Woah that hurt!!

[keithgrimes]

I've always been pleased with my reaction to stings. No more than a 'nettle scratch' and no after effects worth speaking of. But yesterday my veil blew in to my face and I got wacked right on the end of the nose. The pain!! Eyes watering and nose running, I now look like WC Fields. Just ordeerd an astronaut style suit.

 

[huntsman666]

Wear a baseball cap under the veil no matter what type.

 

[Headnavigator]

Why do they go for the face? I've got one (only one thank God) follower and she always comes straight for the veil and pings into my face over and over. How do they know? It's almost as though she wants to look me in the eye and then sting me. I can't help wishing her perhaps a shorter life than might be. Very uncharitable, I know.

 

[viridens]

You have my sympathy

Not long after starting the other thread here about stings/NSAIDs I was exoceted on the ear by a little buzzer who had obviously not forgotten me checking for QCs the other day.

The sting site is throbbing now, & I'll probably have a cauliflower ear to match your nose tomorrow..

P.S. is it CO2 in breath that makes them go for faces (like mosquitos), or?

 

[madasafish]

Instinct?
Think bears - long time bee enemy with thick hide. Sting a bear anywhere there is fur and I bet it's like a pinprick.

Where does a bear have no hair? Nose, eyes, mouth and inside ears.

Millions of years of evolution?

 

[victor meldrew]

Instinct?
Think bears - long time bee enemy with thick hide. Sting a bear anywhere there is fur and I bet it's like a pinprick.

Where does a bear have no hair? Nose, eyes, mouth and inside ears.

Millions of years of evolution?

Saw a vid about killer bees ! No not a lurid account .
The boffin investigating same , hooked up a breathing tube so that it had one end in his mouth and the other trailing on the floor a distance away from a hanging swarm! He was able to approach the swarm and even weigh the base of it in his hand , no reaction . He then backed off, removed the tube and re approached , immediately they detected his breath ,they jumped all over him in true Africanised style .WOW!

John Wilkinson

 

[Midland Beek]

As per Bro Adam ... mamalian breath.

 

[Headnavigator]

Will try not breathing in future! Interesting though, wonder if a mask would make a difference?
Bit off, getting told by your bees that your breath smells!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

They're not keen on the after effects of curry and beer either which can make Saturday morning inspections interesting.

 

[psafloyd]

As per Bro Adam ... mamalian breath.

So the answer is to live off honey?

 

[psafloyd]

They're not keen on the after effects of curry and beer either which can make Saturday morning inspections interesting.

Or scallions for lunch.

<burp> Excuse me, ladies...

 

[Headnavigator]

Well, first experiment completed.
Full inspection this morning on Mrs Pinger's hive. I made a colossal effort to nose-breathe and not to mouth-breathe, and tried not to to emit waste air in talking to the bees, which I normally do. (Well don't we all?)
Clouds of bees in the air (I keep the smoker lit and within reach downwind but don't use smoke) but not a ping, not a follower, no close questioners - all tucked back inside and staying there exploring the havoc I've created by suspiciously knocking off their play cups and some of the phenomenal amount of brace comb this little lot build.
Success? Don't know, but will try it in future till I disprove it. Thank you very much for your mammal-breath theory, I think you may be right!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Apart from breath the face is the only exposed area of skin which can sweat (assuming gloves), and there is also bee reaction to shampoo, after-shave and other fragrances!

 

[SER]

I'm sure I read somewhere that they home in on the rapid movement of the eyes blinking.

 

[viridens]

I'm sure I read somewhere that they home in on the rapid movement of the eyes blinking.

I thought that was customs officials.

 

[nosmoking]

Didn't that old Japanese chappy chew spearmint gum or sweets when inspecting his bees? And he didn't use a smoker either IIRC.

 

[drstitson]

i thought customs officials were more practised at examining winking solitary brown eyes.

 

[freethorpe bees]

could it also be that the veil is the only dark part - where the rest of you is white/beige or whatever else colour your suit is.

 

[viridens]

i thought customs officials were more practised at examining winking solitary brown eyes.

-Nice one.-

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

i thought customs officials were more practised at examining winking solitary brown eyes.

I thought that was customs officials.

Steady on chaps - man must make a living somehow: I'll be developing a complex at this rate!!
At least I get a good supply of gloves for my beekeeping!!