Bumble Bees

papabear · March 23, 2007, 04:15:14 PM

Did you know there is a bumble bee the you can catch and not get stung. The way to tell is the bee has a yellow spot on his head. You can have lots of fun with this.

Understudy · March 23, 2007, 06:08:35 PM

Yeah , but don't confuse with a yellow back or you will regret it. Also note some bees bite. they don't sting it may not be as painful but it will be a surprise.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Mici · March 23, 2007, 07:51:59 PM

since there are a few words about stinging and the tread seem "desirable", i got stung today by a bee i was trying to rescue. well usually i just say to myself "gotta get used to being sting" but since it was the palm i said i'll give the heat a go, so i heated up a nails had with a lighter and pressed it against the sting on my palm, of course you have to press it in the way you don't get burned. anyway, NO pain at all, NO swealing NO nothing! it really works the best. the heat is supposed to destroy vitamin A or some-the ingredient of bee-venom!, try it, try gettin stung on purpose and try this method if you don't believe!

Michael Bush · March 24, 2007, 12:45:52 PM

http://weeds.cropsci.uiuc.edu/images/Broadleafplantain/images/broadleaf%20plantain.jpg

I crush some of this and put it on the sting. I don't know of anything better. Next best are things like tobbaco, asprin, or any "drawing" poultice.

I haven't tried the heat but the plantain is instantaneous.

Cindi · March 24, 2007, 09:05:59 PM

I got the impression that bumblebees don't sting. Maybe I am wrong.

Michael, ah the plantain. I use plantain for every kind of insect bite. It is powerful medicine, crushing the leaves and rub it on spots that are affected by bites. I was brought up on the power of many natural remedies.

And colloidal silver water works to relieve the pain from stinging nettle vine encounters too. Best of the day. Cindi

Understudy · March 24, 2007, 09:08:01 PM

Cindi,
Yes some bumblebees do sting. Repeatedly and with big nasty stingers. It is always advisable to be very careful dealing with any bee.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Cindi · March 24, 2007, 09:17:09 PM

Brendhan, oh no!!! Man was I far off. Great days. Cindi

Stingtarget · March 24, 2007, 11:22:46 PM

I used to catch something similiar to what papabear is holding when I was much younger. You could differentiate it from a bumblebee because it had a flatter looking tail. I was told it was some kind of moth that resembled a bumblebee. Same markings. Haven't seen one in a long long time. Did have fun with it though....everyone thought I was crazy for trapping a "bumblebee" in my hands. They were easy to scoop off of flowers.

ndvan · March 25, 2007, 12:19:24 AM

Here's a bumblebee sting story.

My Dad is a retired lineman (for the electric company not the football team). One day they had to clear some brush around a transformer and ran into a nasty bumblebee nest. He got stung quite a few times. A guy he was working with was getting stung, jumped a fence to get away . . . when he got bit by the next door neighbor's dog. Bumblebee stings are bad, but dogs turned out to be worse.

Ndvan

Michael Bush · March 25, 2007, 02:55:47 AM

>And colloidal silver water works to relieve the pain from stinging nettle vine encounters too.

I've always used plantain for stinging nettles also. It stops it instantly too.

Cindi · March 25, 2007, 10:15:39 AM

Excellent, good to know so many things about the plantain. It would be interesting to google plantain and to discover what the active ingredient in it is. Best of this beautiful day. Cindi

Sean Kelly · March 25, 2007, 11:23:29 PM

This is sorta off topic, but has anyone tried bumble bee honey? I know their hives are really small and probably dont produce much honey, but I've always been really curious. :-)

<>< Sean Kelly

beekeeperookie · March 25, 2007, 11:55:53 PM

I always used baking soda and water mixed for my stings

Bumblebee honey now that would be something I would try :-D

Brian D. Bray · March 26, 2007, 01:43:24 AM

Braken fern juice also works on stinging nettles. It is also known as wild asparagus.

Sean Kelly · March 26, 2007, 01:47:19 AM

Quote from: Brian D. Bray on March 26, 2007, 01:43:24 AM
Braken fern juice also works on stinging nettles. It is also known as wild asparagus.

We have that growing wild around my place. Does it taste like asparagus? Is it safe to eat? lol

<>< Sean Kelly

Mici · March 26, 2007, 11:31:17 AM

i think you'd have to kill a nest in order to get that little honey, really little, they don't store it, well they do but such small ammounst that it's almost not worth mentioning.

Sean Kelly · March 26, 2007, 12:05:17 PM

Quote from: Mici on March 26, 2007, 11:31:17 AM
i think you'd have to kill a nest in order to get that little honey, really little, they don't store it, well they do but such small ammounst that it's almost not worth mentioning.

I know it might sound sick, but it's almost worth killing their little hive just to give it a taste... just once... ;)

Mici · March 26, 2007, 12:20:57 PM

nah, not sick, but cruel.
i know it doesn't make any difference to you, or to anyone but i'm pretty sure it tastes the same as honeybee honey, i would just assume it's thiner.

Sean Kelly · March 26, 2007, 12:22:55 PM

Quote from: Mici on March 26, 2007, 12:20:57 PM
nah, not sick, but cruel.
i know it doesn't make any difference to you, or to anyone but i'm pretty sure it tastes the same as honeybee honey, i would just assume it's thiner.

Yeah, you're right. Who knows? :-) I guess we'll never find out. Still would be interesting to try. :-) Hmm..

thegolfpsycho · March 27, 2007, 10:44:33 PM

Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I dug up some bumblebees. The honey is in small marble sized pouches, almost leathery. Probably made of plant material, some secretions or something. As I recall, it was like most other honey, but darn little of it. And they made me pay dearly for every drop of it. I can clearly remember them moving right up my arms stinging me over and over. When they sting, it draws blood. I decided they were more for admiring their colors and enjoying watching than to fool with.