Bee sting reactions Query

[swingbyte]

Hi All
I'm new to bee keeping but seem to have a natural immunity to bee stings - I have exhibited this property in regards to other insect stings and was wondering how many other beekeepers enjoy the same.  My girfriend suffers a reaction whereby the lumps stay for a week!
They still hurt while going in, but 10 minutes later pain is gone and no marks.
I wonder if my high blood cholesterol is blicking all the venom :P

Tim

[Michael Bush]

Not all stings are created equal.  I get lots that I don't notice a few minutes later.  The fist couple of stings of the spring always seem to be the worst.   I've had them I couldn't find two minutes later and I've had a sting on my ankle that swelled so bad I couldn't walk for two days.  I've had my hand swell up where my finger wouldn't move and I've had stings on my hands that were gone in a minute or two.  Mostly after the first couple of stings in the Spring I don't have much reaction at all.

[thegolfpsycho]

Early each season, I'll get a sting or two that swell.  They don't worry me too much.  The ones that worry me are when it's about 100 degrees, sweat rolling off like niagra falls, and already lost count of the stings.  About 10 or 12 deeps to go, and not sure it having a reaction to the stings, or the dang deeps are getting the best of me!!

[Jack Parr]

The recent issue of Bee Culture has an article " Reflections " which spells out a situation about being stung on the top of the ears, written by a Carl Sybolt.

Your ears!

Seems like there is a nerve on top of the ear that is tied up with vision, tongue, throat, chest and stomach. I would think that everyone has ears with the same nerves, reacting the same way???

I have experienced this phenom. I have been stung by a variety of stingers in the past without adverse reactions but the ear sting sent me to the emergency room of the local hospital.

The bee stings that I have received since have been more or less as MB describes.

Now it gives me some comfort knowing this ear thing. Nothing worse than being a wimpy bee guy :(

[amymcg]

It depends for me on where I get stung.  If I get stung on the hands it doesn't seem to really be a big deal.  Still hurts, but little to no swelling, just a red dot.  I got stung in the face last August, that swelled slightly, but not that much.  It was just very itchy.