Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: BlueBee on September 29, 2011, 03:12:44 AM

Title: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: BlueBee on September 29, 2011, 03:12:44 AM
Do you think the potency of a bee's sting varies during the season?  Is it a function of the flowers they visit, time of the season, pollen they consume, age of the bees, one's political leanings, or just my imagination?

I got about a half dozen stings to the legs tonight so I'm just wondering  :-D
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: bulldog on September 29, 2011, 03:55:37 AM
Quoteone's political leanings

do you mean the bee or her victim ?  :-D

personally i think the bee's political leanings only influence who they sting and when/why
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: rdy-b on September 29, 2011, 04:54:04 AM
  I always get the worst sting from bees that are working mustard-and when you mash them
they have a very pungent oder -those stings are the worst- RDY-B
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Michael Bush on September 29, 2011, 05:31:53 AM
I'd have to say it doesn't vary by political leanings, as mine don't vary but the stings do...
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: rbinhood on September 29, 2011, 09:11:32 AM
It's depends on how mad you make her....like it depends on how bad you piss the wife off, and how hard she slaps you.  With a female you never know when and how hard to push her buttons before contact is made and how much pain will be involved!
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: yockey5 on September 29, 2011, 12:25:14 PM
I know the bee stings vary from ouch, to darn!
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: LoriMNnice on September 29, 2011, 12:33:06 PM
Quote from: rbinhood on September 29, 2011, 09:11:32 AM
It's depends on how mad you make her....like it depends on how bad you piss the wife off, and how hard she slaps you.  With a female you never know when and how hard to push her buttons before contact is made and how much pain will be involved!
:fishhit:
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: organicfarmer on September 29, 2011, 06:31:33 PM
I think when they work hot pepper is even worse than mustard field.
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Kathyp on September 29, 2011, 07:40:40 PM
QuoteI'd have to say it doesn't vary by political leanings, as mine don't vary but the stings do

my vote for best answer  :evil:
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: hankdog1 on September 29, 2011, 08:18:08 PM
I will second that Kathy
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: L Daxon on October 04, 2011, 12:17:23 AM
Can't say I've ever noticed stings varying by time of year. More by the part of the anatomy that takes the hit and how good the girl got her feet planted before she let me have it. :-P
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: cicot on October 04, 2011, 02:47:22 AM
Quote from: Michael Bush on September 29, 2011, 05:31:53 AM
I'd have to say it doesn't vary by political leanings, as mine don't vary but the stings do...

you have darn right, I agree  :-D
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: derekm on October 04, 2011, 06:25:46 AM
Venom toxicity of snakes is related to temperature that may or may not have a bearing on bees
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: AliciaH on October 05, 2011, 01:48:37 PM
Usually I just get localized swelling.  Late June I got stung in the neck close to the carotid and got a full dose (didn't realize the stinger was still there for a few minutes).  I ended up going to the ER.  Full body beat red, rashy, fingers turning blue from swelling.  Oh, yea, I was having F-U-N!  No shortness of breath, however.

Walked out with a prescription for an epi pen, but when I got stung four times in July (all at once because I was stupid and didn't zip my veil), I didn't even have localized swelling!

The joke in the house is that getting stung is one thing, but "mainlining" bee venom is bad!
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: yockey5 on October 05, 2011, 02:10:25 PM
"The joke in the house is that getting stung is one thing, but "mainlining" bee venom is bad!"

Joke or not, this is true. I once knew a beek that got stung in the carotid artery and fell over dead.
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Tommyt on October 05, 2011, 02:20:41 PM
Quote from: yockey5 on October 05, 2011, 02:10:25 PM
. I once knew a beek that got stung in the carotid artery and fell over dead.
That is strange and sad
sorry for the loss

Tommyt
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: AliciaH on October 05, 2011, 02:44:52 PM
Ditto.  I feel so bad for your fellow beekeeper!

Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: BlueBee on October 05, 2011, 04:35:22 PM
Hmmmm, never thought about getting stung in a vein.  Might be a good reason to keep wearing the gloves!  Apart from the neck, it seems like the veins in the hands might be the most susceptible to a bee sting.  Usually I get it in the fingers when not wearing gloves.

Wikipedia has a little write up about what makes up bee venon.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apitoxin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apitoxin)
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Poppi on October 05, 2011, 05:00:16 PM
The few times I've been stung this year...  maybe 1/2 dozen...  I would go along with where the sting occured.  Some areas are more sensitive than others and some area's cause more of a histimine reponse than others...

and derekm...  don't know where you get your info on venom toxicity in snakes but you are totally wrong.  Toxicity is determined by species, not temperature...  subspecies within the same species can have different venom toxicities but temperature is not a factor...  I worked with venomous snakes 40 years and I must say...  I thought I had heard it all when it came to snakes...
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Stone on October 05, 2011, 05:30:17 PM
I agree that a sting's intensity varies with the place stung.  Fingers by far are the worst!  Anywhere else to me is not too bad.  Got stung in the eyebrow once. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Eye swelled a little and was okay the next morning.
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: annette on October 05, 2011, 11:19:13 PM
See now I am in reverse with the above post. Getting stung in the fingers, thighs (yeah they got into my pants!!) is nothing for me. Getting stung anywhere on my face is terrible. Usually end up with a swollen face and eye shut.

Getting stung on my ankle was terrible and could not go to work the next day.

I think it really depends how deeply they get you, but I have always felt there could be other factors involved. Such as my vibration at the time, my health etc.  I have always believed it is a two way street. The bees sting and what is going on with me as well.
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Shanevrr on October 06, 2011, 12:47:42 AM
Venom Strength was good today, elbow and wrist is sore as &%$@ :shock:
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: Mason on October 06, 2011, 12:30:50 PM
Once you get stung on the septum of your nose you will always wear your vale.

I got popped a few weeks ago directly on my vein on my wrist.  It did hurt more than the typical sting and for a longer period than usual.   
Title: Re: Bee Venom Strength
Post by: luvin honey on October 06, 2011, 09:08:20 PM
I just barely react any more. Strange but true. I used to have intense swelling, redness and itching. Now even a sting to the forehead only leads to a bit of swelling for 1/2 day but not the swollen-shut eye I used to have.