How many times a year do you get stung?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Never count - it's no big deal and as I'm in the hives most days, regardless of conditions (unless it's really bad) the chances of a sting increase.

 

[Ian123]

As an aside the gloves I prefer wearing are those white decorators gloves there tight fitting and lightweight even on accessions I wouldn’t bother wearing any they are great for keeping the crap off your hands https://www.hall-fast.com/vitrex-de...MI-8LRurP66QIVG-vtCh3cHQ32EAUYASABEgKrjfD_BwE

 

[gmonag]

I find that two antihistamine as soon as it has happened and some insect bite ointment on the spot very quickly and the reaction is hardly anything on my hands and arms and is tolerable elsewhere.

I agree. That treatment works for me too.

 

[Beekeeper Brownie]

I find I seem to get stung less on my fingers and hands now after going from cotton gloves under marrigolds to just marrigolds this season. I can feel if I've got anything caught in my hands a lot easier. I don't count but probably averages one per inspection, quite often catching one in my elbow joints when lifting on or of supers.

To skew this years figures for me, the other day when I put clearer boards on in the drizzle/rain they did not appreciate it and I got stung 6 times then, including one on the back of the knee after it had somehow got up inside my jeans.

 

[madasafish]

I find I seem to get stung less on my fingers and hands now after going from cotton gloves under marrigolds to just marrigolds this season. I can feel if I've got anything caught in my hands a lot easier. I don't count but probably averages one per inspection, quite often catching one in my elbow joints when lifting on or of supers.

To skew this years figures for me, the other day when I put clearer boards on in the drizzle/rain they did not appreciate it and I got stung 6 times then, including one on the back of the knee after it had somehow got up inside my jeans.

I now lamost always wear half length wellies to prevent bees climbing up legs. And stinging..
(except when extracting - steel capped boots -in case I drop a super on toes.. Nearly did once - just missed)

 

[SDM]

Probably about half a dozen a day split between hands and legs( never wear a full suit) with an odd one or two to the head if bees get caught in my hair.

 

[Amari]

Twice this year so far. One on my eyebrow when I was (stupidly) peering a bit too closely at one on the landing board and it came at me. The other one on the wrist when I was changing a nitile glove. The one on my eye was a bit of a beggar but I find that two antihistamine as soon as it has happened and some insect bite ointment on the spot very quickly and the reaction is hardly anything on my hands and arms and is tolerable elsewhere.
I suppose about between about 7 to 10 stings a season. Normally my stupidity or something clumsy I've done.

Tricky, if you're half way through inspecting several colonies! Angry bees buzzing you. Undo your veil to swallow the tablet?

 

[Amari]

I rarely open my hives and get about 6 stings a year. Mind you I always wear full protection, including gloves, because I've had a couple of nasty anaphylactic reactions (normally I barely notice them). But I hear stories of other beeks like "my arm begins going numb after 30 stings" so I am curious what the normal experience is? Obviously it will depend on number of hives.

I wear Marigold gloves and often get a prick from a sting. Easy: just lift the rubber from the skin so that the sting is withdrawn.
I rarely get swelling nowadays - I reckon that repeated small doses of venom mimics the three-year-long desensitisation courses provided by allergy clinics.

 

[Curly green finger's]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10219764417714098&id=1028434284

Well not good getting this close, I got stung 3 times.
Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[pargyle]

Tricky, if you're half way through inspecting several colonies! Angry bees buzzing you. Undo your veil to swallow the tablet?

Yes ... it can be in some situations.. fortunately I only keep well behaved bees and they are in my garden so I keep tablets and ointment in my bee kit and I just walk away for a minute out of their way and medicate and straight back to the bees.

But .. the sooner you can get the medication the better - I find if you leave it the swelling and itching is worse than if you tackle a proper sting instantly.

I'm pretty immune on my hands and arms these days and don't always bother medicating for those and the half stings you sometimes get but I know one beekeeper whose hands swell to the point where he can't separate his fingers when he gets stung . .. everyone is different and sometimes every sting is different.

 

[Newbeebeekeeper]

I usually only get stung twice a year. So far this year only once. Almost all are stupidity on my part

 

[malgreen]

stung

Three times last year. None this year. Put it down to a combination of good bees and gentle handling. Ditched my big rubber clumsy gauntlet gloves for nitrile gloves this year which may offer less protection but result in far better handling. When I visit my hives if I loose one bee it's one to many maybe that helps.

 

[Finman]

Hundreds

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Tricky, if you're half way through inspecting several colonies! Angry bees buzzing you. Undo your veil to swallow the tablet?

easy - just keep a tablet tucked in your left nostril - if you get stung, snort it down then swallow

 

[Murox]

This is an occupational hazard that I go to great lengths to avoid. I invariably fail, although I get far less than I used to.

 

[Murox]

easy - just keep a tablet tucked in your left nostril - if you get stung, snort it down then swallow

Cheers... Ive now got tea running out of my nose !

 

[Frenchie]

3 stings so far this year. I react quite badly, saw a specialist and he prescribed extra strong medication, but said I didn't need an pen. Said the problem was that I was too sensitive and my body over reacted. My Wife didn't believe the too sensitive bit. I have a heavy duty suit and wear additional clothing underneath ,gets a tad warm a times,but better than being stung.