How to avoid bee stings

[@mikerevendale4810]

That's absolutely the best lesson I've ever seen on this subject. Well done! I'd add that we can greatly diminish a sting by quickly scraping the stinger away with a fingernail, or hive tool. And if I feel the prick of a sting on my clothes or bee suit I simply lift the fabric away from the skin with the same effect. The objective is to get the stinger out quickly, before the contents of the venom sack are injected; if removed very quickly the effects of a sting is barely noticeable afterwards. The only other point I'd add is that it's important to select a gentle strain of honeybees. I've had miserable experiences helping fellow beekeepers who seemingly didn't care about the temperament of their honeybee lines. Mine are as gentle as house cats, and it's a pleasure walking through my apiary, and working with them.

[@sevenmile]

Nice job! I think wearing a veil at minimum is important for even the most sting tolerant keeper. The face tends to swell more, plus bees entangled in hair can be an exciting alert pheromone situation

[@joelunchbucket]

I've also found that if I move slowly, the bees get less excited. If a bee is flying around my face, and I'm not wearing a veil - don't wave my hands, but just walk away fairly slowly, and usually the bee will lose interest and return to the hive

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Slow movement helps but a veil helps more!!!!!

[@DavidDavis-pm6qz]

Great advice. Thank you.

[@davidkoch733]

Good information for beginners. Also, where did you get your sweatshirt from?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

We have them made. If you want one its $30 plus shipping

[@johniac7078]

I really need a vid a day from you two!!!! Preferably in the morning to have a cup of coffee with!!! Good stuff! BTW, I had my Dr. prescribe an epil pen to keep in my vehicle. You never know.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Thanks so much we will make more!

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Raise goldfish? :) Sure helps my rheumatoid arthritis. Ever seen Bob Binnie's sting Shingles treatment? Thanks Peter!

[@Manuherikiabeekeeping]

👋 I think I'm safe from getting arthritis in the face for this year, opened up a queenless hobbyists hive a week ago and got a walloping 😂

[@sister_num7516]

A friend who used to work commercial bees, doesn't use gloves. He has arthritis & uses the sting therapy to help.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

To each his own!

[@joelunchbucket]

My reaction depends on exactly where I'm stung. For instance, I was stung on my inner forearm, and my whole forearm swelled up and itched maddeningly for the next day. But previously, I was stung multiple times behind my knee, and had almost no reaction. Someone suggested that the forearm swelling may have been caused by the sting being directly into a nerve. I don't know whether this is correct or not.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I find the same thing....location of sting makes a very big difference.

[@jonathanstevens9919]

You should listen to michael palmer speak where research has shown a lot of bee keepers don't wear gloves as it is healthier to get stung occasionally then not getting stung but becoming in contact wirh bee venom can become more dangerous for you

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I get stung enough anyway!

[@neilsmith4891]

when i was young 0 - 16 i was never allergic to any kind of sting then one day my father was cutting steps into a dirt bank and put the spade right into a wasp nest i ended up getting well over 40 stings all over, since then i have a bad reaction to honey bee stings ( nothing on anything else...weird) last bee sting i had was on my ring finger, it doubled in size and was splitting like a sausage on a barbie. still at it, but i wear the full vented suit and gauntlet gloves and only go into my hives around mid day and i dont use alot of smoke. my bees dont seem to care im there as i have found before 11am and after 3pm is not so much their happy time.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

It certainly is amazing the difference between when field bees are home and when they are out foraging!

[@Manuherikiabeekeeping]

Great topic 😁 I've heard people say you aren't a real beekeeper if you wear a suit and gloves and i always slam them for it. Its complete rubbish and you never know what you will get when you open a colony, a fact i got reminded last Friday about the unpredictability of beekeeping when it comes to stinging bee's. Main honey flow is on here in central Otago so bee's are generally calm and relaxed, however i came across a aggressive colony belonging to a hobbyist who im mentoring and when I opened the hive all hell broke loose😂 as soon as I cracked the lid i had bee's in my face stinging, enough alarm pheromone you guys could have smelled it in Maine 😂 the whole shooting match. Ive been working my colonies with the suit on and the veil up 😂 that changed pretty smartly once i got the stings pulled 😂 gloves on, veil zipped down 😅 honeybee's are a part of nature and nature isnt predictable and anyone stupid enough to say you're not a real beekeeper if you use a suit, gloves and a smoker is completely irresponsible because it's utter nonsense. Personally i find the time of year the biggest factor but theres always that unpredictability of nature and a aggressive queenless colony is only one lid lift away 😂 my best sting for 2024 is one in the right eye this winter in july, yeah actually in the eyeball, i don't recommend it, helped by a Badly fitting borrowed veil looking at a hobbyist hives in a emergency 😂 great topic 👍👋

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Thanks for being a mentor and backing up my wear a suit message!

[@Manuherikiabeekeeping]

@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer wow thanks for the compliment 😁 and thanks for posting great topics like this and the demaree manoeuver videos you made which make explaining it to learners so much easier, you wouldn't believe how awesome it is to switch on the phone in the paddock and say " look, here, watch this KZbin video from Peter Cowin and you can see what I'm talking about"😂 i got the hobbyists very aggressive hive sorted out, relocated it and took some bee's off in a split which has settled it right down again nicely, and I'm giving him and two of the other hobbyists a couple of queen cells each I've been raising tomorrow for the purpose to get thier new colony's queen right. I think it's the best part of teaching, showing I don't know everything and other beekeepers know more than I do😂👋

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Thanks!

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

You're welcome!

[@garrybrischke53]

That caddilac suit would need to come with AC in a Queensland summer ☀️ 🇦🇺

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Yes please!

[@Manuherikiabeekeeping]

Hi from across the ditch 👍👋 I think the Japanese have a suit model that has a inbuilt fan running on batteries for summer over there😂

[@garrybrischke53]

@@Manuherikiabeekeeping I'm sure they have , but I'm too old & set in my ways to about such revolutionary technology .😏🇦🇺

[@jimwaldele9084]

another good video, many ideas to learn,, personally i think genes have a big thing to do with getting stung as well,,keep up the wonderful work,, TY

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

For that matter geans also result in stings, they can sting right through them!!!

[@jimwaldele9084]

@@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer LOL.. no i mean genes in geneics of bees,, more aggressive will sting quicker then less or non,aggressive strain of bees,, genics was what i was refurring to,, not pants, although i do wear jeans n work boots ,, even so you have a safe 1..........