Apiary tool box

[BeeKeyPlayer]

My most useful thing is a can of fabispray ( liquid smoke) if a hive ' boils ' out if the top one squirt and they go back in so that I can simply close them up.if the smoker goes out on the last frame it is easier to use a squirt of it. It rarely gets used but boy does it work well when needed.

I can't see Fabispray available anywhere now. Do you know of a retailer, or an alternative to Fabispray?

 

[enrico]

I can't see Fabispray available anywhere now. Do you know of a retailer, or an alternative to Fabispray?

No, nor can I , I used to get it from Maisemore but it seems to be have been replaced by apifuge which I presume is similar.

 

[drex]

Make tentative diagnosis. Dial 999. Remove from danger, basic first aid, epipen ( only got one? Might need a second dose after 15 mins). Sublingual anti histamine. And that is only part of it. How many people carry 2 epipens, intravenous steroids , oxygen, intravenous fluids( looks like help would take time to arrive) . I know I am being a bit pedantic but epipens are not the last word

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How many people carry 2 epipens,

SWMBO doesn't - and she's the one proven to be allergic to bee stings!

 

[Antipodes]

A retired doctor here. When will you lot get your heads round the fact that epipens are not the be all and end all to allergic reactions. They are just one tool in the box. In 40 years in medicine I have only had to use adrenaline a handful of times in "allergic " situations.

It's about increasing the chances of survival Drex (which they will do in most cases). I can't see anyone saying they "are the bee all and end all to allergic reactions"....but yes, one tool in the tool box.
I carry two but am about to get my third, as one has expired. These are not just to hopefully help me survive if I suffer an anaphylactic reaction, but for my wife too who helps at times in the field. As we know, family members of beekeepers have a higher rate of anaphylactic reactions to bee stings as they are breathing in the dust brought into the home from dried sting venom on clothes, hair, beards, skin etc.

 

[ericbeaumont]

my lost Jero's at the last hive. Even though this was not gold

A Jero is almost gold! Since Park closed last year they're NLA in the UK and are made of the very best quality steel; Jero are a Portugese knife manufacturer. Park poly nucs were also made in Portugal in a joint production deal: National+Lang configuration for the UK, Lang for the EU; just slide out or add the end walls.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

A Jero is almost gold!

I agree! I got family members in the EU to buy some for me. Because they have hand luggage when they visit, carrying them on the plane is not an option. So they post them at considerable expense.

Somehow I still managed to lose a couple. I'm going to try using a lanyard in future.

Maybe we should nudge a UK retailer to become an agent for Jero?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe we should nudge a UK retailer to become an agent for Jero?

you can get them on Amazoon - bit pricey for a bog standard hive tool with heirs and graces

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

you can get them on Amazoon - bit pricey for a bog standard hive tool with heirs and graces

Oh my goodness. They weren't available last time I looked and that price is silly, even compared to my convoluted importing.

It has no 'heirs' and is peerless. I've used lots of hive tools and (as I sing at the hives) nothing compares, Nothing compares to you

 

[Mint Bee]

Oh my goodness. They weren't available last time I looked and that price is silly, even compared to my convoluted importing.

It has no 'heirs' and is peerless. I've used lots of hive tools and (as I sing at the hives) nothing compares, Nothing compares to you

Amazon one is a US import, so even more convoluted than your previous route . 9ish Euros plus posting direct from Portugal

 

[Wilco]

Make tentative diagnosis. Dial 999. Remove from danger, basic first aid, epipen ( only got one? Might need a second dose after 15 mins). Sublingual anti histamine. And that is only part of it. How many people carry 2 epipens, intravenous steroids , oxygen, intravenous fluids( looks like help would take time to arrive) . I know I am being a bit pedantic but epipens are not the last word

Agree.

Chlorphenamine is very underrated. If people are worried about reactions, start with carrying that. Epi pens don't contain enough adrenaline anyway- if wanting to cover that base people should be carrying syringes and vials of the stuff.

 

[Antipodes]

Agree.

Chlorphenamine is very underrated. If people are worried about reactions, start with carrying that. Epi pens don't contain enough adrenaline anyway- if wanting to cover that base people should be carrying syringes and vials of the stuff.

Hi Wilco,
Here is the salutary report from the Coroners Court.
I summoned up the courage to read it, it's quite upsetting, but have a look particularly at paragraphs 57, 58 and 59. Within those paragraphs are sections of the report from the experienced medical practitioner attached to the Court. The Coroner makes recommendations at paragraphs 115 to 119. I've done a couple of general first aid courses here where I was instructed as to their use (dummy pens provided).
Hopefully given the recommendations in the report, other lives will be saved in the future.
https://www.magistratescourt.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/615399/Bryers,-Wallace-Edgar.pdf

 

[ericbeaumont]

bit pricey for a bog standard hive tool

Looks ordinary but the tool is light & the blade thin because the steel is good; others are like chisels and lead to clumsy beekeeping.

Randy Oliver agrees: I especially like the Jero brand 7-1/2″ hive tool for summer work when you don’t need a lot of leverage to break the propolis; I use a 10″ tool when it’s cooler. Caution–Jero’s come really sharp. They seem to be available in all corners of the world except the UK.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Looks ordinary but the tool is light & the blade thin because the steel is good; others are like chisels and lead to clumsy beekeeping.

Strong slim sharp and shiny

 

[ericbeaumont]

9ish Euros plus posting direct from Portugal

Afraid not: I went through the usual tedious form-filling to establish delivery, and whaddya know: they'll deliver anywhere in Europe except dear old Brexitshire.

Had the same problem with genuine Land Rover brake light units that are NLA in the UK. Found the last pair on earth on a German parts website that wouldn't deliver to the UK, so I sent them to my neighbour Viktor's Munich parents, and he brought them back after Christmas and dropped them off today; I thanked him thoroughly with four jars of honey.

To paraphrase George V: B***** Brexit!

 

[Wilco]

Hi Wilco,
Here is the salutary report from the Coroners Court.
I summoned up the courage to read it, it's quite upsetting, but have a look particularly at paragraphs 57, 58 and 59. Within those paragraphs are sections of the report from the experienced medical practitioner attached to the Court. The Coroner makes recommendations at paragraphs 115 to 119. I've done a couple of general first aid courses here where I was instructed as to their use (dummy pens provided).
Hopefully given the recommendations in the report, other lives will be saved in the future.
https://www.magistratescourt.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/615399/Bryers,-Wallace-Edgar.pdf

Sorry to hear you found it upsetting. It struck me as interesting- especially intrigued as it looked like there was a chance the chap had been getting paid work whilst signed off sick although that's irrelevant to the rest of it.

I agree with most of the points, the fact of the matter though is that most UK beekeepers will struggle to get hold of an epipen. I'm not sure if it's still the case but a couple of years ago they were also low on stock so only those with confirmed allergies were given them and even then they were being rationed from what I heard. Typically where adrenaline is needed, a significantly higher dose than contained in an epipen (or even two epipens) is needed. As such, if beekeepers are worried about giving adrenaline, carrying vials of adrenaline plus syringes and being trained how to use them makes more sense if you're pursuing the 'cover all bases' approach. What's worth remembering is that @drex made the point that the epipen is but one of several steps and is not the be all and end all of surviving such a reaction. The coroner themselves pointed out that adrenaline might have increased chances of survival but would not have guaranteed it.

Given difficulties in obtaining epipens in the UK, the very low number of deaths from stings and the ease of access to other options (such as chlorphenamine - "piriton" - which combats the underlying cause of the anaphylaxis which is massive histamine release through mast cell degranulation), I tend to agree with @drex.

 

[Antipodes]

The coroner themselves pointed out that adrenaline might have increased chances of survival but would not have guaranteed it

Thanks for giving it consideration Wilco.
What the Coroner said wasn't that it might have increased his chances of survival but that , " I cannot make a precise finding that the administration of adrenaline to Mr Bryers via an EpiPen would have saved his life, but I am satisfied it would have increased his chances of survival if administered within 30 minutes".
And at paragraph 116, "It is clear from the report of Dr Bell that the administration of adrenaline within 30 minutes of an anaphylactic reaction increases an individual’s chance of survival".
It's fine to make the point that "it's not the be all and end all" but in my view it's about increasing the chances of survival, and EpiPens appear certainly to be a reasonable tool in the beekeeper's first aid kit.
I know I won't change your mind or others and I'm ok with that. I'm surprised to hear the issues there with getting the EpiPens and I'm not sure about chlorphenamine that you refer to. Looking into it however, I'm reassured about the epinephrine in the EpiPen. Epinephrine is the only effective treatment for anaphylaxis - Harvard Health

 

[Wilco]

Thanks for giving it consideration Wilco.
What the Coroner said wasn't that it might have increased his chances of survival but that , " I cannot make a precise finding that the administration of adrenaline to Mr Bryers via an EpiPen would have saved his life, but I am satisfied it would have increased his chances of survival if administered within 30 minutes".
And at paragraph 116, "It is clear from the report of Dr Bell that the administration of adrenaline within 30 minutes of an anaphylactic reaction increases an individual’s chance of survival".
It's fine to make the point that "it's not the be all and end all" but in my view it's about increasing the chances of survival, and EpiPens appear certainly to be a reasonable tool in the beekeeper's first aid kit.
I know I won't change your mind or others and I'm ok with that. I'm surprised to hear the issues there with getting the EpiPens and I'm not sure about chlorphenamine that you refer to. Looking into it however, I'm reassured about the epinephrine in the EpiPen. Epinephrine is the only effective treatment for anaphylaxis - Harvard Health

Chlorphenamine is an antihistamine which is readily available without prescription, the trade name is Piriton but there are generic versions.

It's not that I disagree that epipens are useful, just that Drex correctly points out that beekeepers seem to gravitate towards an epipen as the single solution when it's not. Given the difficulties getting them over here, it makes sense to consider the rest of the points made by the coroner and by Drex.

The article is interesting although I would argue that chlorphenamine should be part of the first line of treatment- even given before adrenaline in some cases if a sting is received.

 

[Mint Bee]

Afraid not: I went through the usual tedious form-filling to establish delivery, and whaddya know: they'll deliver anywhere in Europe except dear old Brexitshire.

Had the same problem with genuine Land Rover brake light units that are NLA in the UK. Found the last pair on earth on a German parts website that wouldn't deliver to the UK, so I sent them to my neighbour Viktor's Munich parents, and he brought them back after Christmas and dropped them off today; I thanked him thoroughly with four jars of honey.

To paraphrase George V: B***** Brexit!

the gift that keeps on giving

 

[Swarm]

Chlorphenamine is an antihistamine which is readily available without prescription, the trade name is Piriton but there are generic versions.

It's not that I disagree that epipens are useful, just that Drex correctly points out that beekeepers seem to gravitate towards an epipen as the single solution when it's not. Given the difficulties getting them over here, it makes sense to consider the rest of the points made by the coroner and by Drex.

The article is interesting although I would argue that chlorphenamine should be part of the first line of treatment- even given before adrenaline in some cases if a sting is received.

My friend and my daughter had Epipens prescribed after bad reactions. Hospitalisation in both cases with drips etc.
My daughter stayed away from the bees afterwards, whereas my friend has continued beekeeping with Epipens, years after. He has been stung since the incident and to be honest, I get worse reactions.