Gloves & trouser legs...

[Erichalfbee]

I expect this clip has been seen but if not it makes for an interesting take on bee stings

Yes it’s posted often but bears repeating

 

[Arfermo]

I expect this clip has been seen but if not it makes for an interesting take on bee stings

Interested to see him flipping his bees with a paint scraper. I use one most of the time for splitting the boxes as it does less damage than a hive tool for instance when boxes are glued with propolis - as most are most of the time.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the inhalation bit, cited ‘ dried venom on beesuits being inhaled by whoever is responsible for the laundering, when shaking the suit etc before feeding the washing machine . Experiencing allergic reactions up to and including anaphylaxis.
the launderer never having been near the bees nor apiary .

Hmm SWMBO has developed a severe allergic reaction to bee stings, has never been near my bee suits (for laundering or any other purpose) in fact, SWMBO has not done any of my laundry since I finished working the airports back in 1997 - and even then she only washed and part ironed (never doing the sleeves as was afraid of making tramlines) my white shirts.

 

[Bumble Bee Slim]

Yes it’s posted often but bears repeating

Yes it’s posted often but bears repeating

Never let it be said that I'm original ! HNY (just realised that nearly spells honey)to you and one and all.

 

[Fox and Son Ltd]

How do you wear yours?

• Gloves inside or outside of suit (with thumb straps)
• bee suit trouser legs inside or outside of boots (I wear wellies...)

I'm not sure there is a 'right answer', but interested to know what people do. For me, it's gloves inside, trouser legs outside.

My worry with trouser legs inside is that bees may get 'trapped' between boot top and trouser material and end up winding their way downwards. Not that I've had problems, but gloves seem like they should be inside / under the suit as otherwise they compress the suit material presumable making it easier for a sting to get through.

No gloves except when using chemicals, trousers over boots.

 

[victor meldrew]

I expect this clip has been seen but if not it makes for an interesting take on bee stings

Thank you for that .
just watched it on YouTube.
I used to react badly to bee stings , getting hives etc .
I was at a Ukrainian friends home apiary when a guy arrived with a swarm asking Peter would he like them ?
peter said yes and they hived them by tippling then into an empty hive . I was stood by his garden table , hands in pocket when a Kamakasi bee dive bombed me and buried its sting in the back of my hand . Immediately I developed hives around my waist .
Peter’s reaction was “ I’ll soon fix that “ he presented me with a large glass of strong vodka !
I downed it and the hives disappeared as quickly as they came !
At a lecture at a bee convention later on, the lecturer was lecturing about alcohol being an antidote to bee venom . I was able to relate my experience to back his argument !

 

[madasafish]

At a lecture at a bee convention later on, the lecturer was lecturing about alcohol being an antidote to bee venom . I was able to relate my experience to back his argument !

Thanks for that.

I shall replenish my stocks of gin and increase the alcohol content of my blood as a precaution against hives.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks for that.

I shall replenish my stocks of gin and increase the alcohol content of my blood as a precaution against hives.

Would it work against More -Hive- Disease?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

At a lecture at a bee convention later on, the lecturer was lecturing about alcohol being an antidote to bee venom

Makes SWMBO's allergy even more vexing

 

[Erichalfbee]

Makes SWMBO's allergy even more vexing

You don’t share your port with her, surely!!??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You don’t share your port with her, surely!!??

It was a bottle of port gifted me by the crew as I paid off that brought us together one New Year's eve in the last century.
She hasn't touched a drop of it since

I don't share my port with anybody - to bloody expensive, and nice

 

[Wilco]

I find to occasional sting beneficial .
keeps the fingers flexible and the immunity topped up !
I once read an interesting quote .
” inoculation is the path to immunity.
inhalation is the path to allergy “
in this case inoculation being via a sting .
the inhalation bit, cited ‘ dried venom on beesuits being inhaled by whoever is responsible for the laundering, when shaking the suit etc before feeding the washing machine . Experiencing allergic reactions up to and including anaphylaxis.
the launderer never having been near the bees nor apiary .

Wouldn't count on that. Allergy is a form of aberrant immune response.

 

[victor meldrew]

Which bit . The alcohol bit?
should the alcohol counter the venom to the extent that the allergic reaction having no allergen to react to , then why not .

 

[madasafish]

Would it work against More -Hive- Disease?

Incurable.

 

[philipm]

Nothing like a shot of Ukrainian vodka .The locals swear it swill cure anything.

 

[Antipodes]

Hmm SWMBO has developed a severe allergic reaction to bee stings, has never been near my bee suits (for laundering or any other purpose) in fact, SWMBO has not done any of my laundry since I finished working the airports back in 1997 - and even then she only washed and part ironed (never doing the sleeves as was afraid of making tramlines) my white shirts.

Do you bring your suit into the house to wash it? Is everything bee related (except you), kept and dealt with in a separate building, ie. not in the home?

 

[masterBK]

When I took up beekeeping in 1958 as was the custom I prevented them going up my trouser legs using bicycle clips but still got stung occasionaly through my socks. After a really painfjul encounter with a colony of "ankle tappers" I soon discovered the benefit of wellies. The only other protection used then was a ring of black netting over my dads trilby with the other end tucked into my shirt collar ie long before beesuits. were available. There were problems when the wind blew the net and it touched the nose and the bees took (black ones by the way ) full advantage. A Red swollen nose is not a good look when you are eleven yrs old.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you bring your suit into the house to wash it? Is everything bee related (except you), kept and dealt with in a separate building, ie. not in the home?

suits are kept in bee shed No2 when in use and only brought into the kitchen to be washed. SWMBO tries to avoid the kitchen - at any times

 

[enrico]

Slightly off topic but gloves, beesuits and mice are not a good mix. Hole in the veil, ends off the fingers of my gloves!!! ( Many years ago) If you keep your beesuit outside then worth remembering to make it mouse free!

 

[Wilco]

Which bit . The alcohol bit?
should the alcohol counter the venom to the extent that the allergic reaction having no allergen to react to , then why not .

The quote in the post I responded to:
I once read an interesting quote .
” inoculation is the path to immunity.
inhalation is the path to allergy “

In terms of this and the alcohol story I'm afraid the available evidence we have of biochemistry and cell physiology is why not.

For alcohol to be countering the venom it would need to have been absorbed in sufficiently high quantity to travel to the site of the sting(s) (or wherever the venom has spread to) and denature the protein within the venom such as to render it ineffective and somehow also counteract the aberrant immune response which was occurring. For it to be at that level (for the former part), not only would it take longer than your anecdote suggests but it would also denature all the proteins in your body it came in contact with, which would probably kill you or at the very least cause significant and irreversible damage. For the latter part, I am unaware of any data which would support that.

No idea what occurred in your anecdote or how but the alcohol countering the venom doesn't really fit.