Bee Stings

[jeff4051]

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.????

 

[Alabamaeee]

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.

 

[madasafish]

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.

 

[enrico]

A pair of wellies for Christmas!

 

[Dishmop]

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,

Some people never learn...

 

[iawtkb]

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!

 

[Dishmop]

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!

You need a kingspan insulated bee suit.

 

[Tremyfro]

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!

 

[OldJock]

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?

 

[BeeJayBee]

A pair of wellies for Christmas!

Woolly socks do sometimes attract bees, so best to keep your feet protected by wellies or boots that go at least up to your calf.

 

[jeff4051]

Apparently bees dont like black, I was wearing black socks and yes stung twice in same area, next time wellies, thanks for replies

 

[Hivemaker.]

Apparently bees dont like black,

Another myth, i find they take no notice of black clothing at all.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Another myth, i find they take no notice of black clothing at all.

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]

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!

Must be quite useful for fancy dress too

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Must be quite useful for fancy dress too

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

 

[Queen Brenda]

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.

 

[Tremyfro]

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.

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.

 

[peteinwilts]

Another myth, i find they take no notice of black clothing at all.

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.

 

[Hivemaker.]

not entirely convinced it is a myth.

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.

 

[madasafish]

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

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