Study shows bees cause most deaths

Bees and other insects are the biggest public health threat in Australia when it comes to deadly bites and stings, according to new research.

Allergic reactions to bites and stings accounted for more than half of all deaths from a venomous creature from 2000 to 2013, researchers from the University of Melbourne’s Australian Venom Research Unit said.

The study, which looked at 42,000 hospital admissions, showed bees and wasps were responsible for 33 per cent of the total hospital admissions, followed by spider bites at 30 per cent and snake bites at 15 per cent.

“Australia has an international reputation for being the epicentre of all things venomous.

“Yet until now, there has been a real lack of data about where venomous injuries occur, the reasons why they happen and what happens after a person is bitten,’’ lead researcher Ronelle Welton said.

In all, 64 people were killed by a venomous sting or bite from 2000 to 2013 other deadly attackers including ants and box jellyfish.

None of the spider bites resulted to hospitalisation fatalities, the study said.

In 2016, a man died from a red back spider bite, the first fatality in 30 years, but this was outside the study period.