New Beek got stung... FUNNY! But what is the best treatment?

[Skilter]

Ok... I am a new beek. Other than helping my grandfather when I was a kid... (and motivating me to do this now) I really have done nothing other than read and build a couple hives for urban beekeeping as a first year beek. WELL...

I check on them every day. Nice ... Docile... pretty cool. But... I got one little small hive. I worry about them. I always check closely to what they are doing...

NOT ANY MORE!

I go down to my hives to check and my little hive I blow on it to see if guard bees are finally present. OK... Nice... a couple guards come out ... I hear a little buzz and think all good... I move over to the next hive. I am wearing jeans and a dress shirt from work... OK,....

All hives are doing good... So, I go back to my little hive that I have become fond of and....... BAM!

Seriously! REALLY! This single guard bee did a bzzz left and a bzzz right and gave me a WALLOP of "git some" on my urban ass right above my left eye. I felt like I just got a BANG and POW from the old school Batman episodes. Unreal... I guess that little hives finally got some balls. OUCH, but that is awesome... meaning that they got stuff building that is worth protecting. BUT....

Yep... I had a meeting this morning and I had a choice... Admit I had a giant "goiter" of a zit or admit I was a newbie beekeeper (explanation of itself) that got a great "Here's Your Sign" Moment....

Now that you all know... what is the best treatment to reduce my goiter? It doesn't really hurt or itch... it just looks like I am 17 with a MONSTER zit over my eye. HA!!!

skilter

[Hokie Bee Daddy]

I got stung under my eye one time and my face swelled to the point where my daughter called me an "oompa loompa" and had a business meeting the next day. I did just like you, told them my hobby and no further explaination required.

After you swell up its really too late to do anything and the only solution is time. You can put ice on it and it may help some. You can take a benadryl immediately after you get stung and I think it helps some. I also saw on here if you take a zyrtec about an hour before you work the bees it will reduce the swelling if you're stung and this is the best solution I've found. I've been stung the past two weeks after taking a zyrtec and didn't swell at all.

Enjoy your new hobby.

[NasalSponge]

Time.....but that was a great story!!

[Edcrosbys]

I'm so happy to read this!

This is my first year and I like to watch the bees for a few minutes before work. I was in slacks and a dress shirt about 2 feet from my first hive (a swarm that was boxed just a week). I ws squatted down off to the side watching the girls come and go. One eyeballed me for about a minute then flew straight at me and tagged me above my left eyebrow.

I don't feel so bad about it now!

[Skilter]

First thing people in my sphere of influence say is YOU ARE CRAZY~! ... Then they say ... "I want some honey"! Sure. No one realizes this is actually a combo between hard work and art while spinning up nature so that you find can find that perfect balance with the bees in order to make everyone happy (including the bees!).

[Skilter]

A cold beer at the end of the day down by the creek for 10 minutes makes me realize that .... Marcus Aurelius had some great observations in his book of Meditations.

[EastSideBuzz]

We have a couple bee stick kits. One is a suction thingy that seems to suck out the venom and makes the sting less. Also sting eze seems to help also. You need to do it right after you are stung so it is more effective. But, I cant always stop when I get stung to many hives to get through if I stop for each sting.

All hives are doing good... So, I go back to my little hive that I have become fond of and....... BAM!

Yup been there. Pulling feed bottles for me I got my wham. So I decided to screen the inside of the lid so I can change them without them being able to go strait for the face. Now I just make sure I have a vail on. Also my dark hair makes them go into attack mode because they think I am a bear. Also never wear dark gloves becasue you lost one of your bee gloves. It is like a sting magnet. They think it is a bear paw again.

[dixiebeeco]

Great stories from all! Just what an old Air Force guy needs on Friday afternoon. Just wait until you get a POW/WHAM/BAP on the upper lip. Yep, sure looks a lot like you got a collagen injection and everyone at work will have a lot of fun with it.

Hig,

[beardance]

Benadryl extra strength itch stopping cream works great applied soon after being stung. It also seems to help with the swelling and it's easy to carry around in your pocket or glove compartment.

[Skilter]

My grandfather used to use something that my grandmother would throw in the laundry... It was this blue stuff that would turn your skin the same color, but it shrinked the skin and allowed you to pull out the stinger and relieved the itch. I am sure the FDA or some other entity would not approve!

[Ben Brewcat]

First don't blow into a hive! CO2 is a trigger for defensive behavior, and bees go for faces. As to the sting, you'll see all kinds of momilies but really time's the best cure. Antihistamines help, and since I have access to Prednisone I used to carry an "in case of facial sting" kit to reduce the disfiguring swelling.

Ice for swelling, and for the itch run hot hot hot water over the site, as hot as you can stand but short of scalding obviously. It'll cause a histamine release (feels like you're scratching it), and the itch will disappear long for a whole night's sleep.

[biltay8]

Hello all I am a newbeek to, I have had my bees for about 2 months now. And today I got my first sting.
I was putting in beetleblaster traps when one came out and stung me on the neck. That was at 11am this morning and
now it's 1pm. All I have is a little red mark. No itching either. But I have never had a problem with bee stings.
Take care Bill

[pascopol]

I took 2 stings as my "initiation" rite into beekeepimg, one in my ear, one in my eye lid.

Now I am not afraid of stings any more, just wear my veil, no gloves, they can sting me as much as they please in my hands (thats healthy for potential arthritis).

Summing up if you can not take a heat get out of the kitchen

ROFTLAMAO

[Skilter]

well it's gone now... It never hurt, just swelled because there was not much tissue on the forehead. But, I like that we all have that first "Here's your sign" moment as beeks.

[Katharina]

In addition to liquid Benedryl and sucking out the poison: Hot oatmeal will help. Just nuke a tablespoon of oatmeal with some water and plaster it on while hot. Follow up with the Hawaiian Tropic with Aloe Vera Cool for sunburns. It contains lidacaine and numbs the pain and even reduces the swelling. I used it when I got stung by a yellow jacket on my neck. Same thing when a bumble bee got hold of my finger.

[Stooge King]

I heard two people say that taping a PENNY to the sting will completely negate the sting, swelling and all. I'll have to give it a try. Not that I'm looking to get stung

[pascopol]

Small coin would dissipate inflammation heat giving some relief, but will not "completely negate" the sting, since the venom has been already injected.

[WWW]

Skilter: It might be best not to get to near the entrance early in the morning, as the workers are not all flying yet and the gaurd bees have extra time to stand there and look at you and decide whether you need taught a lesson or not, and never ever blow into a hive.