Spain, a cyclist tragically died after swallowing a bee mid ride. 

> Cyclist dies after swallowing bee 

His friends called paramedics who tried to help but were sadly unable to save the rider, despite making a number of efforts to resuscitate him.

> Video: Ouch! Mountain bikers attacked by swarm of bees

Bees can also be attracted by human sweat, and in 2017 we reported on how four mountain bikers taking part in a race near Granada in Spain's Andalucia region needed hospital treatment after they were attacked by a swarm of bees, with one of the riders stung 80 times, with the incident caught on video.

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19 comments

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jaymack | 3 years ago
1 like

Just wear a cap under your helmet...

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NPlus1Bikelights replied to jaymack | 3 years ago
0 likes

Caps, yes. Or, kids helmets tend to get a little netting on the front vents, maybe adult ones need this if there is any budget left after MIPs, LEDs and other features.

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Cbuddy | 3 years ago
0 likes

Here in texas all sorts of stinging meanies get in my jersey and sting me in the stomach.
Usually while descending.
Not on the head though. Ouch

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Smoggysteve | 3 years ago
0 likes

This happened to me last year. I rode through a swarm near a tree. 1 stung my head after getting stuck in my helmet. I stopped and removed the barb and carried on riding. Mainly cos I'm not a fanny

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RoubaixCube replied to Smoggysteve | 3 years ago
2 likes

Youre also not 73 too i assume.

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lesterama replied to RoubaixCube | 3 years ago
2 likes

Or anaphylactic

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grnbrg | 3 years ago
0 likes

Bees are less likely to sting you since it means they die. I've been stung twice by yellowjack wasps; both got stuck in my helmet. I was not wearing yellow at the time.

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Sriracha replied to grnbrg | 3 years ago
0 likes
grnbrg wrote:

Bees are less likely to sting you since it means they die.

Well, yes, as in it's a once-in-a-lifetime probability. However, I'm not sure that's a lesson any of them actually learns. It certainly came as news to those that stung me.

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Kerans | 3 years ago
0 likes

I had a bee fly (well, to be fair to the bee, I probably rode into the bee) into the straps of my helmet and it got caught in them just behind my ear - it didn't enjoy the experience and stung me on the ear, super painful!

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Sriracha | 3 years ago
1 like
Quote:

he crashed when a bee flew inside his bicycle helmet and began stinging him ... taken to hospital with an injured shoulder and a dent in his helmet.

Should keep the helmet row alive - helmet simultaneously causes crash and "saves a life."

Seriously folks, bug nets only seems to exist on low-rent helmets. I've never even seen a bug net, or its absence, figure in a road.cc helmet write-up.

I have a theory that the bugs love yellow - they certainly make a bee-line for my yellow parasol (and no, I don't ride with it). Which makes me wonder if day-glo yellow was such a wise choice for my helmet (which yes, I do ride with).

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mdavidford replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
4 likes

Must've been some bee to put a dent in a helmet.

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hawkinspeter replied to mdavidford | 3 years ago
6 likes

mdavidford wrote:

Must've been some bee to put a dent in a helmet.

Well, it was a USB

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Wingguy replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
0 likes

Sriracha wrote:

I have a theory that the bugs love yellow - they certainly make a bee-line for my yellow parasol (and no, I don't ride with it). Which makes me wonder if day-glo yellow was such a wise choice for my helmet (which yes, I do ride with).

Not all bugs see the same colours, let alone have preferences for them. Bee vision for instance uses different primary colours to human vision, so they don't perceive the same difference in colours as us, and are most strongly attracted to things that reflect strongly in the UV range. So whether or not they'll like your helmet probably depends on stuff you can't see anyway.

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Sriracha replied to Wingguy | 3 years ago
0 likes

You saying they can't see yellow, or that their "yellow" looks different to mine? Either way, they are disproportionately attracted to my yellow parasol - but maybe it's the smell? Don't think that my head smells like a yellow parasol however.

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hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

Twice I've had bees (or bee-like insects) fly into my helmet and neither time was I stung. The first time, I was able to quickly stop and remove the helmet to release the bee and the second time (probably a different bee now that I think about it) the bee managed to escape before I could do anything to help.

This is why we need to ensure that no helmets are un-bee-leave-able.

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mdavidford replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

probably a different bee now that I think about it

Bee B?

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hawkinspeter replied to mdavidford | 3 years ago
0 likes

mdavidford wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

probably a different bee now that I think about it

Bee B?

Maybee

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Numptonian replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
5 likes

Two bees or not two bees? (I'll get my coat.)

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hawkinspeter replied to Numptonian | 3 years ago
6 likes

I went into a pet shop the other day and asked to buy a bee. The shop-keep told me that he didn't sell bees. "Well, there's one in your window", I replied

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