Bee stings

[Simon111]

Morning guys!
As previously stated, I am a Newbie, waiting for contact from the Okehampton branch. I have not yet bought anything bee related as I feel I have a lot more learning to do.

I have a slight concern and wonder if anyone can advise. I have been hospitalised 3 times (since I have lived in Devon) with horsefly bites. Last year, I was stung for the first time in France by a wasp with little reaction. I seem to remember as a small child being stung by a bumblebee on my palm (I still have the scar). As yet, to my knowledge, I have not been stung by a honeybee and am concerned that I will layout loads of dosh to find I'm allergic to their stings.

Is this something my GP could help me with? Or should I go out and find a bee to sting me (not really wanting to take a little life)? Any ideas much apreciated.

Thanks,
Simon

 

[Black Comb]

The trainer at our association advocates you get stung at least once before you empty your bank account.

All at your own risk of course.

 

[BKF Admin]

I have read of a few beefarmers in the states who do desensitization with new employee's.

They numb the skin with an ice cube and then introduce a sting.
I am not saying its the way to go though !!

Were the horsefly bites hospital trips due to infection?
I got hit big time by horseflies a couple of years back,I still have the scars.

 

[Tom Bick]

Not able to advise if you should deliberately get stung by a bee.

For me it all depends where the sting is as to the reaction but from my memory of been stung with horseflys that was worse than any bee sting to date.

 

[Simon111]

Hi Admin,
Fortunately my kid needs regular injections so I have the magic freezing spray! Yes to horseflys, got infected, you could see the infection 'tracking' through my body. Last time had to have an operation on my neck to remove the infection. Am pumped with anti-biotics every 6 hrs for about 3 days. In recent years, even local farmers (who have been bitten all their lives) have got infections from horseflys. Have been Ok for the past 2 years, 3 years ago, I caught the little varmit who got me, took myself (and the horsefly) straight away to my GP's, got an injection and was not hospitalised, for some reason, he wasn't that interested in the bottled horsefly!

Whilst in hospital, I was amazed at the amount of people 'in' for bee and wasp stings!

Am off to catch a bee!

Simon

 

[Rosti]

I have read of a couple of accounts where seasonal honey harvest assitants in the US are shown how to 'self administer' stings to check reaction and build immunity in advance of harvesting. I would strongly suggest you find out. Most of the time your bees will behave and most of the rest of the time your suit will protect, but things dont always go to plan and you need to know. I was fully suited at the w/e and encountered a very aggressive reaction to an inspection, 150 plus stings on the suit (estimate) 8 of which got through (3 on the forehead at the hood contact point). That is not the time to discover you have a severe reaction

 

[Simon111]

Hi guys,
Thanks so far, just another important question I need to ask, do different genus have stronger and/or weaker venom?

Cheers,
Simon

 

[Rosti]

Sorry Simon, no knowledge in that area

 

[Tom Bick]

Hi guys,
Thanks so far, just another important question I need to ask, do different genus have stronger and/or weaker venom?

Cheers,
Simon

Dont know the answer to that Bcrazy may well know.

What I do know is try and get the sting out as soon as you get stung makes a big difference as the sting continues to pump venom into you for quite a good few minutes after.

Its best to scrape the sting out and try not to squash it as it can makes things worse.

 

[Peter Cox]

Morning guys!
As previously stated, I am a Newbie, waiting for contact from the Okehampton branch. I have not yet bought anything bee related as I feel I have a lot more learning to do.

I have a slight concern and wonder if anyone can advise. I have been hospitalised 3 times (since I have lived in Devon) with horsefly bites. Last year, I was stung for the first time in France by a wasp with little reaction. I seem to remember as a small child being stung by a bumblebee on my palm (I still have the scar). As yet, to my knowledge, I have not been stung by a honeybee and am concerned that I will layout loads of dosh to find I'm allergic to their stings.

Is this something my GP could help me with? Or should I go out and find a bee to sting me (not really wanting to take a little life)? Any ideas much apreciated.

Thanks,
Simon

An allergist should be able to test you for whatever you are allergic to and treat it.

I am in the US. Had bad reactions to black hornet stings and carried an epi pen for several years. Finally got tested and found I was allergic to stinging insects, hornets, yellow jackets (wasps) etc but not to honey bees. Went through a 12 monthe regime of a pair of venom injections every couple of weeks with the dosage being gradually increased. After a year stopped carrying the epi pen. Now 5 years later still get a pair of injections every 8 weeks, and will have to for ever presumably, but basically no longer have an issue - seems to be true as I have been stung several times by wasps and hornets in the last couple of years and have less of a reaction than I have to the numerous bee stings that I seem to get each year.

 

[Simon111]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for that!

This from the Apiservices website, removal either being scraping or pinching

http://www.apiservices.com/articles/us/bee_stings.htm

The method of removal does not affect the quantity of venom received by the subject. This result contrasts sharply with conventional advice regarding the immediate treatment of bee stings. Probably this advice derives from a misunderstanding of the structure and function of honey bee stings. The sting continues to inject venom, but it is a valve system, not contraction or compression of the venom sac (whose wall contains no muscle) which pumps the venom.

Regards,
Simon

 

[plumber]

Simon

ask your GP to have an IGE Specific Bee & Wasp test done
it's not conclusive but will pick up any adverse reaction

 

[Simon111]

Thanks Plumber,

Misses doesn't want me to kill a bee (although I said it's me or the bee). Do you know if I will have to pay for that?

Thanks,
Simon

 

[Rosti]

Simon get ready for a guilt trip! As a beek you will be doing more good than bad (hopefully) for bees!
Sometimes you will kill bees as a result of your manipulations / inspections - by removing and killing a queen, by crushing them as you disturb the hives etc. Your wife should think of the hive as the oragnism rather than the individual bees, the needs of the many outweigh ......... and all that, if not a murderer you will as a minimum be guilty of tactical man(bee?)slaughter

Just get stung and be done with it, she'll get over it!