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Author Topic: How often do you get stung?  (Read 14228 times)

Offline SgtMaj

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How often do you get stung?
« on: June 18, 2008, 05:07:30 pm »
The recent flurry of bee sting related posts has me curious... how often do you get stung?  How long have you been keeping bees, oh, and how many hives do you have?  That should give me an idea of the relation to frequency of stings vs. hive qty.

Offline Rex

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2008, 05:22:25 pm »
I'm a first time beekeeper this summer (installed my bees in May) and I have 2 hives.  I suit up with veil and gloves and use a smoker whenever I do an inspection, occaisionally use no veil or smoker if I'm just opening up the lid for a quick look.  They have stung at my gloves most often and clothing a few times but so far haven't hit flesh.

Offline rmhcattle

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2008, 05:46:26 pm »
in the last week i have been hit 4 times by removing 4 hives from building and bird houses

Offline MollySuesHoney

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2008, 05:50:13 pm »
I get stung often.  I get stung occasionally when I work hives.  Well, sometimes more than occasionally.  I almost always get stung repeatedly doing cutouts.  Frankly, I quit counting when I was a kid.  If I had to average it out I'd say around three per day.  They really are not big deal to me.  I'm not factoring in the occasional souped up angry colony.  Those don't count in my book.
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Offline thebeeladyintn

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2008, 05:54:31 pm »
I am a ole time beekeeper and I have been stung many times over the years but this year so far, I have been stung only twice.  One time it was my own fault since my bees love my hot tub, I was taking the cover off and not noticing where I put my hand, one got me.  I have since confused the bees and removed my hot tub from their imprinting process. And the next time that I got stung this year was when I was working them in only a veil, one had landed on my shirt and in the process of working them, my inner arm came too close to where the bee had landed and I got stung.  No problem, I just flicked out the stinger with a fingernail and kept on going.

I usually work them only with a veil in the summer except when I take honey.  they land on me all the time with no problems but over the years I have had a few pingers.  Pingers are guard bees who keep on pinging the veil, even though they cannot get in.  Pingers make me laugh.

with kind regards,

the bee lady in tn

Offline _Brenda_

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2008, 05:58:21 pm »
I just started with 1 package in April. No stings yet.  :)
Brenda

Offline AndersMNelson

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2008, 06:01:16 pm »
three years, 1 hive, 1 sting
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Offline derrick1p1

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2008, 06:01:57 pm »
4 hives. I get stung when I get in a hurry.  I always wear gloves, smoke, suit when I go in.  And I usually go in deep when I do.  Looking at honey supers isn't enough.  I get curious and have to go all the way in.  Not too often, but probably more than they would like me to.  I usually get stung when I'm moving to fast and get careless.  And it's usually later in the afternoon (after work), not the best time.  I've been stung about 15 times this year (had some very unhappy queenless hives this spring.  Also did 2 shake outs for laying worker troubles.  Bees really hate it when you shake and dump them out on the ground far from the hive.

Pingers?  I love it.  They make me smile when I'm working the hives too.

I won't let grass grow under my feet, there will be plenty of time to push up daisies.

Offline johnwm73

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2008, 06:05:21 pm »
First year and I have been stung 3 times. Twice will not wearing any protective clothing and once while I had my suit on but not boots. It was at night and I had running shoes on and I think it got stuck between the tongue and my sock. So it stung me by the ankle.

Offline qa33010

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2008, 06:15:35 pm »
     This is my third year and from July 2005 to December of last year I was stung maybe nine times.  This year once on a cutout and eleven for being an idiot.  If I take my time and work the way I should I don't even get them riled up at all.  When I was in a hurry, didn't pay attention to what I was doing, not watched where I put my fingers (I don't wear gloves anymore unless needed), wrong time of day/year or when I get cocky about my bee prowess are when I get nailed.  I don't remember any sting that I didn't provoke.
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline CWBees

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2008, 06:23:50 pm »
When I have gloves veil bee suit I don't tend to get stung. I do tend to get stung once and a while when I go out with ankles legs exsposed. It is a trade off of not getting relief from heat in the summer or getting stung by a bee.
A swarm in May is worth a bale of hay.
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Offline SgtMaj

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2008, 06:32:01 pm »
three years, 1 hive, 1 sting

Ok... YOU are who I want to learn from...  :-D  That's a pretty good record even if it is only 1 hive.   :)

I wanted to find the average stings because when I was a child, I was completely immune from beestings.  By that I mean I didn't feel them at all.  One time my parents found me playing in bumble bee nest I had uncovered in the backyard under a pine tree... I was petting the bees.  That's probably pretty weird, but I've been immune to a lot of stuff that tears up other people... I'm still immune from poison oak and ivy, I don't feel it at all, but my wife can be in the same room with me after I've gotten into it and break out.  Anyway, as I have gotten older, I do feel bee stings now.  A couple years ago I was hit by a bumble bee that got trapped between a flip-flop and my toes, it hurt for close to an hour (untreated) and even turned a little redish.  So the more it hurts the less I want to get stung.  (as a side-note, my immunity as a child only applied to honey and bumble bees, yellow jackets always hurt, there has to be some venom differences)


Offline Keith13

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2008, 06:35:34 pm »
I usually get stung when I get lazy and don't feel like wearing the armor. but it isn't a big deal to me so I usually don't wear the stuff and just take a sting or two

Keith

Offline HAB

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2008, 06:42:09 pm »
Using no veil or gloves got stung four times in last 7 weeks. :)
With four hives and two nucs.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2008, 09:50:04 pm by HAB »

Offline bassman1977

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2008, 07:24:05 pm »
Almost every time I go out this year.  Always in the left ankle.  Last year, got stung once, the year before that, none, the year before that, one.
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Offline octagon

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2008, 07:40:08 pm »
the first time this yr was yesterday on the soft part of my thumb, i was sweating so bad that when i wiped off my forehead with one hand, my thumb on the other hand must have anoyed a bee on the frame that i was holding, she had a small stinger and i hardly felt it.

Offline DayValleyDahlias

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #16 on: June 18, 2008, 08:47:28 pm »
Since May of 2007:

once on the right upper inner arm: just working in the garden
once on the right hand: no gloves working hive
once on the left upper arm: walked by a newly hived swarm
7 times on the upper thighs : wearing yoga pants while doing sugar shake ( novice sugar shake )
once again on the hand : taking off entrance reducer & not paying attention at 6:30 am
once on the leg: crawled up my pants while trying to catch a swarm ( first swarm  for me )
twice on the right temple:  first time my fault, second time...just walking by a queenless hive in the afternoon, after telling my DH "don't get near the hives they are acting crazy"

14 times in a year...mostly due to my actions

Offline JoelinGA

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #17 on: June 18, 2008, 08:53:51 pm »
New first year beekeeper with 2 hives of Italian bees.

During my weekly inspections I just wear a veil and long sleeves no gloves.

Got my first sting last weekend doing my 7th week checkup. Was smack dab right on the knuckle of my right thumb.

I still don't know what I did as I'm very careful and take my time in doing stuff to not upset the bees. I guess one of em was having a bad day and decided to take it out on me  :).

Offline JP

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #18 on: June 18, 2008, 09:45:48 pm »
three years, 1 hive, 1 sting

Ok... YOU are who I want to learn from...  :-D  That's a pretty good record even if it is only 1 hive.   :)

I wanted to find the average stings because when I was a child, I was completely immune from beestings.  By that I mean I didn't feel them at all.  One time my parents found me playing in bumble bee nest I had uncovered in the backyard under a pine tree... I was petting the bees.  That's probably pretty weird, but I've been immune to a lot of stuff that tears up other people... I'm still immune from poison oak and ivy, I don't feel it at all, but my wife can be in the same room with me after I've gotten into it and break out.  Anyway, as I have gotten older, I do feel bee stings now.  A couple years ago I was hit by a bumble bee that got trapped between a flip-flop and my toes, it hurt for close to an hour (untreated) and even turned a little redish.  So the more it hurts the less I want to get stung.  (as a side-note, my immunity as a child only applied to honey and bumble bees, yellow jackets always hurt, there has to be some venom differences)



You don't want to learn from me then, I get stung on average 10-15 tomes a week, some weeks its more, maybe 30.

...JP
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Offline tillie

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Re: How often do you get stung?
« Reply #19 on: June 18, 2008, 10:22:26 pm »
I've quit counting this year.  My first year I always suited up fully and got stung twice - once when I stepped on a dying bee in the house and once when I went out and sat between the hives, at orientation time in the hives, having drunk a Coke (caffeine) and wearing all black - that one was right in the eyebrow and the whole side of my face swelled up.

Last year I got stung about four times - always when I didn't have on my suit and gloves.

This year I've lost count - I know I've been stung about four times on my hands/fingers; once on my cheek, several leg/ankle stings - that's about it. 

I can tell that my reactivity is decreasing.  The first two years I was guaranteed a large local reaction plus intense itching not anywhere near the sting: on the palms of my hands and soles of my feet and one other unmentionable place.

Now I get some swelling, but haven't had the above reaction this year - I must be developing an immunity (knock on wood).

Linda T nursing a stung cheek in Atlanta