It's July. It's hot and humid here. A reminder to all regarding getting over heated while working bees. Many of our colonies are in remote areas.
1.Carry a cell phone with you. Hopefully you can get a signal!
2.Take a buddy with you, if possible.
3.Take frequent breaks. Does you vehicle have air conditioning? Don't be afraid to cool off inside your vehicle.
4. Drink lots of water THE DAY BEFORE working your bees. Take ice water with you in an insulated cooler or cup.
5. Avoid alcohol.
5. Know the signs of heat stroke. Call 911 or get to an emergency room immediately if you have symptoms. Symptoms include: Temperature of 104 F or greater, confusion, reddish skin, nausea/vomiting, rapid shallow breathing, rapid heart rate, throbbing headache.
6. Try to work your bees early or late in the day when temperatures are cooler.
7. If you are on medications, read the side effects. Should you avoid extreme heat and sun?
Did I forget anything?
I had a scary situation yesterday while helping a 2nd year beekeeper with her colonies. Fortunately, her hives were at her house and her daughter was home. A bee stung her on her hand and she starting "not feeling well" a few minutes after that. She went into the house. I continued to inspect her hives. Her daughter called out to me to come help because she had dialed 911. When I found her she was white as a ghost, hyper ventilating, and was beginning to suffer tingling and loss of feeling in her hands and face. This led to extreme pain in her hands and more panic from her. While waiting for the ambulance, I applied ice to the back of her neck. She earned a ride to the ER and checked out fine. I think she was on some medication that amplified her condition. So, there were multiple things going on and not being a doctor, it was hard to tell what was happening.
Upon arrival, the first thing I noticed was the lack of air movement in her subdivision back yard surrounded by privacy fence. Just sayin' that didn't help.
