Stings

[Jam]

I am in my first year of having bees and got stung for the third time yesterday (on the wrist where the fabric was close to the skin). I had a big swelling with the first sting (softball), almost none with the second, and now a little more with the third (golfball).

My question is how often is the "ideal" spacing between stings?

[AmericasBeekeeper]

A couple every inspection keeps everything interesting! It will take more and more as you develop a tolerance to melittin. Conversely, you will get stung less and less as you improve your skill with the bees. I started teaching bee workshops two years ago. I find myself paying more attention to the questions as the girls remind me I am squishing them occasionally. I can get through all five teaching hives unstung or get careless.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

My question is how often is the "ideal" spacing between stings?

Ideal for what????? Your keeping bees, they sting....sometimes they are gentle as puppies and the same hive the next week can be mean and nasty...

[rocky1]

Ideal... Something less than 2 - 3 hundred times a day, dependent upon what your doing in them and how many hundred hives you're working a day!

[Bsweet]

I wish I was a perfect keeper and never got stung but we all know thats not going to happen. To be honest I got stung more when I rode harleys, this year (so far) 4 stings while working my bees.Jim

[MikeK]

I got stung while extracting last week. No bees in the honey house at all. Just a stinger stuck to a frame and I got stuck when picking it up. Between my index and middle finger on the left palm. Swelled a bit and itched. Gave me a little "ouch... dang it..." That makes 3 stings this year. It's just gonna happen but my idea of an "ideal" spacing between stings would be as long as possible.

[Jam]

By "ideal" I mean ideal for building immunity and not having a big reaction (swelling).

[rocky1]

That would be totally dependent upon your own body chemistry, and attitude toward bee stings. It can be affected by any number of things... Medications, allergies, what you eat, what you drink.

The more frequently you are stung, the quicker your body will build tolerance to the bee stings. Give it time and you'll get over it. If you're in a hurry, walk by and kick your beehive on a daily basis. (o;?