Bees with different stings?

[Zante]

Last week I was stung on the thigh, just above the knee, and the whole leg got swollen, and it was fairly painful to bend it for a couple of days. By far the worst reaction i ever had, but had no problem anywhere but on my leg, so I wasn't too concerned (I did have it checked after a day of it not getting better though).

Today I got stung a few times (yeah, I have to do something about it, they are becoming quite stroppy). Twice on the same leg, more or less in the same place as last week, and three times on my right hand.
One of the stings on the right hand is on the tip of my middle finger and only that sting is reacting in the same way as last week's leg. This time I had an appropriate cream, and applied it sooner.

So, is it reasonable to assume that I have a group of bees (possibly daughters of the same drone) that have a more powerful sting, or a sting to which I react more badly than others?

 

[Finman]

.
Such explanation does not help, because you will get all kind of stings.
What ever then they are.

Perhaps your thousers have old sting smell, because another bee hit into same place.

 

[Bakerbee]

I dont react well to stings. Sometimes really swollen for a week sometimes hardly anything. I think its the dose of sting your bee gets into you that makes the difference snd the body part thats stung to a lesser extent. We sll know if you squeeze a stinger it gives more of a dose than scrapping the stinger out. I got stung through my gauntlet yesterday and its hardly reacted. Is this because it had a hell of a time getting through the thick cotton into my skin so it could only give a teeny dose, i think probably. Compared to a direct sting onto skin where the dose must be larger.

 

[Millet]

The older workers/guard bees have full strength venom glads, the nurse bees are not so advanced, if you manage to get stung from both on different occasions that might be why you are getting different reactions.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I dont react well to stings. Sometimes really swollen for a week sometimes hardly anything. I think its the dose of sting your bee gets into you that makes the difference snd the body part thats stung to a lesser extent. We sll know if you squeeze a stinger it gives more of a dose than scrapping the stinger out. I got stung through my gauntlet yesterday and its hardly reacted. Is this because it had a hell of a time getting through the thick cotton into my skin so it could only give a teeny dose, i think probably. Compared to a direct sting onto skin where the dose must be larger.

My last three stings, two on fingers one on my stomach have all caused very minor reactions as all three stingers were withdrawn without tearing the venom sac out. I agree with your assessment Bakerbee.

 

[SDM]

I leave them to try and get their sting out whenever I can. It usually takes a minute or 2 for them to get it free or not. Stings still vary hugely doing this. So i' m with Millet on this one, the age of the bee is far more important In deciding the dose.

 

[beeno]

With humans the old ones are more venomous, but with bees it is the other way around.
"The amount of melittin (measured by a direct hemolytic assay) contained in the venom system of single honey bees (Apis mellifera), of known age, increases from the time of eclosion to an age of about 4 weeks when about 500 micrograms of melittin is present. In older bees (5-6 weeks) the melittin level falls to about 250 micrograms."
Melittin makes up 50% of bee venom.
So, Millet is correct, it is all to do with the age of the bee, but the other way around.

 

[Millet]

With humans the old ones are more venomous, but with bees it is the other way around.
"The amount of melittin (measured by a direct hemolytic assay) contained in the venom system of single honey bees (Apis mellifera), of known age, increases from the time of eclosion to an age of about 4 weeks when about 500 micrograms of melittin is present. In older bees (5-6 weeks) the melittin level falls to about 250 micrograms."
Melittin makes up 50% of bee venom.
So, Millet is correct, it is all to do with the age of the bee, but the other way around.

Interesting but i am sure have read somewhere that its the other way around..but then again i can not remember where i read it and if it was a reliable source..

 

[beeno]

Interesting but i am sure have read somewhere that its the other way around..but then again i can not remember where i read it and if it was a reliable source..

Yes, all the time on this forum!

 

[Beefriendly]

So i' m with Millet on this one, the age of the bee is far more important In deciding the dose.

You are both correct but also where you get stung has an influence on your reaction. Apparently takign one up the nose is the most painful.