Badly stung today

[HoopersHouse]

I've just been pruning (with hand tools) a few feet away from my 2 hives when I started to feel stinging. Before I knew it I had bees stinging me all over.

As I was only pruning, I didn't have my bee suit on. I ran quickly up the garden brushing the bees off as best I could. They followed me all the way to the house which is around 200 feet away from the hives.

I now have around 50 stings up my legs and arms so am sitting in the house smothered in anti-histamine cream.

I'm feeling really upset, in pain and petrified to go near the hives again.

Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this?

Should I get my bee suit on as soon as the pain stops and get myself down the garden to the hives (will they remember me & attack) or should I give up keeping bees? Was I just being dumb as a newbie, getting over confident near the hives?

The 2 hives in question have been calm on inspections. One is queenless which I added a frame of eggs to yesterday and the other one has a queen which I marked yesterday. Would this have any bearing on what happened today or was I just too close, making too much noise, did a bee get caught on my leggings causing it to sting?

Any advice welcome, please be kind if I've been really foolish.

 

[theeggman]

What colours were you wearing?
How far from the hives?
Were you in a flight path to forage source?
Were you wearing a perfume?

All the above could trigger the bees to sting even when normally calm.
I was following a swarm, from my hives, down across the field when they started attacking me, I was wearing a black fleece top.

Have a bath or shower before going near the bees again to remove the sting pheromones. Good luck.

 

[JWF]

I think it's easy to get a little blase around the hives if they're generally well natured. But every hive can have a bad day for a number of reasons, though I'd suggestvthat 50 stings is unusually bad.

Here are a few things that might make them grumpier than usual :

June gap - lack of nectar will make them more defensive than normal
Stormy weather
Bumping or knocking the hive whilst cutting the bushes
Standing in the flight path and getting a bee or bees tangled in your hair/clothes
Strong perfume (I've not experienced this myself but apparently it can happen)

If you do go back up today, make sure you're well washed and wearing different clothes, so that there is no odour of stings left on you.

It would be interesting to see what response you get from your colonies next time you go up.

Hope you recover quickly from your experience.

 

[enrico]

Bees dislike the smell of cut foliage but not so much as to attack you in this way. Anything could have been a contributory factor, being queenless won't have helped. It sounds as though the bees are in your garden. If they are going to make you that uneasy then it is going to be difficult for you to go near them again without worrying.
It may never happen again but you will always think it might. You need an area set aside for your bees with high fences that you have to enter. An area that needs little maintenance and any you need to do you do in a bee suit.
If your confidence is seriously knocked like this then it is difficult to get it back again. If they make you not want to go in your garden then you need to seriously think how you are going to cope with it.
Bees in gardens don't really go unless like me you have an acre!!
Hope you feel better soon
E

 

[Chris-W]

Today's a thundery day. Did you have a thunderstorm go through or nearby. My lot become incredibly cranky when thunder is within 50 miles. If you have had then combine that with one lot being queenless and you being nearby could send them over the edge.

I have certainly been chased away one one similar day by a hive that is always 'no gloves' when doing nothing but peering at them from 2m.

Stick with it. Understanding Bee psychology is part of the joy of it. (Honest!)

 

[HoopersHouse]

Thanks for replying so quickly Tim, think you can feel my despair.

I was probably 2-3 feet away from the queenless hive entrance so yes I could have been in their flight path although when I've been watching they usually come out, up & fly off the opposite way but maybe today that wasn't the case. I also had dark blue leggings on, so sounds like that didn't help either.

I have to say, it's knocked my confidence now....big time.

 

[madasafish]

Sorry to hear that.

A queenless hive can be grumpy, and that can be exacerbated by bad weather, end of a nectar flow etc etc.

Don't give up ..hopefully it's only a once off incident..

 

[enrico]

Thanks for replying so quickly Tim, think you can feel my despair.

I was probably 2-3 feet away from the queenless hive entrance so yes I could have been in their flight path although when I've been watching they usually come out, up & fly off the opposite way but maybe today that wasn't the case. I also had dark blue leggings on, so sounds like that didn't help either.

I have to say, it's knocked my confidence now....big time.

Even I wouldn't cut foliage two feet away from the hive entrance without keeping one eye on them. If you were in a flight path it takes seconds to get fifty bees on you......maybe a lesson learned..,.
E

 

[Beefriendly]

I've just been pruning (with hand tools) a few feet away from my 2 hives when I started to feel stinging. Before I knew it I had bees stinging me all over..

You were probably within the defensive perimeter of the guard bees. Distance varies....worst ones attack as you enter apiary.
A few stings and the alarm pheromone attracts more, it's an escalation.
Was there thundery weather in your area? That can cause this sort of behaviour...as can lack of nectar flow.
Pour large scotch/ G&T or whatever your poison is. Tomorrow (if weather good) go back in bee suit...bet you don't even notice their previous "bad" behaviour.
And yes 50+stings hurts like hell...I have the T shirt. I always (despite my gentle bees) wear a suit when doing gardening close to hives.

 

[Swarm]

An ex SBI, now sadly departed once told me 'working around he hives, put a suit on, regardless.'

 

[HoopersHouse]

Thanks all for your quick responses.

Sounds like a huge case of inexperience on my part....am feeling very stupid.

We're on half acre of land so thought we'd have enough room for a couple of hives in the garden, we do have the hives fenced off......so why was I there without my suit on...won't be doing that again!!

Don't want to give up keeping bees as I've been really enjoying it (until today) but this has just knocked sideways.

Thanks everyone for your advice and encouragement.

 

[Swarm]

My reply didn't contain much sympathy, I apologise. It is probably a combination of factors, you'd been in the day before so in that case cover up, their memories probably reach that far
Don't go rushing to go back in, you must have a reason to after all but put some layers on under your suit just to regain your confidence.
Hope the pain eases soon.

 

[theeggman]

Sounds like a huge case of inexperience on my part....am feeling very stupid.

Don't want to give up keeping bees as I've been really enjoying it (until today) but this has just knocked sideways.

You've had a steep learning curve, DON'T give up, If you repeat it then you are s****d, one mistake is a learning experience repeating it is not a good idea.

 

[Beefriendly]

...so why was I there without my suit on...won't be doing that again!!

Don't want to give up keeping bees.

Don't give up beekeeping, just remember to wear suit. ...If most on here where honest we all have done similar stupid things......
One of mine (there are several) was a particularly vicious hive of local mongrels that I was trying to find the queen to RIP. Impossible, couldn't even see out of my veil there were so many bees clinging to it...just had to leave and get out of apiary.....Long long walk to get rid of them...realised I hadn't put supers/roof etc back on...
Went back to rebuild hive....and suddenly found bees stinging my face/neck/head....I'd forgotten to zip veil back up.... Panicked, fastest 100m's I've ever done. Lost my glasses as tore them off whilst tearing bees away. Got in car and drove off just to get away...ran over and smashed my glasses....as I found out next day when I went back....and yes I found the queen and the sound of ecstasy as I despached her could be heard throughout the three shires of Yorkshire.

 

[MartinL]

a few feet away from my 2 hives

I didn't have my bee suit on. .

They say, confidence comes before a fall!

I now have around 50 stings up my legs and arms .

1 sting will encourage them to sting close to the same spot within a very short time frame. You'll then have, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 etc

I'm feeling really upset, in pain and petrified to go near the hives again..

You shouldn't be upset or worried about going to the hives again. However, the pain is justified and the appropriate price of experience you have now gained. This will help you to remember the experience for years to come.

Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this?.

Is it normal for bees to sting something disturbing the very near environment? Yes.
Is it normal for a beekeeper to be creating a disturbance whilst very close to their hives without PPE?
Probably not
and to do the same thing a second time?
Very unlikely to be normal practice!

Should I get my bee suit on as soon as the pain stops and get myself down the garden to the hives (will they remember me & attack) or should I give up keeping bees?.

NO!
Why would anyone but a complete fool, want to approach an already angry hive covered in sting hormones?

Was I just being dumb as a newbie, getting over confident near the hives?.

Yes

or was I just too close,
making too much noise,
I've been really foolish.

We've all done it (just that some of us chose not to admit to it).

P.S.
I always find the itching is far worse than the pain of the initial sting.

I have to say, it's knocked my confidence now....big time.

I shouldn't do.

Yes, you've been a bit of a prize plonker
but it'll be something to get a laugh out of everyone you tell the story to and I doubt it is something you're likely to do again before you sink into altzimic oblivion!

+ When you're surrounded by onlookers collecting your next swarm, you can say (quite truthfully);

"well the most stings I've ever had in one go was. . . . ."

 

[Millet]

A good lesson learned and look on the bright side regardless of the pain you are still alive, like mentioned go near the hive tomorrow and they will most likely be like pussy cat kittens, don't let it knock your confidence either just take things nice and easy and nice and slow till you get back into the swing of things.
Good Luck.. not that you will need it.

 

[enrico]

The good thing is you didn't see it coming, wait until you knock one hive over and it falls on two more and they all fall over. There is about five seconds before all hell breaks loose. I would have welcomed
only 50 stings and that was with a bee suit on! Yepp! We have all done something stupid.
From what you have said you have done the right thing with your hives in the garden so put this one down to experience. I too was a bit hard with my first post. But it will take bravery on your part to meet your bees again so go in with a bomb proof suit and show them who is boss!
Chin up
E

 

[user 6228]

Things to learn, treat any hive that has gone through a major transition as though you havent met them before.
And any colony you have not met before as potentially hostile.

 

[Beefriendly]

Things to learn, treat any hive that has gone through a major transition as though you havent met them before.
And any colony you have not met before as potentially hostile.

Jaaaysus Derek...easier to say just put a bee suit on when you do any work near bee hives.
KIS

 

[ShinySideUp]

No, don't give up

I did this a few weeks ago while well away from the bees and minding my own business and had the same initial response as you -- petrol, revenge, give it up, stupid hobby, ------- ungrateful bees etc. etc.

A few weeks on though my bees have calmed down, I am more respectful of their bad moods (which don't last). I bought a bug bat (one of those electric things) and when I go anywhere within ten yards of the hives (for gardening purposes) I take it with me and woe betide any bee that comes after me. If I'm cutting the grass anywhere near the hives then it's bee suit time. Watch the weather, any sign of thunder (even undetected by you) and they turn into bees from hell.

Remember, they are insects afterall, they have no allegiance to you the beekeeper, you are just another menace. The fact that you provide them with a home, feed them in the winter and generally look after their well-being means less than nothing to them. For you they are a means to an end be it honey or a self-satisfaction that you are doing something for nature, for them it's their life, it's what they do.

You have learned a valuable lesson, the bees have learned nothing and they never will. They cannot be trained, tamed, or befriended, respect what they are and what they do and take your enjoyment from this fascinating hobby but, like motor-cycle racing or sky-diving, there are risks and those risks have to weighed against what you get out of it.

Give it a couple of weeks and your anger/disappointment will wane and you will be a lot more careful and start to enjoy what you are doing with the bees once more -- until you get stung again (and you will be).

Take some time out from them, it will be good for you and for them (not, I expect, that you care much what they want at the moment ).

I hope this helps.

BeeSting by gorgon703, on Flickr