Staying clear of our lively winged assailants isn’t always easy, but there are several steps you can take to minimize the chances that you will tangle with a stinging or biting insect.

Hot to Avoid Bee Stings

• Stay away from beehives and known nest. Call a beekeeper or the fire department if bees choose you immediate environment to form a colony.
• Have wasp, yellow jacket and hornet nests removed while they are still small enough to handle.
• Persons allergic, to insects should be wary of power mowing, hedge clipping, scything and the like.
• Avoid looking and smelling like a flower during bee sting season: avoid bright colored clothing. Light green, white, tan and khaki are the safest colors. Forswear perfumes and sweet smelling lotions, creams, shampoos and hairsprays if you plan to be outdoors.
• Don't wear floppy clothing, and do tie up long hair; both can entangle the stinging insects and anger them into doing their worst.
• Don't barefoot or wear sandals – the foot is vulnerable. Stay away from clover patches, flower gardens and other places where bees are busy.
• Keep an insecticide spray in the glove compartment of the car (along with the insect sting kit) for use if a bee flies in, a very common occurrence.
• If an attack seems imminent, do not swat at the bee or bees and do not flail you arms. Retreat slowly, keep calm and make no sudden movement. If retreat is impossible, lie down and cover your head with your arms.
• Be wary of garbage cans and rotting fruit under trees – favorite attractions for bees, wasps and yellow jackets.
• Discourage allergic youngster from eating sweets like Popsicles and ice cream cones and drinking soft drinks outdoors during warm month. They attract bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets.

How to Avoid Ant Stings

• Avoid anthills and mounds
• Keep arms, legs and feet covered since they are the areas most frequently stung.
• Do not leave food uncovered or uncontained within the house, since this is an open invitation to ants – even fire ants, which do not usually invade the house.
• Contact your USDA country extension agent for information on how best to destroy ant colonies in your areas.

How to Avoid Spider Bites

• To deprive spiders of hiding places, keep rubbish and dirt from accumulating in outbuildings and in the home area. Remove stacks of newspaper and piles of old clothing in basement and attics.
• Let light into dark areas as much as possible.
• Always wear gloves when handling old piles of scrap, lumber, rocks and so forth.
• Before using it, always shake out clothing or bedding that has remained undisturbed for any length of time.
• Frequently sweep or vacuum closets, corners and areas around water heaters.
• Destroy spiderwebs with a broom.
• Burn any nests of spider egg sacs you find.

Precautionary measures are especially worthwhile in areas in where children play, for youngsters are not only the most frequent victims of spider bites, they are also the most vulnerable to an Allergic Reaction.