The unexpected creature most likely to put Australians in hospital

Bees have killed almost as many Australians as snakes and have put almost twice as many victims in hospital, a study has shown.

On Wednesday, Victorian gardener Steven Tingate, 27, was killed by bee stings while working on a farm associated with the Royal Mail Hotel.

A co-worker administered first aid, but Mr Tingate could not be saved.

Melbourne University researchers, who conducted a study into Australia's venomous creatures released this year, said bee stings were dangerous for many due to anaphylaxis.

Their research found that in the 13 years to 2013, snakes, including the eastern brown and red-bellied black, had killed the most people and bites resulted in 6,123 hospitalisations.

But the study showed bee stings kill almost as many people as snakes and end in twice as many hospital trips.

Bees killed 24 Australians over the 13 years and led 12,351 to seek medical treatment. Two deaths from hornets and wasps were also recorded.

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The study, released in January, showed spiders killed no one from 2000 until 2013 and bites resulted in 11,994 hospitalisations.

Ticks and ants had killed five people, and marine animals caused three deaths.

The study, which was Australia's first into venomous bites and stings, also showed over half of the deaths occurred at home.

Western Australia and South Australia recorded the highest number of fatal stings and bites in the 13 years.

Researchers believe bee stings were some of the most dangerous due to anaphylaxis and victims being "complacent" in seeking treatment.

“Bees are a ubiquitous creature that we are accustomed to seeing. Perhaps it’s because bees are so innocuous that most people don’t really fear them in the same way they fear snakes,” Dr Ronelle Welton, a public health expert with the Australian Venom Research Unit at the University of Melbourne’s Department of Pharmacology, said.

“Without having a previous history of allergy, you might get bitten and although nothing happens the first time, you’ve still developed an allergic sensitivity.

"We need to understand why people are dying from bee sting anaphylaxis at home.”