Reactions to stings...

**Karen S.** · 08-23-2012, 08:58 PM

I have just recently started beekeeping and for the first time in my life I have had two bad reactions to bee stings. The bees have never stung me when I have inspected the hive but I have received two stings recently for being stupid and they have swelled up and been extremely painful. I would appreciate any ideas on sting treatments etc... I am also new to this forum so perhaps this is not the right place to ask such a question.

**jlsheehan** · 08-23-2012, 09:34 PM

New beek as well... Have had one bad reaction, but in subsequent stings, just the usual, local swelling for a day, but nothing dramatic. Different stings (location, duration stinger stays in, other imponderables) seem to get different reactions.

**nunarr** · 08-23-2012, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Karen S.

I have just recently started beekeeping and for the first time in my life I have had two bad reactions to bee stings. The bees have never stung me when I have inspected the hive but I have received two stings recently for being stupid and they have swelled up and been extremely painful. I would appreciate any ideas on sting treatments etc... I am also new to this forum so perhaps this is not the right place to ask such a question.

Hi Karen, and welcome to this site, if you have bad reactions to strings you need to take some thing that has a antihistamine in it, over here in New Zealand can get what are called Razene you take two of these and after that your day gets better, I'am not to sure what you have in Canada, but go with some thing that has a antihistamine in it and you won't go wrong- good luck with the bees

**rmcpb** · 08-23-2012, 10:39 PM

Where were your stings? I have been stung on the hands a lot with no real reaction but when stung under the eye my eye closed right up. It was OK after a few days but obviously we react more in the more delicate parts of our body.

**nunarr** · 08-23-2012, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by rmcpb

Where were your stings? I have been stung on the hands a lot with no real reaction but when stung under the eye my eye closed right up. It was OK after a few days but obviously we react more in the more delicate parts of our body.

yer those head stings are always the worst

**AmericasBeekeeper** · 08-24-2012, 03:02 AM

1. remove the stinger as quickly as possible
2. apply ice
3. take anti-histamine

**Karen S.** · 08-24-2012, 09:36 AM

Thanks for the info. Actually I am a bit relieved because this second sting, even though it is on the top of my head, does not seem to be as nasty as the first one so maybe I am building up an immunity of some sort. I think my bees are a bit testy right now and hyper-vigilant as a result of constant yellow jacket and bald-faced hornet attacks and patrols. I just got caught in the middle of it all.

**Vermillion** · 08-26-2012, 01:01 AM

Karen, welcome! Do you have something at the health food store called Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy. I have had very good luck with this spray, on the sting and a spritz on the tongue as well. I also keep a little plastic travel size jar of vineagar, it helps as well. When I dont use anything, I get a reaction. When I use Rescue Remedy or vineager, I dont.

I was also told by my doctor to keep either childrens benedryl or liquid benedryl gel caps handy, they are very fast acting, and the antihistamine helps with the reaction as well.

be sure you you scrape the stinger, rather than try to grab it. If you get stung while working your bees, smoke the sting site to minimize the alarm pheromone at the sting site. If you smell banana, you have already attracted the attention of more guard bees.

good luck! stings are tricky. After several years of beekeeping, a member of our club just had to be hospitalized and now has to undergo weekly treatments in order to be able to continue....

**lazy shooter** · 09-13-2012, 11:24 AM

I'm in my second year with bees and have stung several times over the past 18 months. Usually, just one sting at a time. I wear those thin, soft leather gloves that Mann Lakes sells. For the past three inspections, I have received one sting through this glove on my left hand. Each time the sting was about one inch above the knuckle on my index finger. The first two stings were hardly noticeable, with a red mark smaller than a dime and almost no swelling. I received the same sting yesterday, and my hand is swollen up like it is broken. The whole back of my hand is huge.

After the sting, I treated it with benadryl ointment. It did not swell immediately, but last night when I went to bed it started itching. So, I got out of bed and took two benadryl tablets. During the night it swelled. It's one of those things that make you go hmmmm....

**mgolden** · 09-13-2012, 11:56 AM

Need to ensure protective clothing is worn and joints are tight fitting. Rubber boots also keep them from coming up inside the pant legs. Bees shouldn't be stinging through gloves and if they are the gloves are not thick enough or tough enough. Find I only get stung when I don't use or use properly the protective clothing. I do get the occasional light sting through denim jeans.

Stinging seems to dissipate in 10 mins and swelling varies and last 24-48 hrs.

Take antihistamine for stings.

If your reaction is severe, purchase an epipen. It's a good thing to have in your tool kit at any rate. And if you are getting severe reactions, you should check with a doctor to see if bee keeping is for you.

There was also a thread a couple of months ago with discussion on sting remedies.