Can I just ignore a bee sting?

You should not just ignore a bee sting, as even though most bee stings cause only local pain, redness, and swelling that resolve within hours to few days, ignoring it can lead to infection or missed allergic reaction that requires treatment, so basic first aid is recommended. After bee sting, you should remove stinger promptly by scraping with credit card or fingernail, not squeezing with tweezers as this can inject more venom, wash area with soap and water to prevent infection and remove alarm pheromone that attracts more bees, apply ice or cold compress to reduce pain and swelling, and take over the counter pain reliever or antihistamine if needed for itching. Monitor for signs of severe allergic reaction like difficulty breathing, swelling of face or throat, hives, dizziness, and rapid pulse, which indicate anaphylaxis requiring emergency medical attention and epinephrine, as ignoring these can be life threatening, especially for people with known allergy. Also monitor for signs of infection like increasing redness, warmth, pus, or fever in days after sting, as scratching can cause infection. If you have multiple stings, risk of severe reaction increases due to more venom. So while minor bee sting may heal on its own, you should not ignore it, perform basic first aid, monitor for allergic reaction and infection, and seek medical help if you have history of allergy, multiple stings, or symptoms worsen.