First sting 2022

[Gilberdyke John]

Walking by no2 hive this morning about two metres away. No flying activity to be seen until one bee came straight out and nailed me dead centre between top lip and nose. Must have been an alert lone guard sitting just inside the entrance. Hurt for a couple of minutes but subsided. No visible sting left so it seems to have been too tired or cold to drive the barb home.

 

[Boston Bees]

Bad luck

I have started a sweepstake on how long it takes for someone to tell you to requeen this hive.

 

[blackcloud]

Swmbo got walloped on the forehead last week by one panicking as it was trapped in her hair.
I pulled out the sting for her.
After a while.
No reaction whatsoever.
Not even from the sting.
So unfair.

 

[madasafish]

Bad luck

I have started a sweepstake on how long it takes for someone to tell you to requeen this hive.

Requeen them...

(my sting count is 10 so far - that is this year, (approx 240 for the decade so far))

 

[Boston Bees]

(my sting count is 10 so far - that is this year

Good lord, really? Mine is zero.

But then I have only inspected two of my hives so far, and only once each.

 

[madasafish]

Good lord, really? Mine is zero.

But then I have only inspected two of my hives so far, and only once each.

So far I have inspected approx 20 hives: home, allotment, Association Apiary And fed fondant to overwintered mini nucs every 3 weeks or so.

 

[Nannysbees]

I take a bit of a risk as I'm always just outside the apiary watching what they are up to, touch wood at the moment they don't seem to mind, but I'm under no illusion that could change at any time, I just love popping down to watch what they are up to

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Swmbo got walloped on the forehead last week by one panicking as it was trapped in her hair.
I pulled out the sting for her.
After a while.
No reaction whatsoever.
Not even from the sting.
So unfair.

Perhaps a GI Jane haircut would have helped avoid the situation?

 

[blackcloud]

My smiling didnt.

 

[CLB]

Sadly my experience is not so positive. Last Saturday I removed a bee from my husband’s (now longer) hair and it was not grateful. It flew straight to my eyebrow and stung me. Despite removing the sting quickly, my eye and face swelled massively. So much so, I spent five hours of Mother’s Day in hospital, being initially told I needed IV antibiotics as it was so serious. I finally left clutching steroid tablets and Piriton, which worked very well to reduce the swelling over the next few days. Sadly we’re now looking for an out apiary site.

 

[Martimart]

I wonder if its the time of year and the fact that weather is a bit changeable and also no food really flowing in makes them a bit uppity. I’ve been stung once about 6 weeks ago trying to see if they needed more fondant, didn’t even get the roof off and took one just below the eye, which was a beauty the next day. My lad got stung with one in his hair 2 weeks ago when playing eye spy on the bench about 5 meters away. Last summer we could sit about 1 meter away on the bench and be blissfully ignored by the Bee‘s but this year they seem a bit more grumpy.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I wonder if its the time of year and the fact that weather is a bit changeable and also no food really flowing in makes them a bit uppity. I’ve been stung once about 6 weeks ago trying to see if they needed more fondant, didn’t even get the roof off and took one just below the eye, which was a beauty the next day. My lad got stung with one in his hair 2 weeks ago when playing eye spy on the bench about 5 meters away. Last summer we could sit about 1 meter away on the bench and be blissfully ignored by the Bee‘s but this year they seem a bit more grumpy.

I was wondering why you didn't have ppe on, I always atleast have a vail on for doing the quickest of tasks.
Last season I took 15 stings to the head but that was because I hadn't zipped my vail up properly, the hive in question went rouge after the spring flow I ended up moving them to an out apiary after numerous attempts to requeen with eggs, Queen, I shock them to the wind after they finally replaced with a runt queen.
M point don't be complacent with not wearing ppe.

 

[Martimart]

I was wondering why you didn't have ppe on, I always atleast have a vail on for doing the quickest of tasks.
Last season I took 15 stings to the head but that was because I hadn't zipped my vail up properly, the hive in question went rouge after the spring flow I ended up moving them to an out apiary after numerous attempts to requeen with eggs, Queen, I shock them to the wind after they finally replaced with a runt queen.
M point don't be complacent with not wearing ppe.

I didn't because it was a bit of a faff, putting the whole suit on just to whip the roof off to look at the fondant level. It was a overcast day with not many Bee's flying, so I anticipated no problems, I know my Bee's can't access the eke space and roof, so whip off the roof, check and if they needed some more then suit up, I didn't get close enough to even remove the roof when I got stung. I've seen bought a cheap £10 veil and smock from the Bee Tradex which will do the job for quick checks.

Maybe they will calm down once food coming in because this is not how they behaved last summer, the odd one also follows from the hive to halfway down the garden. Not a issue a the moment, but my missus is a bit protective of the kids and many more stings and I'll be coming home to a pile of ash where the Bee's used to be ;-)

 

[Busylizzie]

Swmbo got walloped on the forehead last week by one panicking as it was trapped in her hair.
I pulled out the sting for her.
After a while.
No reaction whatsoever.
Not even from the sting.
So unfair.

I was rotavating 5 m from the hives and a bee was stuck in my hair and stung me last week. I did react a little with swelling reaching my neck.

 

[Wilco]

One got me last night as I sublimated them (well OA, not the bees) in the dark by headtorch. I was a tad slow in switching to the red mode when I saw her fly out, thought I'd got away with it then realised she'd got me through the torch strap. Stung for a few minutes but fine thereafter and no swelling. Was doing well otherwise and most colonies have been very happy this year.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have been working in the garden today and I have to walk within about a metre of my long hive to get to my shed. In the 7 years I've had bees there I have never been stung, until today! One caught me just under the eye but cause just a slight swelling.
I then started cleaning the outside of the green house which is about 10 m from the hive and suddenly got buzzed by another bee on a mission to get me. I retreated and then resumed cleaning but every time I went near the green house it drove me back to the house. After 4 episodes I got fed up a swatted her against my cheek. As I said I've never had the problem before.