What's the longest you've gone without getting stung?

[cerezha]

Basically it is a failure of your immune system that can happen at any time.

Not true! It is actually good respond of immune system, because it is designed to respond on any foreign substance injected in your body. The problem is that sometime, immune system overreact and we have anaphylactic shock. Allergy is also a part of normal immune response, sort of other side of the anaphylactic shock (chronic vs acute). The problem here is that our immune systems are compromised by our unhealthy lifestyle and over or under reacts. In beekeeping, we normally have deal with over reaction. Cancer, AIDS are examples when immune system fails - under reaction. Bees also have an immune system and most of our current bees-problems may be attributed to bees stress and thus - weak immune system. Better conditions to the bees - stronger immune system, less diseases etc. Sergey

[kenr]

two months.

[Acebird]

The problem is that sometime, immune system overreact and we have anaphylactic shock.

If a system is suppose to protect you and you end up dead I would say that is a failure.

Just wait till you get one on the nipple!

I am not in to nipple piercings. I think that is a younger thing.

[Keth Comollo]

One day.

[deejaycee]

four months, give or take = from the day they're wintered down in late April to the day they're opened up in early September.

Of course mostly they're more scratches than stings - the gloves and suit block them.

A real sting when I wasn't working the hives? Maybe three years... one of the girls was sitting on the backrest of the drivers seat in the car, and I leaned back against her. Didn't do her much good, but did wonders for the sciatic problem I had at the time!

[kidsanddogs]

[QUOTEThe problem here is that our immune systems are compromised by our unhealthy lifestyle and over or under reacts.][/QUOTE] CERZEHA

If you knew my lifestyle, CERZEHA, I don't think you would apply this theory to me. I'm not sure I'm with you on your cancer analogy either. How does that explain cancer in newborns? Young children? cats?

[mrobinson]

Aww, heck. It wasn't honey bees, but a ground-nest of wasps hit me more than twenty times last weekend in the space of ten seconds.

Ouch.

But you just have to plan for the fact that these are stinging insects, and that therefore it does not really "mean anything" yea-or-nay if one of them hits you ... as from time to time they will. You ought to move slowly and methodically ("like a dance") and be attentive to where you put your clumsy fingers. But you also can't let bee stings, or the fear of them (okay, it hurts!), dictate what you do or don't do with regard to your hives. It doesn't pay to keep score. It doesn't mean you did or didn't do anything wrong, when bees do what they naturally do in a situation that obviously does call for "hive defense."

When a bee hits me, I first spray the spot with peppermint water, then get the stinger out with a flick of my finger or a sweep with a dull(!) jackknife blade. After putting-down whatever I had been holding. The peppermint water seems to effectively disrupt the pheromones that otherwise lead to repeated stings in the same spot.

[danmcm]

If you knew my lifestyle, CERZEHA, I don't think you would apply this theory to me. I'm not sure I'm with you on your cancer analogy either. How does that explain cancer in newborns? Young children? cats?

Because in a fetus you have a working thymus gland which kills any immune cell that turns on when in mommy. This is to stop any immune cell from turning on to attack self (ie liver cells) once you are born this quickly changes but it takes six to nine months of a newborn to have a active immune system. Thus, as new borns we drink mothers milk which has IGgs and imparts passive immunity anything mom has been exposed to and mounts a immune respose to baby has some protection against.

The classic examples to over reaction by the immune system are leprosy where the actual bacterial does little damage but the body walls of body parts to try to protect itself and kills those areas or poison ivy the oil does little damage but the body over reacts in most people and causes some bad reactions and in some life threatening.

Under reacting is the person who always has visible infections our bodies should be able to fight off most bacteria and viruses while we are unaware of the infection having a poor immune system allows everything to get a foot hold. AIDS kills the immune system and thus it under performs but not a great example of a under performing immune system nearly all would fall if exposed (few individuals have been found to resist AIDS)

Thats chapter 1 immuniology 101

[Ben Franklin]

I can't say what the longest is, maybe the middle of winter/

[vonknabe]

I'm a 44 year old newbie beekeeper. I got my first nuc this past April. I have not been stung (although I know I will be, at some point). In fact, I have never been stung in all my 44 years. By anything. I'm afraid that when it does finally happen, I am going to pass out. I have an intense fear of pain, but especially needles. I have to sit down and look the other way, whenever a doctor's visit results in shots or drawn blood.

So, I went and decided my next hobby would be beekeeping! LOL!

Of course, I suit up like I'm going into chemical warfare.

[Nabber86]

The problem here is that our immune systems are compromised by our unhealthy lifestyle and over or under reacts. In beekeeping, we normally have deal with over reaction. Cancer, AIDS are examples when immune system fails - under reaction. Bees also have an immune system and most of our current bees-problems may be attributed to bees stress and thus - weak immune system. Better conditions to the bees - stronger immune system, less diseases etc. Sergey

Am I reading this incorrectly, or did you just say cancer and AIDS are the result of un-healthy life styles?

[Solomon Parker]

Am I reading this incorrectly, or did you just say cancer and AIDS are the result of un-healthy life styles?

I'm not seeing that. Not that he's technically correct in what he does say. AIDS isn't when the immune system fails, it's when it becomes compromised by a virus. And cancer is a different thing entirely.

Re: OP, Winter, generally, though I do regularly peak into hives and get stung once in a while then too. I don't wear gloves.

[JRG13]

Technically Cerezha is correct. HIV causes AIDS, which is any number of symptoms that can be brought on by a failed immune system. Being infected with HIV (the virus) and having full blown AIDS (Auto-Immune-Deficiency-Syndrome) are generally regarded as two different things as some people with HIV may never reach the point of having AIDS. Cancers can be caused by more than just unhealthy life styles though. Genetics plays a key role in some forms but the environment plays key roles as well.

[dadandsonsbees]

OK,,, Ya'll are making me wonder if reading this IS a jinx. I'm going out to check my hives tomorrow. I havent been stung in 3 weeks, if I do I'll just blame it on this thread.

[AJ Boss]

1 mth no sting yet..
almost took one home to sting me need to know how bad it is.

[Acebird]

About an hour ago. Dang yellow jacket. Didn't see the nest until I got stung and went looking for it. Their done stinging now.

[cerezha]

If a system is suppose to protect you and you end up dead I would say that is a failure.

Well, I think, it is more a terminology issue. If you are healthy, system will not kill you. It is not designed to kill. It designed to provide immediate respond to immediate danger, first layer of protection. Interestingly, many ill conditions may be attributed to immune system respond including asthma, arthritis, many other. BUT system did not often fails as a whole.Gradual desensibilization (spell?) mentioned above is very good approach. Sergey

[Elwood]

3 Months during the winter but then I kinda like getting stung a little. I work them without smoke barehanded until I get stung then put on nitrile gloves. Working them barehanded is making me a better beekeeper. I don't smash near as many as I used too. Seems like I'm getting less reactive to stings as well. Problem is now, I don't have anything to show for it.

[Nabber86]

If you are healthy, system will not kill you. It is not designed to kill. It designed to provide immediate respond to immediate danger, first layer of protection.

But can't fit and healthy people, with perfect diet and excersize, suddenly drop dead from anaphylaxis shock? Are these people unhealthy (i.e. sick)?

[Dunkel]

I was on a role of three months until New Years Day. Right on the tip of the nose. I was somewhat nosey. First of 2012, got that over with.