Apiary tool box

[drex]

Let's get this into perspective. There are 2-9 deaths per year from anaphylaxis from stings in the UK. Twice as many from wasp stings than bees.
In 2019 in the UK there were 1711 RTA fatalities.
Anaphylaxis rarely leads to death. Anaphylaxis itself is uncommon mostly from food.

 

[Antipodes]

just that Drex correctly points out that beekeepers seem to gravitate towards an epipen as the single solution when it's not

I'm not sure that I agree that there is any great enthusiasm amongst beekeepers towards EpiPens actually. If this post and reactions therein are an indication, the opposite is shown really. More like opposition than enthusiasm to be frank. Actually, studies seem to show that most beekeepers do not even know about an adrenaline auto-injector device. The study linked below showed about 62% didn't and another showed nearly 90% didn't. I don't think there needs to be any great concern that there will be a rush for them any time soon! The report assumed that the higher level of awareness in their report compared to an earlier one was "most probably due to education provided by the regional beekeepers' association, via regular meetings and periodicals".
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5931922/

 

[Antipodes]

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,
Do you know about Anapens? Higher quantity of active ingredient but I'm not sure that they are over the counter here in Aus. I've just checked my EpiPens and they are both 300 micrograms.
https://allergy250kteens.org.au/using-your-epipen-or-anapen/

 

[Erichalfbee]

Doesn't adrenaline last only 10/20 minutes no matter what the dose?

 

[Wilco]

Hi Wilco,
Do you know about Anapens? Higher quantity of active ingredient but I'm not sure that they are over the counter here in Aus. I've just checked my EpiPens and they are both 300 micrograms.
https://allergy250kteens.org.au/using-your-epipen-or-anapen/

The typical dose administered in a hospital in response to anaphylaxis starts at over three times that if I recall correctly.

 

[Antipodes]

I'm not sure. This story quotes some figures, but no mention of a hospital dose.
https://www.honeybeesuite.com/a-beekeepers-brush-with-disaster/

 

[Antipodes]

Doesn't adrenaline last only 10/20 minutes no matter what the dose?

It has a short half-life apparently.

https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00668

 

[drex]

Standard dose is 1mg, often given as repeated doses. In cardiac arrest situations may be injected straight into the heart. Usually IV or IM. Just as adrenaline boost is short lived in the fight or flight response, so it is when injected.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm not sure that I agree that there is any great enthusiasm amongst beekeepers towards EpiPens actually

I'd call it more of an obsession, plenty of threads/discussions on here over the years demonstrate that.
This one included

 

[Erichalfbee]

AND
Everyone should read this in the stickies

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/epipen.35338/

 

[Macbear]

Not having even a first aid certificate, my personal reaction is of wariness. Far better, for me, is to protect people from danger. Keep unnecessary visitors away from the apiary, swarm control as far as possible etc..

 

[Antipodes]

I'd call it more of an obsession, plenty of threads/discussions on here over the years demonstrate that.
This one included

I guess you could call it an anti EpiPen obsession, (mind you , I probably haven't seen the number of threads you have on it). From what I've seen on here I'd describe it as as more of a general opposition towards them, and those opinions are often quite strong. It's usually the same voices opposed to them mind you. This thread as an example.

 

[Antipodes]

Not having even a first aid certificate, my personal reaction is of wariness. Far better, for me, is to protect people from danger. Keep unnecessary visitors away from the apiary, swarm control as far as possible etc..

Yes. All those things too, but the death rate is very low.

 

[TonyC]

The advice from the immunotherapy clinic at Addenbrookes was, once stung, to immediately take 2 cetirizine which are antihistamine tablets. Normally people take 1 per day for hay fever etc. Only if that fails, then to use the epipens and get to A&E. I still do take the tablets if I get stung, and have never had to go further. Only had 1 sting this season so far, due to not zipping up correctly.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Because your original question is about tools and not any other bits and pieces, with the home apiary, it's usually just the hive tool and the smoker. Anything else I need I can get at fairly easily. Most stuff is in the beekeeping vehicle and there are many things in there ...probably dozens of different things, and I've used them all at some point in the apiaries. The further I need to travel, the more I tend to take, so it probably depends on how far away your out apiary is. At times I'll bring a chainsaw, a tent, sleeping/cooking gear and even a spare colony! Essentials down here include at least five litres of water in case of fire from the smoker and/or a small fire extinguisher. I also have two epipens, a roll of gaffer tape, a water spray bottle, a few newspapers, smoker fuel as well as bacterial disinfectant. Things like spare boxes and frames, excluders, split and demaree boards, floors and lids also are carried, but of course I'm getting out of a list of tools now and more into equipment. Things like a drill, a few drill bits, screw drivers, a sharp little knife, spare hive tool and a decent little pruning saw are always there.

Above is pretty much what each of our vehicles carries, apart from the chainsaw & tent.
When on a pollination run we sleep in the truck, it's quite surprising how comfy a Sprinter cab can be,
One across the seats & I'm usually on the floor in a sleeping bag.