Range of reactions to stings

[Nickod]

There have been a couple of threads about stings and how to treat them recently. I am interested in the range of reactions to stings and whether the reaction gets more or less over the years. Or whether the question should be - does it get less over the year? For me it doesn't seem to.

I don't get stung much - 4-5 times a year. This year three times already. On the ear with similar reaction to Frenchie: ear very red and swollen to twice the size for three days. On the lip: swollen to a worrying size but coming down after a day, and looking like a caricature of Angeline Jolie's lips for 2 days, and on the wrist with arm and hand swelling 10-25% for 3 days.

I guess the reaction depends on the location - the ear has much less blood vessels so I think the venom stays localised. With my lip I found I was working it a lot - making shapes, pulling and pushing and I think the venom dispersed to the chin and jaw making me look jowly for a day or two.

My reaction is not diminishing, it may be increasing. Is there anything I can do to reduce the reaction? Sue Hubbell in her book on keeping bees says she used to reduce helpers reactions to bee sting by stinging them once initially, then in increasing amounts each day - up to 10 stings. She was working with 300 hives so had different expectations about how much she would get stung each year.

What is your experience?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

No hard and fast rules, some increase their resistance, some suffer more with time even getting allergic.

For me a sting is nothing more than a minor irritant which goes after a day, although in common with others, the 3 times I've been stung near the eyes I've swollen up like Elephant Man.

Not stings so far this year, though I'm hoping to give an inspection this afternoon and with the expected weather and temperature they may not be too welcoming.

 

[susbees]

No hard and fast rules, some increase their resistance, some suffer more with time even getting allergic.

For me a sting is nothing more than a minor irritant which goes after a day, although in common with others, the 3 times I've been stung near the eyes I've swollen up like Elephant Man.

Not stings so far this year, though I'm hoping to give an inspection this afternoon and with the expected weather and temperature they may not be too welcoming.

Last year I became desensitised to stings - arm, chin, ankle and calf, hands - quite early on in the season. Maybe eight or so to the hands so far this season, tiny reaction. BUT I always wear a veil near bees...stings to the back of the head made me fluey for several days so prefer to try to avoid face stings.

 

[milkermel]

Differant stings have reacted differantly. one on the forehead made me look like a extra for klingons! one on my had reacted badly, but since then have not been too bad. think it may also depend on how you get the sting out. ie the one in my forehead was on my hair line and difficult to find so was in longer, the hand one was my first now rather than try and remove sting i lift the piece of clothing they have gone through with usually pulls it out rather than me maybe pushing venom in?? dont know?

 

[madasafish]

Average 40 stings a years for two years and eight so far this year.
Fingers: no impact.
Soft flesh of hand/arms : swells 2-3 days.
legs OK/neck OK.
Stomach : OK

No stings on face yet (crosses fingers)

No notable change from 3 years ago..

 

[Luminos]

I am wondering if different strains of bee give a different "degree" of sting?

 

[psafloyd]

I'd be interested in doing a more complex poll on those who have suffered stings that would look at the frequency of exposure, size of stocks, etc.
It might generate some more useful information which I could collect with something like surveymonkey and then share the results back to the site.
If we can get enough people responding, it might be useful baseline data for a sticky on the subject as there have been an awful lot of queries in the past year.
What do people think?

 

[Nickod]

I'd be interested in doing a more complex poll on those who have suffered stings that would look at the frequency of exposure, size of stocks, etc.
It might generate some more useful information which I could collect with something like surveymonkey and then share the results back to the site.
If we can get enough people responding, it might be useful baseline data for a sticky on the subject as there have been an awful lot of queries in the past year.
What do people think?

It sounds good to me. There are several angles you could take and whilst all are interesting it could make a survey complicated unless you separate them

a) number of stings in a season - and factors contributing
b) reactions to stings and how they vary e.g. during season, over seasons, based on where stung, and type of bee!
c) practice in minimising likelihood of sting and impact of sting beforehand
d) practice in minimising impact of sting after the event

and there are probably more.

but I'd be happy to contribute.

 

[Skyhook]

I hardly react at all- less than a nettle sting. My father when young had very little reaction, but got worse over the years until he would be turned into the elephant man after a sting.

 

[Luminos]

I'd be interested in doing a more complex poll on those who have suffered stings that would look at the frequency of exposure, size of stocks, etc.
It might generate some more useful information which I could collect with something like surveymonkey and then share the results back to the site.
If we can get enough people responding, it might be useful baseline data for a sticky on the subject as there have been an awful lot of queries in the past year.
What do people think?

Good idea

 

[bobster]

FWIW I also read recently that bee venom changes throughout the season/years. Can't find the reference at the moment though.

I've been stung twice this year and the reaction seems, for me, to be getting better. That is my reaction is not as bad as last year.

Bobster

 

[newportbuzz]

ive had about 20 stings this year so far. the most in one time was 8 this year.
last year(over 100 stings) i started off by fairly large swelling and itching this towards the middle of the season turned into minor swelling and itching and by the end of the season all i had to show for any sting was a spot which turned up about 3 days after the sting.
this year they have all been the same as the end of last year with the exception of the 8 which all were close to each other on my right hand. i have had some swelling and itching from that lot. no stings since then so not sure what it all means but id bet it means i shoulda been wearing gloves when they started getting grumpy.

 

[Chris58]

Last year a couple of stings on the head, bit itchy, no other reaction. Two stings to cheek, ended up looking like football.

 

[Mike a]

I'm paranoid about being stung still after last year when I suffered two bad reactions over two weeks which came on within 10 minutes and lasted over an hour each time. At the time I was taking the maximum dosage of Dihydrocodeine a day so I'm hoping now I've stopped taking them I dont need to worry so much this year.

 

[Chris Luck]

Not much of a reaction normally, ranges from nothing to mild swelling and a bit of pain, usually that will be if I get several in the same place at the same time.
No idea how many in a year, depends on what I have to do but at least 40 this year so far.

Chris

 

[victor meldrew]

I am led to believe that the sting potency is related to the age of the bee . The period between it being a house bee and being a forager IE, when on guard duty, being at its most potent ?
VM

 

[Luminos]

I am led to believe that the sting potency is related to the age of the bee . The period between it being a house bee and being a forager IE, when on guard duty, being at its most potent ?
VM

That does make a lot of sense

 

[Karol]

I have a wealth of information [digested from over 600 medical papers - nothing like being a nerd :0) ] on wasp stings but I'm not entirely sure how transferable that information is to bee stings or if it is of interest.

Regards,

Karol

 

[Drinkstone]

I am amazed at how many times people are getting stung!

 

[SixFooter]

I must admit, I get stung a lot. I assumed other beeks I talk to are not quite honest about how often they are stung, but maybe I'm just clumsy. I probably get stung once a week on average and now, after 3 years, I'm almost immune. On most occassions, there is no reaction, but sometimes, I might have itching and swelling the following day. Stlll a lot less than in my first year when each sting would itch like mad for 3 days.