Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: SgtMaj on June 18, 2008, 05:07:30 pm
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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.
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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.
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in the last week i have been hit 4 times by removing 4 hives from building and bird houses
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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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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
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I just started with 1 package in April. No stings yet. :)
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three years, 1 hive, 1 sting
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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
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Using no veil or gloves got stung four times in last 7 weeks. :)
With four hives and two nucs.
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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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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.
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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
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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 :).
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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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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
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I get stung pretty often. I once had a bee in my nose and since his butt was the last to go in I couldnt pick it out. I had to blow it!!...She came shooting right out like a booger!!!...A booger with black and yellow stripes! :-D She didnt get to sting me but this action of hers really had me worried this time!
Also I'm afraid of one getting into my ear hole!
I got stung between the eyes last summer too!...THAT was FUNNY!!!
For me though, Stings dont really bother me....The itchy time is the most bothersome.
If I get stung on the face, however, it really doesnt bother me because it makes people laff!!
I kind of feel like when my face looks funny from a beesting, its kind of like me wearing a badge that says "Hi, I'm Johnny the Beekeeper! See what I can do?"....( My wife calls me Stewart, from MAD TV)
I usually dont wear protective stuff though as it gets too hot for me. I will if I go to catch a swarm. After seeing a show on TV with the Africanized bees I will definitely wear the stuff If I go to catch a swarm where they have started making a home!
your friend,
john
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I'm hearing a lot of "I get stung because it's too hot to wear the suit"... is it really worth it? I know it wouldn't be for me... a few minutes in the suit sweating it out, vs. an hour of pain/itching...
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I always start, thinking "It'll just take a minute".....Then I'm prying lids....Scraping burr comb,......Messing with my smoker.....Lookin' at frames and more frames...Picking bugs out of feeders..Carrying syrup from my house, to the hives and back again to make more syrup then back to the hives, usually 2 times at least, sometimes 3...Oh yeh,..The phone decides to ring and delays my progress. And I only have 5 hives.
Now, for me, 90 degrees and over is HOT to me, in a bee suit or even a veil.
But now that I take a mess of medicines for A-fib and some other stuff, roasting in a bee jacket( I only have a bee jacket, my wife has the full suit) Is definitely A DRAG. :(
Then, I have to wear glasses....Salty sweat inside the lenses makes it to where I cant see any more. As a matter of fact, I wont wear my glasses if I remember to take them off..Even if I'm not wearing glasses and am wearing my veil I cant reach up to wipe my sweat off my eyes :(
Anyways, for me, its worth it.
Oh yeh,...My itching lasts at least a whole day, maybe 2 :)
And I do recommend people using protection.( That sounds like a TROJAN commercial! :-D)
your friend,
john
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first year - twice so far when i was installing the package - both stings were within 2 inches and they both were no big deal. i wear a jacket with attached veil and work barehanded. kinda glad i got the fear out of the way - now i just do my thing in the hive and try to be gentle. each time i inspect i feel more confident, but not cocky. i give the bees plenty of respect and praise them for the fine job they are doing.
-Steve :mrgreen:
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3 hives 1 sting this year-my fault- Thought I would go remove the entrance reducer without smoking, no veil, dark blue shirt on....neighbors and wife had good laugh watching the big guy run from the itty bitty bees!
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I started my first two hives this year at the end of May. I've been stung twice so far. Yesterday, I was walking around the yard barefoot and stepped on a bee--my fault. Today, I inspected the hives in shorts and a tee-shirt without veil or gloves (I had them with me but didn't wear them). I bee flew up my shorts and stung my finger when I tried to brush it out. That was probably my fault, too.
~Amanda
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Probably twice a year, due to being careless and not wearing proper protection at the time. Right now nursing a bee sting under my eye. (opened a hive without anything on, not even a veil- duh!!)
Annette
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I'm probably stung daily.
But then again, I'm probably inspecting 5 to 10 hives or nucs, doing some grafting or shaking a swarm in box.
When you compare that to the guy that has one hive and inspects every couple weeks, I'm probably on target risk-for-risk day-for-day.
I prefer to work only in a veil, so that also attributes to a few stings in the hands or an occasional bee that flies up the sleeve of your shirt or gets caught at your waist line and stings when crushed.
Since moving hives on to pallets, I also tend not to wear shorts when inspecting hives. It is tough scraping stingers out of 'boy parts' without the neighbors thinking you are doing something perverse.
Most stings do not react badly anymore.
Reactions vary month to month, as nutrition and venom strength varies.
Facial stings (eye area) and side-way stings tend to hurt worse then straight into muscle stings.
The fewer the stings the better, but I don't equate fewer sting to necessarily mean better beekeeping skill, sometimes it just means you have less work or less opportunity to be stung. (IE, I don't suit up in full armor to work my bees either).
If I were single, and I was worried about being stung up and facially swollen on Friday night $3/drafts and dart tournaments, then maybe my attitude might change a little bit about it.
Bee stings aren't a big turn on for most chicks - suppose that's why I had to marry a doctor that could find it interesting (even if just in a medical way).
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I started with two hives three years ago. I was stung once the first year. Now I have twelve hives. I've been stung six times this year. I just hate to wear boots in hot weather. So I'm always getting stung on my ankles and legs where the bees crawl up the suit.(The ankles of my suit aren't quite snug enough, apparently.) The reaction always seems worse when I'm stung in the early spring. I was stung on my ankle last week. It was completely gone in two days versus almost a week for an early spring sting.
I agree with Annette. When I'm careless or in a hurry I usually get stung.
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I've been doing it for four years now. In that time period I have been stung probably 20 - 30 times. Of course the greatest amount of those were from removals or cutouts. As far as my inspections, I rarely get stung. This year I have been stung twice since I started working the bees back in February. Generally I am checking the hives at least once a week, sometimes more. I have ten hives. Just my .02.
David
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Like Jeff above, most of my stings are on my hands, and a lot of these are actually accidental stings whereby I go to pick up a tool or something and there's a bee on the handle I don't see.
As far as boy's parts, I had that happen once, heck I even posted about it on here! Didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would.
...JP
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First year
Installed two packages on April 20
Inspect hives weekly
So far........no stings!
Knock on a wooden hive!
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Second year of beekeeping and have been stung only 3 times. only on my hands, and usually my fault.
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First year, 1 package, 3 stings.
1: Day 1, installing the package. Got overconfident from watching all the beeks without equipment. Bee flew up under the rim of my baseball cap (tan on top, black under the front rim of the cap) and started buzzing in my hair. Just about had her out when another bee flew to the same spot as the hair-bee. The supposed 'rescuer' got me right under the eye. I stopped and put on veil, jacket & gloves for the remainder of the install. Hurt just a little when it happened but within 24 hours and for a few days the side of my face was swollen and itchy.
2: An inspection. Was squatting down to get a tool or something. She got me on the knee through my jeans. Next day swelling, gone the day after.
3: Almost dusk, not a good bee time. Lifted the outer cover to see if the bees had made it up to the top board after I'd put a super on the day before. No equipment, of course. "Just a quick peek." Zapped on the soft part of my right thumb. This was 2 days ago and is the worst so far -- my right fist is a third again as big as the left and man, does it itch! At the moment, though, I have several bug bites on my neck, shoulder, back, butt and a tick removed yesterday from the panty-line area so I have multiple itches.
Shrug. It's summer in the South. I attract insects, always have. Eat more garlic?
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Not enough :evil:
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Bees really really like me. I get stung at least 3 days a week, usaaly once or twice each time. They go after my face like no ones business. The most i was stung at elast 125 times. Lost count. No fun, but i am tougher for it. i just want them to leave my face alone. My eyelids get hit about 3 times a year and the swelling is tremendous.
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As far as boy's parts, I had that happen once, heck I even posted about it on here!
I'm beginning to see why beekeeping isn't as popular as it once was... :-D
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I don't get stung very often. Usually when I get careless...don't lite my smoker and not tie my veil properly. They got in my veil and stung me twice around the eye.
Steve
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Free tip: Don't mow around 8 hives in shorts, bare feet, and no shirt.
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>I'm hearing a lot of "I get stung because it's too hot to wear the suit"... is it really worth it? I know it wouldn't be for me... a few minutes in the suit sweating it out, vs. an hour of pain/itching... <
To me it's a little better than full chem gear, except I don't have limited breathing from the mask. ;)
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Normally it happens whenever i do something stupid like say taking a quick peak into a hive without my suit gloves or a smoker. So far i've had 3 stings this year only one of them wasn't my fault as one of my dogs getting stung set them off. :-D
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[My eyelids get hit about 3 times a year and the swelling is tremendous.]
Shave your eyebrows off, it gives them less to grab onto.
Besides, it becomes a conversation piece at your company/family picnic!
Eye lid stings are the worst!
The stingers are about impossible to remove without a mirror and the stung eye closed.
I'd rather be stung 20 times anywhere else instead.
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To me it's a little better than full chem gear, except I don't have limited breathing from the mask. ;)
Hmm chem gear is not a bad idea... apart from not being able to hook up to an air supply... so would end up suffocating in the suit...
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About not being stung so far...............got nailed yesterday on top of my head! Should have been wearing a cap!
Had refilled the sugar syrup jars with not problem. Then, I decided to return to one of the hives to check and make sure that I had tighten the lid on one of the jars. Lifted the top, "yeah, everything looks good with the jar lid", put the top back down and as I was placing the brick on top, a guard bee zipped out of the rear entrance! She was all in my face but luckily (I guess) she nailed me on top of my head.
Not much swelling though........I thought you got a lot of swelling if you were hit on the head. Maybe just the face? I think I will wear at least a tie-down veil from now on!
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Not much swelling though........I thought you got a lot of swelling if you were hit on the head.
Uh, oh. BRAIN stung! The brain doesn't have any pain receptors, but don't be surprised if within 24 hours you begin to buzz uncontrollably. And everyone knows that beeks already have swelled heads, so no more expansion is possible.
Muwah haha :evil:
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Free tip: Don't mow around 8 hives in shorts, bare feet, and no shirt.
You wouldn't have a video of that moment, would you ? :-D
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I'd get stung alot less if I shaved this mop of hair off.
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I have one hive that just started this year. As of right now I wear all protectuve gear and smoke them before I go into the hive. It seems everytime I open the hive I have one bee that is stuck to my glove, the hand area, with her stinger inbeded deep into the leather. I want to work without the gloves because I cant get a good hold on things, but I cant afford to get stung on the hand because of my job.
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I have one hive that just started this year. As of right now I wear all protectuve gear and smoke them before I go into the hive. It seems everytime I open the hive I have one bee that is stuck to my glove, the hand area, with her stinger inbeded deep into the leather. I want to work without the gloves because I cant get a good hold on things, but I cant afford to get stung on the hand because of my job.
try nitrile gloves they offer pretty good protection the only time I have been stung through them is when I didn't see A bee and crushed her between my finger and the hive, plus they offer pretty good dexterity
Keith
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One thing that hasn't been mentioned here are the people that actually welcome stings for arthritic reasons etc... Myself included. No, I'm not talking of ones near the eyes or other sensitive areas nor am I speaking of tons of stings, but I welcome stings for the venom therapy, a few accidental stings on the hands weekly is ok by me, plus gloveless you get 100% dexterity.
...JP
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15-20 times yesterday alone. All between the wrist and fingers.
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This is my second year. I usually get stung once or twice per inspection, regardless of how many hives I inspect at the time. I don't usually wear a veil unless I'm in a hurry and/or can't use smoke, and I never wear gloves.
Cutouts, on the other hand, I always get stung 10-20 times, always wear a suit and gloves. I had a defensive hive that stung me more than 100 times, 50 on one bicep before I was finished. Not very gentle bees, but they are definitely the exception, not the rule. Wearing a suit helps, since the venom sac can't penetrate...just pulling the fabric away from the skin removes the stinger.
I've noticed a huge difference in my reactions to stings this year. They don't itch anymore as they heal and the swelling goes away in half the time or less than it did last year. Cutouts (probably their related stings) apparently are good for building immunity to bee venom. The cash payment also works well as a psychological balm.
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WAY too often! I took 6 tonight while doing a split and full inspection on 2 hives, including one to the tongue. Wow, that sucker hurt! I was sneaking in some honeycomb that had torn off a bar and a bee snuck on while I was getting it under my veil. Had a few nice chews and then--WHAMMO! Three to my tender underarms, another to my leg. They were seriously ticked.
Mostly I get stung on my hands but go gloveless and somewhat expect it. Tonight was the worst ever, and I even smoked (the bees, that is) the whole time!
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I'm in the hives most days. I get stung most days. Usually only one sting, sometimes two.
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Wow.. This thread popped way back up out of nowhere. :) I saw the original poster and shook my head. :)
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I don't wear any of the garb .. the kids and wife say I just don't watch ,, I do what I want and the girls have to watch out for me ,not me for them .if there were I want to see ,I move them with a finger , or knock all off the frame .. most come from putting my hand down on them . who counts , the more stings , the less my hands hurt .. just a benny of bee keeping
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Yeah...I'm the guy that started some of the other threads...
Thought I was a tough guy... :mrgreen:Also thought I could be zen-like and take it like a cool dude... :mrgreen:
Turns out I'm a schoolgirl that hates getting stung.. took about 5 to the backside of my knees(ouch) when I tried to check a honey super ..I was wearing a veil and using gloves..but was in shorts and flip flops and didn't use smoke..
Tell you what..I don't trust the bleep now...smoke and jeans !!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:
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I get stun regularly on cutouts since I don't wear gloves unless they respond adversely. I have no problem with 15-20 stings on my hands.
Last week I was called on a large swarm that moved into a false front on a store. They moved in at about 10 in the AM and After checking the activity and location I opted for an evening removal. When I opened up the wall I had my sting proof jacket on but no gloves. That was the biggest and meanest swarm I have ever captured. I took 15 or so hits to the hands immediately so climbed down to the truck and put on my "Go to War leather gloves". Had to vacuum them and in the process got into an awkward position that put my face against the screen and I took 10 more on the lip and chin before I could move. In a couple hrs I couldn't even sip thru a straw which delighted my son immensely. Took two days for the swelling to go down so I could talk on the phone I got enough bees to fill two mediums.
Bruce
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Welll,,,, after the bear upended them on Wednesday, they wanted to kill me when I went in to fix their hives. They cooled down by this am. I went into to do a thorough hive check and they're back bringing in nectar and behaving. 3 stings to my right hand on Wednesday, really owey, better today. Naughty girls.
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This is my second year. Last year I got stung twice, both times in the center of my bald spot, and both times because I was careless and didn't wear a veil even though I'd been warned the hives were a little testy (hives of 2 different friends). This year I've had one stinging incident though it was 5 or 6 stings at once delivered by some members of a swarm I was collecting. My hand swelled up like a baseball glove - not a wrinkle to be seened for 3 days. Thankfully I had the forethought to remove my wedding ring, otherwise.....
SH
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I get stung every couple of times I go in the hives, mostly always from the same hive it seems, its my biggest one.
I guess I have gotten stung around 8-10 times since April checking 10 hives but I have gotten stung doing stuff around the yard when I am not near the hives, I was scooping up leaves in the garden the other day and got stung on the finger, I never did see who did it but my hand swelled something terrible.
Then I got popped on the temple while walking to the chicken coop.
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This is my first year - one colony.
One sting on my finger during first inspection when I picked up the inner cover to replace it and didn't notice the bee on the edge. So, all my fault.
I think the girls have been just too busy when I've done inspections. That first inspection is the only time I have used vail and smoke.
-Paul
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This is my first year of having my own bees, and 6 weeks into it, visiting the hive approx. once a week, I have not been stung yet. I use my veil and smoker every time. I don't use gloves, and often a short-sleeved shirt. They have not even tried to sting me or my clothing (yet). They are generally very calm and docile. Last visit I had to move the entire hive to fix the hive stand (which had begun to settle in one corner), and still no stings. :-D Let's see how long I can keep that up...
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Began my first hive the first week of April. Got my first sting that night setting it up. Then a few more times during April and May, but I made it all the way through June without any, lets see what July has to offer. Just checked inside the hive a couple days ago but didn't get stung even though a couple bees landed on my bare legs. I do wear the veil with jacket and gloves now and don't be lazy about it. Because when I normally get stung its in the head, face and hands.
-pc