Am I just unlucky?

[SumpNut]

Just the bees????

Now you mention it....

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I’m a complete newbie but I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited a number of local apiaries and been ‘shown the ropes’ by a few different beekeepers.

I’ve been really enjoying it and am looking forward to getting my first colony. However......on each occasion that I’ve been around bees I seem to get far more ‘attention’ than others in the group. I look around at others and they might have the odd bee hovering around them.....while I’ve got bees bouncing off my veil and constantly pinging against my hands.

My bee suit is new and I’ve not washed it yet. I’ve tried having a shower before I visit an apiary without using any soap/shampoo. I’ve been avoiding using any deodorant/aftershave. I’m very calm in the apiary and make slow movements.....I’m really struggling to work out why they’re taking offence at me in particular.

I was with a group of four at an apiary today and we opened a particularly hostile colony.....the bees really went after me and followed me quite a way from the apiary. I even had to wander away from the other guys to allow them to get their bee suits off as I still had bees swarming all around me. Any advice greatly appreciated!

One newbie I knew used to spray bee repellent over herself after donning her bee kit. Seemed a bit overkill but it worked for her. Apifuge if memory serves correctly.

 

[Earthboy]

Hope the repellent was not the now-banned butyric acid (artificial almond extract). That repellent will usher in an uninvited celibacy from your spouse for a week ;0

 

[Exedchef]

Hope the repellent was not the now-banned butyric acid (artificial almond extract). That repellent will usher in an uninvited celibacy from your spouse for a week ;0

This forum is a treasure-trove of useful and unexpected information !

 

[Erichalfbee]

This forum is a treasure-trove of useful and unexpected information !

Certainly unexpected

 

[Antipodes]

Hope the repellent was not the now-banned butyric acid (artificial almond extract). That repellent will usher in an uninvited celibacy from your spouse for a week ;0

Did you mean butyric acid? I think of benzaldeheyde as the artificial almond extract.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This forum is a treasure-trove of useful and unexpected information !

Certainly unexpected

And sometimes totally useless

 

[Beegarden]

Do224 I tend to get stung occasionally on the hands only, well currently - obviously my fault (except when I rushed out one day between showers without checking the zips properly I reacted badly the first time I was stung on the hand and bought Bite Away from Amazon; its a pen-sized tool which zaps the sting and denatures the protein, either reducing pain and swelling or stopping it straight away. The pad is placed on the sting and the area is heated intensely for 6 seconds. It mustn't be used on the face unfortunately. As many have said, feeling safe leads to confidence. Although bees don't have ear drums as such, I sometimes talk gently to my bees whilst I am working; it helps me concentrate. Good luck, and confidence will come with experience.

 

[Earthboy]

Though unintentional, I get stung quite a few times throughout the year, especially when I do cutouts. I believe over protection and not getting stung enough regularly will cause more issues for me more than anything else. Sure, I still feel the electric jolt, lasting about two minutes, but I do not swell. Since I started using latex gloves under Covid, I now seldom get stung. Now that worries me.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Since I started using latex gloves under Covid, I now seldom get stung. Now that worries me.

So take them off ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Have a guess what worries me

 

[Norton Caff]

I use black gloves with no problem.

 

[Do224]

Though unintentional, I get stung quite a few times throughout the year, especially when I do cutouts. I believe over protection and not getting stung enough regularly will cause more issues for me more than anything else. Sure, I still feel the electric jolt, lasting about two minutes, but I do not swell. Since I started using latex gloves under Covid, I now seldom get stung. Now that worries me.

I’m not sure what you mean.....you want to get stung more?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m not sure what you mean.....you want to get stung more?

 

[Do224]

That’s interesting, thanks. I had no idea that was the case.....I actually thought the opposite was true.

A beekeeper once told me that if you get stung too many times over a period of years then the toxins build up in your body and eventually you can’t tolerate it anymore and start to have bad reactions to stings. Is this a load of rubbish?

 

[Erichalfbee]

That’s interesting, thanks. I had no idea that was the case.....I actually thought the opposite was true.

A beekeeper once told me that if you get stung too many times over a period of years then the toxins build up in your body and eventually you can’t tolerate it anymore and start to have bad reactions to stings. Is this a load of rubbish?

I have no idea really. I guess all of us are a sting away from anaphylaxis

 

[Swarm]

That’s interesting, thanks. I had no idea that was the case.....I actually thought the opposite was true.

A beekeeper once told me that if you get stung too many times over a period of years then the toxins build up in your body and eventually you can’t tolerate it anymore and start to have bad reactions to stings. Is this a load of rubbish?

No, it's not rubbish.

 

[rook66]

And sometimes totally useless

https://images.app.goo.gl/n5kSovf2XmYyyW2B7