Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Stingless honey bees  (Read 7481 times)

Guest

  • Guest
Stingless honey bees
« on: July 21, 2004, 09:45:41 am »
Hi,
I would love to keep bees but I'm allergic to their sting  :(
Does anyone know if theres a stingless variety of bee I can keep in the uk?
Many thanks

Offline asleitch

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 202
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2004, 09:51:59 am »
How "Allgeric" are you - do you have to carry adrenaline/epi-pen?

"Most" people who are "allergic" are not allergic at all.

I've not be stung since starting as a beekeeper this year. Buying a good outfit, and I wear washing up gloves, and you will most likely not be stun.

Adam

Guest

  • Guest
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2004, 12:06:45 pm »
Well last time I was stung (nearly 2 years ago) it was at the base of my hand near my wrist, I thought I was ok as there was no real immediate swelling, but over the next few hours my hand swelled so much I couldn't move my fingers.....looked like a balloon man :shock:

So I don't need an epi-pen (I think) but the swelling could be quite risky if I got stung on the neck.

This is why I'm after stingless bees... could i keep tropical ones and store them in a shed during the colder months?

Thanks

Guest

  • Guest
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2004, 12:08:56 pm »
I forgot to add, I never use to react why I was a kid, but now every time I get stung its getting worse

Offline Robo

  • Technical
  • Administrator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 6778
  • Gender: Male
  • Beekeep On!
    • Bushkill Bee Vac
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2004, 12:15:56 pm »
Quote from: Guest
I forgot to add, I never use to react why I was a kid, but now every time I get stung its getting worse


Were these honeybees that stung you?  I get much more swelling when stung by yellow jackets/wasps.

I personally don't think you will have any luck obtaining or keeping tropical bees.  Your probably much better off the invest your efforts in a sting proof outfit.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline asleitch

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 202
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2004, 01:32:03 pm »
"allergic" is defined as difficulty breathing I think, swelling is normal - did you immediately take an anti-histamine tablet?

I'd talk to your doctor about getting a good supply of anti-inflammatories, and then you should be fine.

Although scraping the "sting" out, to ensure you remove the poison sac is traditionally recommended, the latest research shows it's the length of time the sting is in you, not the removal technque that is key. When your hand swelled up, I'd consider that to be a "normal" reaction - just like most people with stings I've seen.

Like I said, I've not been stung since taking up beekeeping.

Adam

Offline Finman

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 440
Re: Stingless honey bees
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2004, 04:16:29 am »
Quote from: Guest
Hi,
I would love to keep bees but I'm allergic to their sting  :(
Does anyone know if theres a stingless variety of bee I can keep in the uk?
Many thanks


The allergy is not matter of laugh or fhilosophy. You can loose your life. It is serious matter.

Stingless bees means that bees or wasp with stings can attack the hive and destroy it.

Guest2

  • Guest
Bee Stings
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2004, 02:49:01 pm »
I got stung early in the season and swelled like you.  However, I got stung again about a week later and swelled minimally.  2 weeks later I removed a swarm from a wall and was stung 5 times.  I never swelled.  I did, however, itch like the dickens.

Offline tig

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 236
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2004, 02:46:15 am »
i'm not sure if A. trigona will survive in the UK....thats the stingless variety we have here in the philippines.  they may not sting but they do bite and they are small enough to go thru the bee veil!

Offline Beth Kirkley

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 103
    • http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/GA216.html
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2004, 10:43:36 am »
Having a reaction to bee stings shouldn't deter anyone from keeping bees. They're a fantastic hobby - relaxing, and can be profitable with work. If you take precautions (bee suit, antihistimines, or epi pen) you should be fine. Think of it this way, there are people out there that work with rattle snakes. Those are very poisonous. But these people enjoy the work (or hobby) and take precautions or work cautiously. And like someone else said, if you do get stung a few times, USUALLY you can build up some tolerance. Heck, you might even want to try and find a professional person to purposely sting you to build up your resistance before getting bees.
I've also had the experience someone else mentioned - my first sting was bad, but there after the reaction was less. I've only been stung 4 times, and they were all my fault. The first time I was wearing poor gloves, and got stung in the hand after accidentlly smashing some bees with the frames. The next time I was stung 3 times (one in the upper thigh & two in the ankle). That was also my fault. I was in the hive very late in the evening, and really rushing to do the work because it was getting too dark to even put the hive back together. All the bees were home, I was moving very fast, and used no smoke.  :oops:  Not real bright of me.

Beth

Offline golfpsycho

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 244
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2004, 02:19:39 pm »
I'm no expert on stings, but having had my share, I think care needs to be excersized if you are having more than a localized reaction.  Swelling, and itching are normal, and it's doubtful anyone has ever died from swollen fingers or arms, or even face.  However, if a sting on the arm were to result in swelling and hives on the opposite arm, torso, or legs, it is likely a systemic reaction and might be a red flag for a problem.  Difficulty in breathing, shallow rapid breathing wiould signal an anaphylactic reaction, and is life threatening.  Certainly not something to be minimized.  

Most of us build up a resistance to the swelling, and the sting itself becomes a minor annoyance over time.  Initially, I experienced disfigureing swelling and severe itching.  (I was stung 4 times on the face)  But I lived, and was advised to incur several stings per week to build tolerance.  Dutifully, I "applied" a bee to my forearm almost daily.  However, that was 40 years ago, and 30 country miles from medical help if it had been required.  Probably not the best advice.  Good thing I was was young and invincible!  bahahahahahahahha

Offline Bee Rancher

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 36
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2004, 02:17:46 am »
Having a little experience as a  FF/Paramedic I would like to express my 2cts about bee sting reactions.  Allergy reactions are a normal response to a venom injection or sting but all have different reaction levels.  Most according to stats are that a very large % are just a local or more reaction to stings but a small % have a severe reaction to bites or even food.  This reaction is an anaphylaxis reaction.  Swollen tongue, uticaria, swollen airway, wheezing and complete shutdown due to a histamine reaction of the body which is normal.  Sometimes people get confused about allergies and normal or more than normal reactions.  But anaphylaxis is a very serious reaction and usual onset is within mins or seconds.

When I get stung I have a reaction but not an anaphylaxis reaction.  My local area swells and itches but no airway probs.  Hope my body does not change as I get older as it sometimes will.

Hope that was not a rant just a situation that we deal with daily.  


Thanx,
Hank
"Remember the Brotherhood"
9-11-01

Offline golfpsycho

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 244
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2004, 02:57:25 am »
Gee... thats what I thought I said

Anonymous

  • Guest
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2004, 10:46:52 pm »
Sorry golf,  I read your reply after I wrote mine.  I was at the sta late after some med calls and thought this was a great post.  Hope I did not step on any toes. :wink:    Great info prior to mine.

Hank

Offline golfpsycho

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 244
Stingless honey bees
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2004, 11:45:33 pm »
heheheheh.. nope.. toes intact.  You probably have a better perspective than I do anyway.  You see the real thing.  I just see people that swell a little and declare life threatening allergy.  I will admit, after beeing out of bees for a couple decades, the first few times I got stung, I thought whoa... somethings changed here.. but I'm back to my old self now... no swelling,.. momentary discomfort.. blame myself instead of the bees.  As people get further and further from the land... this knowledge is lost.  It's really a sad state we're in.