Question on stings

[deemann1]

Since I got my ausarmor jacket and gloves I haven't been stung this season and the second half of last season which is why I bought this Jack in the first place, great product..
But now I'm wondering is this a good or bad thing
Should I be allowing myself to get the odd sting ??
Can you become allergic to bee stings if handling bees all the time and not getting stung?

 

[coffindodger]

You're going to get conflicting answers about the first question - some think that you develop a situation where you react less (less pain, swelling and itching) to stings as time goes by, but no science here just observations by beeks over the years. How many stings and what time of year or day is debatable. Repeated exposure to stings does not lead to an immunity to reactions and there have been cases of experienced beeks who have been stung many times over the year, suddenly suffering anaphylactic shock.
The answer to the second question is easier - no, you won't become allergic to stings if you don't get stung because you are wearing protective clothing.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have a look at Mike’s take on this
He reckons you should get stung and more
https://youtu.be/P0QB96RrGdM

 

[Bear]

Years ago I told a pest controller I was a beekeeper. His advice to me was “try not to get stung. Everybody has a tolerance to stings and you’ll only know you’ve had your lot when you suffer a shock. And you don’t want that.”

 

[Murox]

Reactions to stings are so variable - Last year I took a sting to the hand - barely any reaction at all. Two days ago I took sting to the hand, it swelled up and the lower arm and it itched like crazy and was sore. After 12 hours it began to reduce. This morning (36 hours later ish) it's almost back to normal. I didn't have any antihistamine so its on the shopping list now.
Maybe I should wear gloves

 

[GuyNir]

Have a look at Mike’s take on this
He reckons you should get stung and more
https://youtu.be/P0QB96RrGdM

Very interesting, thanks Dani

 

[malgreen]

bee stings

I first started with big rubber gloves which I found clumsy and figured I was more likely to be stung as a result. I now use blue nitrile gloves and find my gentler handling goes unnoticed. But I guess it also depends on the bees you have and their situation at the time.

 

[Tim.S]

I had to break down a breeding q hive that had the q bumped off by the workers this morning. Seven lovely cells to harvest (she was old) but boy did I pay the price. I lost count at 12 stings, being queenless and a very windy day really stirred them up. But apart from being a bit itchy where I was stung absolutely no effect at all, and I put this down to getting a regular sting once in a while.
It's very unusual for me to get stung at all, but today shows the value of the odd nip!

 

[Swarm]

You're going to get conflicting answers about the first question - some think that you develop a situation where you react less (less pain, swelling and itching) to stings as time goes by, but no science here just observations by beeks over the years. How many stings and what time of year or day is debatable. Repeated exposure to stings does not lead to an immunity to reactions and there have been cases of experienced beeks who have been stung many times over the year, suddenly suffering anaphylactic shock.
The answer to the second question is easier - no, you won't become allergic to stings if you don't get stung because you are wearing protective clothing.

Spot on with regards immunity, it can go either way. As for allergy, even members of your family can become allergic if they get regular contact with or are around your beekeeping stuff.

 

[madasafish]

You're going to get conflicting answers about the first question - some think that you develop a situation where you react less (less pain, swelling and itching) to stings as time goes by, but no science here just observations by beeks over the years. How many stings and what time of year or day is debatable. Repeated exposure to stings does not lead to an immunity to reactions and there have been cases of experienced beeks who have been stung many times over the year, suddenly suffering anaphylactic shock.
The answer to the second question is easier - no, you won't become allergic to stings if you don't get stung because you are wearing protective clothing.

When I started beekeeping in 2010, I was stung three times on my right arm. It itched fro a week and the sting areas took as long to heal..

After ten years of being stung more than 100 times a year (as OCD I count my stings) .. I have been stung on the nose,the ears, above the eyes and on the septum in the past three years.. The last hurt a lot but there were minimal swellings and no after effects from all four.
So I am not immnue to the pain of stings but have developed some reasonable immunity to the after effects of bee venom.

And as a bonus, the arthritis I had in one finger joint has gone...

 

[enrico]

I have mentioned this before but I was told your sexual staying power increases with every sting! Makes me smile when I do get stung!
I try and avoid stings but when I collected over 50 full blown stings in one incident for some unknown reason I had hardly any reaction but when I get half a sting through a glove I react with swelling and itchiness..... I know not why!
E

 

[deemann1]

Thanks for feedback all
Some interesting posts

 

[Karol]

The problem with bee stings is that there are no guarantees at the individual level that the next sting won't result in anaphylaxis and that's because there are many variables which may influence how the immune system responds. So on an individual level you takes the dice and roll them.

At a population level there is good evidence that repeated periodic stings do impart immunity not least because that's how desensitisation programs work. It's also the case that partners to beekeepers are more likely to develop serious reactions to bee stings than the beekeepers themselves because as partners they are exposed to low levels of honeybee proteins sufficient to prime their immune systems which may then over react when the partners are then at some point stung.

 

[Swn58]

You're going to get conflicting answers about the first question - some think that you develop a situation where you react less (less pain, swelling and itching) to stings as time goes by, but no science here just observations by beeks over the years. How many stings and what time of year or day is debatable. Repeated exposure to stings does not lead to an immunity to reactions and there have been cases of experienced beeks who have been stung many times over the year, suddenly suffering anaphylactic shock.
The answer to the second question is easier - no, you won't become allergic to stings if you don't get stung because you are wearing protective clothing.

Yep....totally agree.

 

[Swn58]

OMG....I may have to tell my 'reluctant' beekeeper partner this. I would rather not, but feel that it's my duty!

 

[madasafish]

The problem with bee stings is that there are no guarantees at the individual level that the next sting won't result in anaphylaxis and that's because there are many variables which may influence how the immune system responds. So on an individual level you takes the dice and roll them.

At a population level there is good evidence that repeated periodic stings do impart immunity not least because that's how desensitisation programs work. It's also the case that partners to beekeepers are more likely to develop serious reactions to bee stings than the beekeepers themselves because as partners they are exposed to low levels of honeybee proteins sufficient to prime their immune systems which may then over react when the partners are then at some point stung.

I have heard of that - but I suspect it may be rare.
I never wear my beejackets in the house and always hang them in the garage and wash them regulaely - but this is mainly due to my wife's insistence!

 

[Madge]

OMG....I may have to tell my 'reluctant' beekeeper partner this. I would rather not, but feel that it's my duty!

I’ve tried that with mine: no good. I couldn’t persuade him that it’s for his own good to come and help me inspecting bees!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don’t think about all this any longer. Stan and I beekeep together I have the grid ref of the apiary on my phone, his phone and on the apiary shed door.

 

[Erichalfbee]

. It's also the case that partners to beekeepers are more likely to develop serious reactions to bee stings than the beekeepers themselves because as partners they are exposed to low levels of honeybee proteins sufficient to prime their immune systems which may then over react when the partners are then at some point stung.

Which is what Mike Palmer talks about in the video I linked to at the beginning.

 

[Ian123]

The above fact has been quoted for many years and experienced by quite a number of long term beekeepers I’ve come across. Ian