It started out a good day......

[SteveJ]

Wednesday started out a good day. Got loads done at work. Got a swarm call at lunchtime. Id got an appointment with the SBI at 16:00 so I knocked off early and pickup the swarm on the way home. Nice little swarm on a tree easy to get, I'd already got a taker for it.

Met the inspector and went through all my hives. Going through one hive we spotted a sealed queen cell, I didn't have any spare kit in the apiary at the time so as it was coming on to rain I thought I'd split it later on in the week. As we where going through the last hive it started raining. It was coming down in buckets, full monsoon special. My full bee suit was soaked. So said goodbye to the inspector and went home. Put my suit in the wash.

I still needed to drop off the swarm so I got my old jacket style suit out and took the swarm round to their new owner. As I was coming home I noticed the rain had stopped, so dropped by home and picked up a nuc and took it down to the apiary to AS the hive with the queen cells.

Well the bees didn't like it they came up at me big style. Suddenly I felt a sting in my arm. I thought D*** they are stinging me throught my suit? So I quickly finished off and closed them up. When I started feeling more sting on my arms and a bee flew past my eyes inside the veils. Some had found that they could get under the bottom of my jacket. So I got out of the apiary quick doing the beekers dance all the way back to the car. Threw my jacket and gear in the car and drove home. I'm only five minutes from home.

As I was pulling into the drive I started feeling a bit odd. So I went in and grabbed the anti histamine cream and went and sat down to start applying the cream. I was feeling a bit flushed by this time, and the wife said "Your face has gone all red are you all right?". I was sweating cobs and my heart was hammering away. So quick call to 999 and I had an ambulance outiside my house within two minutes (Must of caught them right). By this time I was getting a bit weezy. I was taken into the amulance where I was given 2ml of adrenalin and put on a nebuliser. By this time I was beigning to pass out. W was rushed to A & E. Where I was given another ml of adrenaline, and shots of piriton and steroids and kept in over night.

Woke with a wonderful headache next morning and released.

So the bees got a clean bill of healthy and the inspector said they where nice gentle bees.

I got a dozen stings, arms that look like popeye's, a neck like a bulldogs and two epipens for future use.

SteveJ

 

[DarynWebb]

Wow scary stuff lets hope it's a one off.

 

[beeatshellards]

SCARY STUFF ...do hope you are recovering what a nasty experience for you, after such a good day

 

[Luminos]

Stop, please stop - you're putting me off, I'm doing a hive inspection this afternoon...
Hope you're recovering, SteveJ - what a horrible experience.
L

 

[kazmcc]

That sounds terrible! You have been stung before haven't you? I've never been stung by anything and I was kind of looking forward to getting it over with. I am kind of concerned with how I'll react now the more of these tales I hear, but I know a reaction is rare. Bad luck

 

[kazmcc]

It might be an idea to do a poll of how many of us have had to have emergency hospital treatment due to our bees. I just wonder what percentage of beekeepers have suffered this problem.

 

[Luminos]

It might be an idea to do a poll of how many of us have had to have emergency hospital treatment due to our bees. I just wonder what percentage of beekeepers have suffered this problem.

Funnily enough I was thinking along those lines, too, Kaz; seems to be quite a high proportion of beeks with a reaction to stings?

 

[jezd]

Not being flippant but this is why I never recommend jackets, far too many ways in - full suits are not perfect but a jacket means its just a matter of time before they get in in numbers.

 

[kazmcc]

Not being flippant but this is why I never recommend jackets, far too many ways in - full suits are not perfect but a jacket means its just a matter of time before they get in in numbers.

Don't say that! I use a smock and as I'm a twig, it used to hang down like a dress. I sorted that out sharpish lol, I got to work with my needle and thread so it fits well now.....it is my worst nightmare finding a bee in my suit

 

[djg]

Bee jacket at home, full suit for swarms. It's only polite if you haven't been formally introduced !

 

[Stephenw]

Yeah does sound bad, I have an bees in my veil and it isnt funny, I have a jacket now and I tuck the jacket in to my trousers and then tighten my belt then I have a carpenters tool belt that I wear aswell and its brlliant because u can put your hive tool in it or whatever.



Steve

 

[SteveJ]

Thanks for the best wishes all.

She who must be obeyed has told me in no uncertain terms to bin the jacket. I've managed to get it downgraded to put it on E8ay.

Biggest problem at the moment is swollen elbows and the need to scratch.

SteveJ

 

[SteveJ]

Went back into the same hive at the weekend. Bees very tetchy. Bouncing off the veil all the time. They appear to be queenless, so I left the QCs I found. Wore my full suit. Still got a sting through my gloves. No reaction this time.

Everything has an upside thought. My Light Honey won first prize at the local show at the weekend.

SteveJ

 

[chycarne]

Steve,
glad you are recovering well done. I have done the bee dance with two bees in suite trying to get the darn thing off... recently with bad weather we gave up on the inspection taking a risk we were lucky to get away with (no swarms lost - yet), amazingly the bees were more interested in getting out - I didnt get stung, and then the cheeky gits were bouncing off the veil front...
I have reacted befroe but not like that... just swelling. Good luck with all! the bee dance is alway accompanied by firm opinions being firmly expressed sorry neighbours...