Author Topic: Sting Count... (Read 14132 times)

CpnObvious · « **on:** June 02, 2014, 04:55:03 pm »

Well, I got my second sting today. Hopefully this will help me learn the lesson I so desperately need to learn... SLOW DOWN! Two of the biggest reasons I decided to start keeping are to SLOW DOWN and RELAX. My life is nothing but GO! GO! GO! Bees kind of force you to slow down. You can't be rushing...

Neither sting was while I was tending the hives... just observing.

1) Yesterday I saved a been from drowning in the syrup. I was letting it roam around on my hand and all was good. When it was time to let it go, I put my finger on the edge of the hive to let it walk off. She was walking off, and then turned around and started climbing back on to my finger. I got her turned around. She was half way off and just sort of stopped. I was moving my finger to encourage her to keep going and BAM!!

2) Each day when I get home from work I go over to the hive I have here and watch them for a few. Well, it was time for me to go let the dogs out. I started to turn and felt something on my arm, in my sleeve. Rather than pause to check it, I just quickly brushed at my arm... BAM!

It's not like they haven't landed on me, roamed all over me (including my balding melon, I haven't yet jumped or been skittish. Don't know what I was thinking when I brushed at my arm. UGH!

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2014, 05:05:31 pm »

heheh.. making the mistake of thinking bees think like we do will get you in a lot of trouble. By all means, save the drowning bee, but consider that she is probably pretty stressed and unhappy when you do it.

Jen · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2014, 07:11:35 pm »

Also Cpn- the stinger itself is barbed like a fish hook, you don't even have to aggrevate her to to get a stinger to let loose. She may be wondering around under your shirt sleeve totally content, then the shirt sleeve gets a little tight and presses the bee bottom down and the stinger will just grab the skin. That probably happens a lot more than we think it does. I can hold a bee in my gently closed hand and as long as her bottom doesn't back up against my palm/fingers, she and me do just fine.

Don't worry... you'll get real used to the feel of a bee that lands on you and just rests for awhile. Such a compliment!

pistolpete · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2014, 11:50:54 pm »

For most people the first couple of stings there is little or no allergic reaction ( it hurts, but you don't get a lot of swelling and itching). Then the next few stings you will get lots of swelling and itching as your immune system learns to react to the venom. Then, as you continue to get stings once in a while, the immune response dwindles to almost nothing. In fairly rare cases the immune response just keeps getting worse, reaching life threatening levels.

For me regular stings have been a godsend. Really helps with painful joints in my fingers.

riverbee · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2014, 11:52:17 pm »

"Hopefully this will help me learn the lesson I so desperately need to learn... SLOW DOWN! Two of the biggest reasons I decided to start keeping are to SLOW DOWN and RELAX........Bees kind of force you to slow down. You can't be rushing... "

capn, the bees do teach us some skills or refine our 'characteristics' in many ways .......mostly with the butt end......

Jen · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2014, 12:03:50 am »

Hi Pete, I might have to counter your comment a bit. Being a bee venom therapist my experience with my clients is that the swelling is the worst with the first 5ish stings. And then I agree with the rest of your post. When I'm introducing bvt to a client, I tell them that the two best places to sting 'to start with' are the thighs or the back. This way the hand and feet don't get as big as a baseball glove. Then when they are past the point of swelling we go direct to the problem. Even if your injury is your elbow, if we sting on the back there will still be pain relief in the elbow because the venom goes systemic.

"For me regular stings have been a godsend. Really helps with painful joints in my fingers."

Same here, bvt has kept me walking, and working as a massage/pain management therapist. I'm ever grateful for the bees.

pistolpete · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2014, 01:30:53 am »

Jen: I kind of figured you might correct me a bit. Certainly you have more expertise. I only have my personal experience to go by. For me the fingers are the "best" place to get stung. I get virtually no reaction and very little pain. The nose is probably the worst, but I haven't experimented much. By the way, I've been stinging my elbow. Only 4 stings over the last 3 weeks, but it seems to be helping.

Jen · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2014, 01:49:56 am »

Pete - ""I kind of figured you might correct me a bit. Certainly you have more expertise. I only have my personal experience to go by. For me the fingers are the "best" place to get stung. The nose is probably the worst, but I haven't experimented much. By the way, I've been stinging my elbow. Only 4 stings over the last 3 weeks, but it seems to be helping.'

That's one of the main reasons I don't wear gloves is to get a sting or two on my hands, and the fact that I'm more clumsy with gloves. Two summers ago I put a bee every three days on a suspicious 'thing' on the back of my arm. By the time summer was over the 'thing' was gone. I've also been stinging my knees for the last couple of weeks, feeling much better and getting up and down stairs easier.

Pete- "I get virtually no reaction and very little pain"

Every body is it's own universe, and reaction varies. Nice to hear that you are getting full benefit from your bees

Perry · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2014, 07:33:59 am »

Well, I don't care what anybody says!!!

Stings hurt! Always have, always will!
During inspections yesterday I probably took 20 plus (I don't count anymore). While the pain doesn't last long, swelling is minimal (especially in my hands and fingers) and there is almost no itching, I feel each and everyone when it happens, and it ain't pleasant.
Some folks seem to think that they stop hurting after a while, but I haven't found it so. Even after the 4th or 5th one in my thumb yesterday, I still felt them all.

camero7 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2014, 08:29:35 am »

I agree. I took around 50 stings in one hand and about 20 in the other a few days ago. Hive came apart while I was lifting it onto the truck. should have strapped it better. Hand swelled pretty good and lasted a day or so. Pretty painful.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2014, 09:15:06 am »

They do hurt. Depending on where they are received, some hurt worse than others. I often dont feel the sting at all when I get it on the edge of my hand opposite my thumb, but I do feel the burn shortly there after. Squishing a bee and getting it in the fingertip probably annoys me the most. I use my fingertips for everything all day long.. Having them tight and slightly numb makes life difficult.. I'd prefer to have a lump between my eyes or my nose swollen up. I'm past the vanity stage. Being so good looking has its draw backs.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2014, 09:59:21 am »

Camero7, My lower brain won't let me pick up or load a hive without it being stapled together securely

I don't think i've ever took over 30 to 40 stings at one time, i've read that 80 bee stings is equal to a snake bite?? I can't count the times i've been stung on the stomach by rider bees when i lift a hive onto the truck bed or trailer and the swelling hasn't gone down for several years now

. My doctor keeps trying to put me on a diet, but i know what's causing it.

Doctor's don't know everything.

Jack

Jen · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2014, 11:57:05 am »

Scott- "I'm past the vanity stage. Being so good looking has its draw backs.

Mmhmm, and what size hat do you wear?

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2014, 01:48:11 pm »

Quote from: brooksbeefarm on June 03, 2014, 09:59:21 am

Camero7, My lower brain won't let me pick up or load a hive without it being stapled together securely I don't think i've ever took over 30 to 40 stings at one time, i've read that 80 bee stings is equal to a snake bite?? I can't count the times i've been stung on the stomach by rider bees when i lift a hive onto the truck bed or trailer and the swelling hasn't gone down for several years now . My doctor keeps trying to put me on a diet, but i know what's causing it. Doctor's don't know everything. Jack

Jeez Jack, Thank you!! I was wondering what was causing that. Now I know!!

Quote from: Jen on June 03, 2014, 11:57:05 am

Scott- "I'm past the vanity stage. Being so good looking has its draw backs.

Mmhmm, and what size hat do you wear?

Umm.. I think its a 7 1/2... Wife keeps a lot of sharp instraments laying about to stab me with if I become over inflated..
I thought I was safe here...... :'(

Jen · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2014, 01:55:37 pm »

Scott- "Wife keeps a lot of sharp instraments laying about to stab me with if I become over inflated.. I thought I was safe here..

Never

riverbee · « **Reply #15 on:** June 07, 2014, 05:50:00 pm »

"Well, I don't care what anybody says!!!
Stings hurt! Always have, always will!"

what perry said.....

"For most people the first couple of stings there is little or no allergic reaction"

pete, i know jen already posted about this.....and just to add to her post, local reactions and large local reactions to stings are normal and not allergic reactions.

Jen · « **Reply #16 on:** June 07, 2014, 05:57:51 pm »

When I was going thru my first 20 stings 4 summers ago, I was stinging my wrists and my whole arm would swell up and have hives. It was uncomfortable but not unbearable by any means.

Woody Roberts · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2014, 08:55:24 am »

I'm with Perry. I don't get much swelling or itching and while the pain of the sting is not bad I still don't like it.

CpnObvious · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2014, 11:03:45 pm »

Well, inspecting a coworkers hives today with the state bee inspector led to a sting in my right ear in the fourth, and final, hive... This makes 5 stings this year.

barry42001 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2014, 11:10:57 pm »

Prior to moving the hives my 2014 sting count was 0. After the move 40+. Think I am done for this year lol