Bees in Joshua Tree- Just a Little Peace and Privacy, Bees! 🐝

I drink a lot of water when I hike. Dehydration ain’t no joke! When I plan hikes, I scout restrooms on the park map before I get there. I want to know how far I’ll be from a proper facility. By “proper”, I mean something I can sit on to do my business and some form of privacy. Emphasis on privacy. Unfortunately, I learned a long time ago you can’t get too picky where you pee in National Parks. These days, I’m good with flush or non-flush, sink or no sink, and I’ll even roll with no roll. (I carry a mini roll of toilet paper in my backpack just in case.) And even though I’m not a fan, I made peace with pit toilets. That is, until I found myself facing a hostile takeover of the thrones in May of 2024. Enemy: bees in Joshua Tree National Park. (Before anyone starts excoriating me here, keep reading until the end.)

We weren’t in the park for very long on our first day before I had to go. (That’s the downside of 4 cups of coffee.) I rushed to the nearest pit. As I walked up, I noticed there were insects crowded around the door. So, what? Minor distraction. Insects aren’t unusual around park restrooms. (Get used to it.) I didn’t notice until I was about to sit down that the insects weren’t common flies. They were bees. A lot of bees. I got nervous, because unlike flies, they appeared unwilling to vacate- even temporarily. Then I noticed a mass of bees huddled in the corner and another buzzing around the door. More were filtering through the crack underneath. I had unwittingly crossed enemy lines. “Oh, crap!” Literally, that’s what I said aloud. How appropriate.

Bee Alert!

I’ve never seen bees like that in a park restroom, and I wanted to turn tail and bolt! Instead, I risked shooing them away, closed my eyes, dropped my pants, and made the quickest business deal in history. I bypassed toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Don’t even ask what I did after that! With eyes still closed, I ran quickly out the door to warn my husband. He wasn’t deterred from going in, but found out quickly I was not exaggerating. Miraculously, neither of us were stung. (Again, keep reading, bee lovers.)

Whew! It was over. We went on about our day and quickly put the bees out of mind. Just an isolated incident. Except it wasn’t. It was the same at every pit toilet in Joshua Tree for two days. What the heck was going on? I mean, it’s unnerving enough thinking you’ll fall into the pit. (Yeah, that’s a paranoia I still have to this day.) I don’t need to worry about bees, too!

After awhile, I hatched a plan. Insect repellent. Not to spray on me. To spray the air before I walked in! A preemptive strike. Maybe that would drive them away long enough for me to get in and out unscathed. Being a responsible park-goer though, I knew my tactic would be frowned upon by park officials- an environmental code of ethics broken. I didn’t want that on my conscience! Also, I was pretty sure it was the dumbest strategy ever. I accepted defeat and suffered a ride back to the visitor center to use an honest-to-God restroom. Some things aren’t worth the psychological stress.

Bee Warned!

I don’t tell this story to discourage you from visiting Joshua Tree National Park. I would go back to Joshua Tree in a heartbeat- bees or no bees. Rather, it’s a warning for people who genuinely have health concerns when it comes to bee stings. I learned the bees in Joshua Tree were honeybees, which aren’t thought to be threats to humans. They generally sting only when their hives are disrupted. So, unless there’s a hive in or around the restroom, you’re probably safe. Still, people who are allergic to insect stings should be aware there are no convenient medical facilities within the park, and you can’t count on getting to a ranger quickly, either. We only saw one ranger roaming the park in two days.

Here are some tips to reduce the risk of being stung by bees while in Joshua Tree (allegedly):

• Don’t make yourself smell like a flower. Do you really need that Bath & Body Works “Covered in Roses” while you’re in a park?
• Bright colors attract bees, but red seems to be a color they are not drawn toward. So, maybe stick with neutrals or red. (I have not tested this theory, but believe me, I will.)
• Don’t start waving your arms to shoo bees away. (Like I did.) That can cause them to feel threatened and react by stinging.
• Don’t keep open food around. (This shouldn’t be happening in a pit toilet anyway. Who’s sitting on a pit toilet eating a sandwich? Gross.)

What If You Get Stung by a Bee in Joshua Tree?

• Try to remove the stinger as soon as possible. You can scrape the edge of a credit card across the stinger to dislodge it. Be careful not to pinch the venom sac, or you will release even more venom. (You can find several YouTube videos on how to do this.) The best thing to do is seek immediate medical attention for proper removal and treatment.
• If you know you’re allergic to insect stings, you should already have an emergency plan. If not, get one from your doctor before you leave home.
• If you have any physical symptoms, you should (as soon as possible)
  • get to a ranger station/visitor center,
  • an urgent care clinic,
  • a hospital,
  • or call 911.

You may need emergency assistance! Better to be safe than sorry. I scout urgent care clinics/hospitals before I travel. You should too, especially if you have known medical conditions. As of 2024, there were multiple urgent care clinics in Joshua Tree National Park gateway cities.

Hopefully, the bees in Joshua Tree aren’t an issue while you’re there. Just be aware you may find yourself sharing a restroom with a pesky crowd. Keep calm. Like my husband says, “Honey, they’re just bees.”

*You can read about the 2024 bee situation and the science behind it on the park’s Instagram post below.