Author Topic: Got stung by a queen this morning.  (Read 4982 times)

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Offline capt44

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Got stung by a queen this morning.
« on: May 27, 2015, 01:56:46 pm »
I was packaging some queens getting ready to ship them.
I marked a queen and put the tender bees in the cage.
I then dumped the marked queen on the table top and picked her up to put her head first into the cage.
She popped me on the thumb.
First time I've ever been stung by a queen.
I packaged 9 queens this morning and that one is the only one that has ever stung me.
Dang'd ole heifer anyhow. lol  :laugh:
Capt44

Offline Jen

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2015, 02:16:47 pm »
I don't like being dumped either capt44  :D  maybe this queen spoke for the rest of the queens as well  ;)

  Does a queen bee keep her stinger?  I may look that up in my Bee Biology book  ;)
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Offline Les

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2015, 02:29:10 pm »
I heard that a queen sting hurts more than a worker bee.  Any truth to that?

Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2015, 02:42:13 pm »
That's pretty amazing.  I remember Michael Bush writing that he had never been stung by a queen bee.  It must be a rare occurrence.

Offline Jen

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2015, 02:48:36 pm »
I do know that a queen does not have a barbed stinger, so she can sting multiple time and not die ~
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Offline Lburou

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2015, 03:48:29 pm »
I would characterize the severity of a queen bee stinging as pretty mild in comparison to worker's stings.  I've been stung a couple times while handling queens, always when pushing her from behind as  I insisted she go into a queen cage.
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Offline capt44

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2015, 05:52:47 pm »
I really believe the queen keeps her stinger.
For I've had queens tear out the sides of queen cells and kill them.
I put the tender bees in the cage first and let them settle for a bit while I mark the queen.
When the paint dries in she goes.
You get that queen going in the hole the tender bees can't get out.
I find it easier that way.
Capt44

Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2015, 11:11:54 pm »
A queens sting hurts about as bad as a workers sting that you scrape out the stinger only a moment after being stung. I do not even know if a queen has venom.. they sting, but I have never felt the burning associated with the sting like you do when a stinger stuck in your skin pumps the venom even after it has pulled loose from its bee...
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Offline capt44

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2015, 12:51:00 am »
I got stung on the end of the right thumb a couple of days ago by a tender bee.
She got me thru the vents of a hair roller type cage.
That hurt and swelled a little and still has a dark mark where I got stung.
It was as sore as a risen that first day.
But when the queen stung me this morning it was the sharp pain of the sting that gets you.
It reddened a bit but settled right down and never did get sore.
Anyhow she's on a mail truck headed on down the road. :)
Capt44
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2015, 09:48:42 pm »
"I really believe the queen keeps her stinger."

yes she does, different than workers, the barbs are very small, and can be retracted (unlike workers) to enable her to sting multiple times (rival queens). and also, the queen does have a venom sac as witnessed by those of you who have been stung by a queen bee....... :D
it is said that the poison sacs of queens are two to three times the volume of worker venom, (winston and others) possibly because she may have to sting a number of rival queens.  or maybe to protect herself from beekeepers shoving her into a cage from the backside............ :D :D :D

lee~
"I've been stung a couple times while handling queens, always when pushing her from behind as  I insisted she go into a queen cage."

sorry lee, couldn't help myself!............... :D :D :D
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Offline Lburou

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2015, 10:29:44 pm »
:-)  RB, that is funny!
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2015, 10:32:11 pm »
lee.......you totally made me laugh........thank you!
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Offline Les

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #12 on: May 29, 2015, 01:31:10 pm »
Capt 44, what is a tender bee?

Offline riverbee

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2015, 05:34:56 pm »
les, i think capt means a honey bee/s that is/are placed in to tend to the queen he placed in the roller cage, capt?
they tend to her, feed her etc.......
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Offline Yankee11

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #14 on: May 29, 2015, 11:27:31 pm »
"It was as sore as a risen that first day."

What in the world?

Offline Yankee11

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #15 on: May 29, 2015, 11:37:32 pm »
I have also read that a worker bee does not loose its stinger when it stings other insects. Only when it stings humans and animals.

When its stings another insect the shell of the insect does not close around the stinger. Human and animal skin closes around the stinger when it goes in.

Offline Jen

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Re: Got stung by a queen this morning.
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2015, 11:56:23 pm »
I've read that as well Yankee
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