First Sting story

[Dan. NY]

It was bound to happen soon or later. I had just hoped later. I went out Friday evening for a quick check and to pull emtpy feeders from the top. Well.. they were stuck of course, I didnt have my hive tool, nor my suite. Just a quick visit right? I managed to break the feeder free and in so doing set off the alarm bells. Immediately after I pulled it, one flew up directly at me and was heading for my eye. Luckily it landed in the corner of my nose/eye area and stung on the side of my nose and not my eye. Lucky... There was no loud buzzing there was no warning, there was only this one really pissed off woman. Others were flying around me and one more seemed to be trying to sting me but was unable as strange as that sounds. It was buzzing very loud pitched and seemed to be tangled in my shirt. As soon as I got stung, ran out and away followed by this one bee that was tangled in my shirt.

As a topper to the story, I got stung next day by a yellow jacket. I knocked their nest over and retreated a somewhat safe distance. Not far enough. They seemed to regroup and a few minutes later one got me in the neck.

Its good to know I am not allergic..

Dan

[SRBrooks]

I've never been stung by a bee. Only wasps and scorpions. The scorpion sting felt like someone touched a lit cigarette to my skin. My husband was stung by a scorp the other day, and he said it felt like electricity. Horribly painful.

What did it feel like when you were stung? I've read that being stung on the face is particularly painful.

I hope you're okay.

[Dan. NY]

It wasnt horrible. I wont say it was fun but not awful really. For me, a little bit of a burn. After that it was more sore. I also had a pretty good headache for a time. I think stung in such close proximity to my sinus it did something a bit strange. My nose started to run, I had sniffles for a bit also.

I did recall to pull out the stinger. But not for a good 30 seconds or more. Today I have a small visible welt where the stinger hit. A bit of swelling, some itchiness but that is about it. Overall, not bad though.

Dan

[ralph3]

They love the nose. If one is gonna sting you they will kamikaze out of nowhere usually. Completely unexpected. The ones that buzz up in your face and ears generally are just bluffing, but if you return later those same ones might not be. Mine usually only send them up in my face buzzing if they are queenless though.

Now go try one on the lip.

[Wax]

I didn't completely close my veil the other day while putting back together a bear destroyed hive. One got me on the adam's apple when she crept through the little opening. I was glad my throat didn't swell up.
Not all my fault though, I was distracted by the property owners irate german shepard and didn't pay as much attention to detail as I should have while fending him off with a plastic frame.
Angry bees..........Me...........angry dog

[psfred]

I got stabbed in the belly on Sat, my fault. I forgot the super I was removing was empty, and since it was sticky, it hung and then came loose a bit faster than I expected. I must have squeezed a bee between the box and my belly, since I didn't see a stinger on my shirt once I got the box situated out of the way. Blew a puff of smoke on my shirt and went on my way.

That hive is fussier than the others I have -- they have always been much more likely to fly up when the hive is open and wont' stay down between the frames without more smoke than the others. Just the way they are, so they get opened last.

First sting this year, and only a red itchy spot as a result. Given how my hands feel today, I should have let her sting me there!

Peter

[cerezha]

I learned from childhood that vinegar (normal, 3% concentration) helped when used ASAP. I just wet piece of paper-towel with vinegar and apply to the affected area. If vinegar applied quickly, I normally have no reaction. Interestingly, my girls LOVE to sting me in the head through hairs - it looks like they just like to be tangled in the hairs. Recently, got a few stings without any obvious reason - just working in the garden - twice in the head. Sergey

[mrobinson]

"It will happen" periodically. (So to speak.) Bees are: stinging insects. This is what nature equipped them to do, and it has served them well for aeons. Yes, there are things that you can do to reduce your chances of getting "zapped," but at the same time, you need to do what you need to do, whether or not you get zapped. You can become so tense at the very thought of possibly getting stung that you can really do something dumb. What you need is to "get into the zone" of relaxed but intense concentration, and easy but purposeful movements.

If a sting happens, quickly remove the stinger and proceed. (I also recommend: don't work alone.) The chemistry of the sting is largely neutralized either by vinegar or by baking soda. I use peppermint water in lieu of smoke and find that it, too, kills stings dead. Just get that stinger out.

I don't wear a suit very often, but I do always wear a hood even when I am "just looking." Because there is one place that I do not want to get stung, and that one place is: my face. I also wear (disposable) gloves, not only to keep my hands clean but because the other "one place" that I never wish to be stung is my hands. This particular approach happens to be what works for me and that's why I do it that way. I have nothing to say and will say nothing about what approach anyone else should choose.

And let's always keep in mind that there are many stinging insects in our gardens ... but hornets, wasps, yellow-jackets, and sweat bees do not produce ... honey!