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jeff4051

jeff4051

House Bee
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
144
Reaction score
0
Location
swansea
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
2 plus 3 communities
Inspected 2nd hive last week ( New Swarm of 4 weeks ) stung on my ankle and bicepts thro suit. Unusually swollen and painful for 3-4 days. Inspected ist hive yesterday stung again thro sock on ankle, ankle very swollen and painful, the original sting on ankle is painful from last week and my bicept sting is swollen again from last week. Is this normal??? time of year??? or r they a bit more potent. I am ok normally.????
 
IMO stings are more painful and the venom more potent at this time of year. Maybe it's because the oldest bees with most venom are bored at home with the end of the recent flow :)

My worst ever scenario occurred last week with a particularly aggressive hive which needs sorted out. I had 10 stings in an area of about half an inch on one forearm which caused some local swelling, the first reaction I have ever experienced. Lets hope it was simply the concentration of venom in the one place and not a changing reaction to stings in general.
 
Stings through clothing risk the injection of minute quantities of cloth complete with germs into the wound, thus exacerbating any reaction.

Factor in duration of sting, age of bees, your own health and any medication and there are too many variables to pinpoint any cause - in my opinion.
 
stung on my ankle and bicepts thro suit. Unusually swollen and painful for 3-4 days. Inspected ist hive yesterday stung again thro sock on ankle,
Click to expand...

Some people never learn...
 
Whilst I am not allergic (th), I do react quite badly. One sting earlier on in the summer on my upper arm was so swollen and sore meant I could not wear any clothing except pyjamas for almost a week.

I was unlucky enough to get 10+ stings a few weeks ago. All on my legs.

Hardly any swelling, but itchy beyond description!
 
iawtkb said:
Whilst I am not allergic (th), I do react quite badly. One sting earlier on in the summer on my upper arm was so swollen and sore meant I could not wear any clothing except pyjamas for almost a week.

I was unlucky enough to get 10+ stings a few weeks ago. All on my legs.

Hardly any swelling, but itchy beyond description!
Click to expand...

You need a kingspan insulated bee suit.
 
I got stung yesterday whilst clearing bees off the empty cleaned frames we were roaming...my fault as caught a bee in my hand while holding the bee brush. Right ion the inside of a finger joint. No swelling just a little itchy so far. Holding a hot cup of tea against the finger has got rid of the itch now. My OH has been on tea duty! I can't remember who said on the forum about heat taking away the itchiness....but thank you from the bottom of my heart!
 
Well, if the itching is the problem rather than the swelling then... (provided you don't fall asleep from it) you could try Piriton or Piriteze?
 
Apparently bees dont like black, I was wearing black socks and yes stung twice in same area, next time wellies, thanks for replies
 
Hivemaker. said:
Another myth, i find they take no notice of black clothing at all.
Click to expand...

That's lucky then - I find I have a wardrobe full of navy or black gardening clothes thanks to all the changes my mob have seen the last few years!
 
Erichalfbee said:
Must be quite useful for fancy dress too :)
Click to expand...

well, have to keep SWMBO happy - she did love the gold braid that I wore in a 'former life' she was always nagging me to get a posting in Cyprus so that I could have been issued with my tropical whites!! not many people around with a piece of paper which proves officially I'm an officer and a gentleman:D
 
I am a nurse practitioner in general practice, also beekeeper in spite of experiences at work with bee stings in other people! I react quite badly to stings and at Easter received a sting to the Lt side of face that closed my eye and the whole side of face swelled up hugely, however, not allergic. I keep piriton (chlorpheniramine) in my bee box and will take it immediately if stung again. Piriton is very fast-acting, more so than the more modern, daily antihistamines normally taken for hay fever etc. you take it 4 hourly and it really helps with bad local reactions, swelling, itching etc. also hydrocortisone cream thinly to the area likely to help. Stings near bone ie ankle, more painful for some reason.
 
Queen Brenda said:
I am a nurse practitioner in general practice, also beekeeper in spite of experiences at work with bee stings in other people! I react quite badly to stings and at Easter received a sting to the Lt side of face that closed my eye and the whole side of face swelled up hugely, however, not allergic. I keep piriton (chlorpheniramine) in my bee box and will take it immediately if stung again. Piriton is very fast-acting, more so than the more modern, daily antihistamines normally taken for hay fever etc. you take it 4 hourly and it really helps with bad local reactions, swelling, itching etc. also hydrocortisone cream thinly to the area likely to help. Stings near bone ie ankle, more painful for some reason.
Click to expand...
I already take daily cetirizine hydrochloride for allergies. I think that helps me avoid the swelling etc but not the itching...but the hot water/ heat application takes care of that. If in an awkward place...use a hair dryer.
 
Hivemaker. said:
Another myth, i find they take no notice of black clothing at all.
Click to expand...

not entirely convinced it is a myth.

My gloves had small black labels on. The labels are shredded as they have been attacked so many times, whilst leaving the rest of the glove alone.

I forgot my hive opening tool. I had a black handled scraper in the car (only used on frames), so used that. They went balmy attacking the handle.

I was going to take a photograph of something on a frame. I took my black phone out of my pocket and they attacked it.

There are other explanations that could satisfy their dislikes (i.e. the phone), but am sure 'if' the bees are a little tetchy due to the weather or whatever, and they are on a heightened sense of guard, they take a particular dislike to black.
 
peteinwilts said:
not entirely convinced it is a myth.
Click to expand...

I am... i work on bees all year round, from inspections, splitting,shaking out, blowing them out of honey supers, winter checks, etc, wearing just leather moccasins, black jeans and dark colored shirt, often black as well, and have no problems with bees attacking the black clothing. Also seen plenty of monks working with bees dressed in black, they don't seem to have much of a problem either.
 
jenkinsbrynmair said:
well, have to keep SWMBO happy - she did love the gold braid that I wore in a 'former life' she was always nagging me to get a posting in Cyprus so that I could have been issued with my tropical whites!! not many people around with a piece of paper which proves officially I'm an officer and a gentleman:D
Click to expand...

I don't need a piece of paper to prove I am one...:sunning:
 
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