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Author Topic: How many stings till relative immunity.  (Read 4474 times)

Offline brer

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How many stings till relative immunity.
« on: July 12, 2010, 10:50:29 pm »
This is my first hive.  I have had some minor problems but the majority have been resolved.

I have happy little Italian girls.  I love them and I think the majority of them love me.

I have just been stung for the fourth time in the past two months.  One got caught in my hair while doing an inspection.

Yes, I have heard of a few of you all getting hit much,much harder. I'm a bit of a wuss though. The last sting before this one made me look asian for a few days.

How many stings should I expect to take,on average, before I start getting immunity or at least some immunity. 


Offline Sparky

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2010, 11:04:17 pm »
Everyone will be different and some never develop immunity. Some even become allergic. Only time will tell but be carefull how many hits you take at one time until you know how you react.  ;)

Offline hardwood

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2010, 11:09:46 pm »
I don't think you could rely on "how many total stings". It's more about how often and it varies depending on the person.

During warmer months when I'm working the bees more I can get a lot of stings and they don't seem to bother me much after the initial "OUCH".
During cooler times when I might only work bees every 2 weeks or so I can take a sting and swell and itch from it.

Scott
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Offline BjornBee

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2010, 11:12:57 pm »
Some never change much. Some with additional stings, see decreased sensitivity.

But keep in mind...you can keep bees for 40 years and be stung thousands of times with no reactions. Then one day, wake up, get stung, and go into anaphylactic shock. And that can happen anytime.

I was told years ago that to keep the sensitivity at a very low level, something on the order of 100-200 stings per year may be required. Which for anyone with some number of hives, is about 2 stings per week. I get that most mornings...  :-D

I think 4 stings in two months isn't building much immunity.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2010, 11:14:18 pm »
mine has never changed.  i swell up like the great pumpkin and itch for days.  at least it hasn't gotten worse!   :-D
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline harvey

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2010, 11:15:05 pm »
how about a couple hundred from one hive?    in about ten minutes

Offline BjornBee

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2010, 11:18:24 pm »
how about a couple hundred from one hive?    in about ten minutes

I have....and plan not too again....... :-D
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Offline Livefreeordie

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2010, 11:21:43 pm »
I got tagged 71 times in a couple minutes as a young man. Not much of a reaction after the ouch, some swelling, not a terrible amount, and through all the years, and including last week, the hurt for an instand, and not much thereafter. Still though, can you get pens just in case? Do most people carry them?
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Offline BjornBee

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2010, 11:31:03 pm »
BY prescription, costing about 30-40 dollars.

I bought one to keep in the glove compartment of the truck, but they are temperature sensitive. So I keep it at home, and rely on a bottle of benedryl.
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Offline Livefreeordie

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2010, 11:36:24 pm »
BY prescription, costing about 30-40 dollars.

I bought one to keep in the glove compartment of the truck, but they are temperature sensitive. So I keep it at home, and rely on a bottle of benedryl.

I will make sure I keep benedryl in the truck, and see about getting a prescription. For the first year I plan on keeping my first hive on the property here, so that shouldn't pose much of a problem getting to the pen. I doubt I will ever need it, but all this is good to put into the memory bank just in case. Thanks Mike.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2010, 11:46:57 pm »
you need two.  they are short acting.  if you ever have an anaphylactic reaction, you might need both before help gets to you.  suggestion has been made here a couple of times to take Loratadine before hand to lessen reactions.  for people like me, that's probably a really good idea.  i took it the last swarm and cutout, but didn't get stung.  can't report on how it worked......
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Livefreeordie

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #11 on: July 13, 2010, 12:04:55 am »
Thank you Kathy, will look into that too.
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Offline FRAMEshift

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #12 on: July 13, 2010, 09:23:50 am »
you need two.  they are short acting.  if you ever have an anaphylactic reaction, you might need both before help gets to you. 
At tip from my pharmacist:  The epipens are available in two-packs.  Ask your doctor to write the prescription for a two-pack and your insurance co-pay will only be required once for two pens.  That's if you have insurance, which many folks don't have these days.   :(
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Offline caticind

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2010, 09:53:11 am »
A further tip for the OP - if you know you swell a lot, as I do, WEAR A VEIL!  Even if you don't want to use a suit or gloves.  Even a cheapo veil.  It is worth the tiny expense.

Stings on the face and neck tend to swell more and the swelling is more likely to interfere with your vision or breathing even if you do not have an anaphylactic reaction.  Reduce stings there by wearing a veil, and you have significantly lowered the risk and annoyance associated with getting stung.
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Offline beekeepingnoobs

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2010, 01:35:13 pm »
I'm also thinking I might get a canister or two of primatine mist for my toolbox. Wouldn't hurt to keep around in the event of a sting considering how far I am from the nearest rescue squad, not to mention the county paramedics.
They don't really sting do they?
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Offline scoobee

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #15 on: July 13, 2010, 02:22:18 pm »
The next to last time I ever got stung was when I was 11 yrs old. With youth I didn't have a reaction not even itching. The last time I got stung was 2 days ago during a hive inspection. The little misses walked right up my index finger and said hello. It didn't hurt and the only reason I even knew I got stung was a burnong sensation and when I looked, I saw the stinger. I left the stinger in because I heard that bee stings cazn be good for my medical condition. At 4:00 am woke up with the worst itching I have evr experienced, having my fingernails pulled out would have been etter. Hand has swollen where I can" define my knuckles. I wear a veil and will check on the epi-pen.

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Offline joker1656

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #16 on: July 13, 2010, 03:56:56 pm »
Second season keeping bees.  Not sure how many total times I was stung last year, but it was quite a few.  One session, where I tipped over a swarm, ended with 15 plus at one time.  Not many compared to some, but sent me to the E.R.  Since that episode I rarely have much of a reaction. 

I keep benadryl around and use some caution.  Not sure how long the "immunity" will last, but have been stung quite a few times this season and still have no reaction.  Still hurts like a **********, but that is about it.     

Wife's uncle has kept bees for years and absorbed many stings.  Last year got stung once and had a dangerous reaction.  It pays to be prepared, regardless. 

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Offline VolunteerK9

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2010, 04:19:12 pm »
Why is it that the stings themselves, or maybe its the potency ,varies?  Each time I get popped, my reactions differ. Sometimes pretty significant swelling and itching and others hardly any at all. I also suggest an Epi and Benedryl on hand. I keep them with me all the time.

bigbearomaha

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2010, 04:34:17 pm »
    
Quote
How many stings till relative immunity.

All of them.

 :-D

Big Bear

Offline BjornBee

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2010, 04:47:16 pm »
Why is it that the stings themselves, or maybe its the potency ,varies?  Each time I get popped, my reactions differ. Sometimes pretty significant swelling and itching and others hardly any at all. I also suggest an Epi and Benedryl on hand. I keep them with me all the time.

Depends on two things...where you get stung, and how long the stinger is in. There is a huge difference in reaction from a stinger scraped off within a second, and one that remains for 10-15 seconds like when someone has to take off the hood as they walk away from the hive, after one crawled up under the coat. The sooner the stinger is out, the better you will be.

I get stung all the time on the hands. But the back side of my hands, like where you would impact with a karate chop, that area always reacts much more than anywhere else. Guess I need to quit karate chopping the bees... :-D
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Offline beekeepingnoobs

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Re: How many stings till relative immunity.
« Reply #20 on: July 13, 2010, 06:00:11 pm »
I've alsoread somewhere that the venom becomes more potent as the bee's life cycle progresses. Can anyone verify?
They don't really sting do they?
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