burren
House Bee
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2010
- Messages
- 247
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Ireland
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 5 nationals/ 3 apideas
Now here I am starting my four year beekeeping and I have been stung 5 times, 5 times and one of those was not my fault! I always wear full suit and wellies ( even if I dont really need them) My hives are lovely and are usual well behaved unless they have good reason not to be!
Inspecting hives today, bees lovely and calm. I didnt take my smoker, I dont always. Was hoping for a new q so saw no need to panic them about the place. Was expecting to see eggs in one hive, which I did
( 22 days after hatching)
2nd hive had a quick and careful look as had 2nd queen cell in there ( 1st did not take) which hatched on 29th, cell open and empty.
Then on up the mountain to the 3rd hive, found eggs in here last week( 19 days after hatching)(supersedure). So suit on, hood on, just thought to text bee mate to tell him that I wont need the mated queen he kindly said I could have and up to the hive.
All was going well.. until I heard a sound, a sound that was a little to near my ear than usual. I didnt see anything either in the corner or front of my eye to that matter, just that sound and then I looked down... THE ZIP ON MY HOOD WAS NOT DONE UP, THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS, NOT DONE UP!!!!
I calmly thought I had better leave the hive and I put down the frame, stab, just under the chin, so I then began to run, away zig zag on the uneven ground while trying to rip my gloves off (also have elastic band tied tightly around wrist to keep cuffs flat) and at the same time, stab behind my ear, same time as trying to rip off my face where ever I thought there might be a bee hanging, and only by the pain sensation as it was behind my ear and the back of my head. I was vaugely aware that I was ripping out my favourite earring and throwing what ever was in my hand to the ground!!!!!
I got to the car 40 foot away and by this time my ear and side of face was stinging, stabbing,throbbing away like a gooden.
I tried to make sure the bee suit was clear before putting my arms back in the top half. I had to go back and reassemble the top half of hive.
I knew that they would not be happy, but then neither was I
I calmly and slowly went back to the hive, put the queen excluder on, they were all over my face ( its ok hood was on!) pinging and stuff, super on, roof on and WALKED AWAY. They followed and emitted an angry noise, I zig zagged, they pinging and banged. Took another five minutes until I could go back to car and take suit off. I bunged it in the back of car and ten minute journey home was painful. Back home, twenty stings in hood. The most I have either seen on my suit. Next half an hour was very uncomfortable, ( no, no pic) but aloe vera gel sorted that out.
So the moral of the story is.... no moral, just even careful people make silly silly mistakes.
Inspecting hives today, bees lovely and calm. I didnt take my smoker, I dont always. Was hoping for a new q so saw no need to panic them about the place. Was expecting to see eggs in one hive, which I did
( 22 days after hatching)2nd hive had a quick and careful look as had 2nd queen cell in there ( 1st did not take) which hatched on 29th, cell open and empty.
Then on up the mountain to the 3rd hive, found eggs in here last week( 19 days after hatching)(supersedure). So suit on, hood on, just thought to text bee mate to tell him that I wont need the mated queen he kindly said I could have and up to the hive.
All was going well.. until I heard a sound, a sound that was a little to near my ear than usual. I didnt see anything either in the corner or front of my eye to that matter, just that sound and then I looked down... THE ZIP ON MY HOOD WAS NOT DONE UP, THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS, NOT DONE UP!!!!
I calmly thought I had better leave the hive and I put down the frame, stab, just under the chin, so I then began to run, away zig zag on the uneven ground while trying to rip my gloves off (also have elastic band tied tightly around wrist to keep cuffs flat) and at the same time, stab behind my ear, same time as trying to rip off my face where ever I thought there might be a bee hanging, and only by the pain sensation as it was behind my ear and the back of my head. I was vaugely aware that I was ripping out my favourite earring and throwing what ever was in my hand to the ground!!!!!
I got to the car 40 foot away and by this time my ear and side of face was stinging, stabbing,throbbing away like a gooden.
I tried to make sure the bee suit was clear before putting my arms back in the top half. I had to go back and reassemble the top half of hive.
I knew that they would not be happy, but then neither was I
I calmly and slowly went back to the hive, put the queen excluder on, they were all over my face ( its ok hood was on!) pinging and stuff, super on, roof on and WALKED AWAY. They followed and emitted an angry noise, I zig zagged, they pinging and banged. Took another five minutes until I could go back to car and take suit off. I bunged it in the back of car and ten minute journey home was painful. Back home, twenty stings in hood. The most I have either seen on my suit. Next half an hour was very uncomfortable, ( no, no pic) but aloe vera gel sorted that out.So the moral of the story is.... no moral, just even careful people make silly silly mistakes.
