Sting/stung

[gunny]

Was working my bees yesterday, was nota good day for it, they were not at all happy I was invading. Partly cloudy, windy and no rain for a while so no pollen or nectar to work.

Second hive I work got stung throough my goves on the back of the hand.  Now I've been stung before, many times, but this one really burned, more than usual.  Just went on with things.  Got stung a total of 14  (that;s ones I can count) and all are about how I usually react to stings, even the 2 on my neck.

The one that really burned on the back of my hand is the one for concern.  My right hand now looks like a football, swollen to stwice its normal size.  Also have what looks like little zits cropping up on the back of my hand.  Itches like crazyn ot painful but so swollen, can't make a fist.  Was going to fire up the motorcycle and take the wife for a ride and breakfast, now no can do, can't grip the  throttle to make it go.  Have been taking benadryl and about all that seems to be doing is making me sleepy.  Like I said, the other 13 or so stings are what I usually expect for a bee sting.

What happened?  A super guard bee with a load of super venom?  Queen sting me?  Got me a little concerned.

I'm sure the swelling will go down one day but what stung me and why such a reaction just to this one sting?

By the way,  I have forgiven the girls for stinging me and that hive is back to normal, can walk right up to it, look inside without causing undue excitement, appears they have forgiven me too.

[Michael Bush]

I don't know why some stings are like that, but some of them are.  But after a really bad reaction like that is when you usually stop having much of a reaction at all.

[JP]

Gunny, were you able to remove the stinger right away on your hand bee sting?

[gunny]

JP:
No.  It was through my glove so think that just moving shold have pulled it out.  Starting to go down a little now.  That Benadryl makes me real sleepy.

Micheal:
That would be good.

[Kathyp]

ice and anti-inflammatory.  i like motrin.  aspirin is good.  tylenol is ok.  some benadryl cream might help.  probably to late for oral benadryl to do much for you.

[gunny]

Hand still looks like a foot ball with fingers.  It is going down some.  None of the other stings I got at the same time have a reaction like that.

Might it have been something other than a bee that got me?  Wasps and hornets don't affect me like that either.

What would they tolerate in the hive that could cause a sting like that?

Neighbor saw my hand this morning and thought I had been bit by a copperhead, we do have a lot of them around here.  Told him, a no bee and he said that sometimes copperheads will move into beehives in late summer to keep cool, they don't go after honey so if the behave themselves the bees allow them to hang around. 

[Kathyp]

no two stings are alike.  depends on where they get you and how much is pumped into you.  one day i got several stings.  only one was nasty.  was puffed up from eyes to my chest.

[BeeJay]

Kinda nice to see I'm not the only one who swells up pretty bad sometimes :) I kinda find it nerve racking when I swell up, don't want my beekeeping career to end!