Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers (A2B2)
  • Club
    • Who We Are
    • Join/Renew
    • Donate
  • Blogs
    • A2B2 Blog
    • Flow Hive Team
    • A, Bee, C's
  • Class Registration
  • Education
    • About Bee School
      • Beginner Schedule
      • Intermediate Schedule
    • Mel Disselkoen's Queen Rearing Workshop
    • Educational Outreach
    • Resources and Info Links
  • Vendors
  • Members Only
  • Club
    • Who We Are
    • Join/Renew
    • Donate
  • Blogs
    • A2B2 Blog
    • Flow Hive Team
    • A, Bee, C's
  • Class Registration
  • Education
    • About Bee School
      • Beginner Schedule
      • Intermediate Schedule
    • Mel Disselkoen's Queen Rearing Workshop
    • Educational Outreach
    • Resources and Info Links
  • Vendors
  • Members Only

The A, Bee, C's

Picture

The A, Bee, C’s: Of Stings

4/6/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Anaphylaxis
No matter what you read on the internet, the simple truth is bee stings are dangerous. Even if you are not allergic, even if you have been stung many times before, even if you have gentle bees, every sting is an opportunity for an anaphylactic reaction. Again, even if you are not allergic to bee stings, you can spontaneously develop an allergy and have a systemic overreaction by your body that can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, convulsions, throat swelling, trouble breathing, loss of consciousness, shock, and in some cases, death. While multiple stings at the same time are more likely to cause a severe reaction, these serious symptoms can be caused by a single sting. ALL BEEKEEPERS should carry epinephrine auto injectors (i.e. Epipens) with them when working their hives, especially hives that are remote or when doing inspections alone. Also, as a beekeeper, you will get stung. There is no way to not get stung, only to minimize the amount and severity of the stings. That being said, even if you are or become allergic to bees, with proper immunotherapy and precautions, you can still continue beekeeping (I am a bee sting allergic beekeeper).
 
Benadryl
Most honey bee stings cause a local reaction at the sting site. This reaction typically includes: pain, swelling, redness, heat, itchiness, and tenderness that can last a few hours to a few days based on the individual and any topical or systemic treatment applied or taken. Topical treatments include ice, meat tenderizer, antihistamine (i.e. Benadryl) spray, cream, or ointment, and steroid (i.e. cortisone) spray, cream, or ointment. Some people also experience a more moderate reaction with hives that appear on other parts of the body and/or more generalized swelling of the entire area (like the entire hand for example) that worsens over time. Sometimes these more moderate symptoms can be controlled with oral antihistamines (i.e. Benadryl), though oral steroids like Prednisone are sometimes needed. Any reaction that is more than local inflammation at the site of the sting is cause to see a doctor.
 
Caustic
What is a stinger? What happens when a honey bee stings you? Only female bees have stingers because they are a modified ovipositor. The stingers of the worker bees are barbed and have two parts which allows them to work their way deeper into the flesh. The stingers are attached to venom sacks which continue to pump venom into the body of the victim minutes after it has pulled away from the bee itself, eviscerating and killing the bee in the process. Not unlike snake venom, honey bee venom is a witch’s brew of peptides and other substances meant to injure the thing that is stung. The main component of bee venom is a peptide called Melittin which causes pain and cell death.
 
More Information: https://www.beeawareallergy.com/resources/beekeepers/high-risk-allergy/
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Jen Haeger is a new master beekeeper and board member of A2B2.

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022

    Categories

    All
    Basics
    Beekeeping
    Bees
    Cool Stuff
    Diseases
    Drones
    Fall
    Feeding
    Hive Resources
    Overwintering
    Queens
    Stings
    Summer
    The Beekeeping Year
    The Hive
    Tools
    Varroa
    Workers

    RSS Feed

A2B2 Logo
Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers Club (A2B2) is dedicated to beekeeping education, mentoring, networking, and advocacy within the Ann Arbor area. We provide an informational and social venue for beekeepers of all levels to cooperate and share experiences. We are a non-profit organization that is open to all individuals interested in honeybees and beekeeping.  Donations qualify for federal tax deductions.
© COPYRIGHT 2021.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Website design by Ypsi Rose Designs

Support Us by Donating
Become a Club Member
  • Club
    • Who We Are
    • Join/Renew
    • Donate
  • Blogs
    • A2B2 Blog
    • Flow Hive Team
    • A, Bee, C's
  • Class Registration
  • Education
    • About Bee School
      • Beginner Schedule
      • Intermediate Schedule
    • Mel Disselkoen's Queen Rearing Workshop
    • Educational Outreach
    • Resources and Info Links
  • Vendors
  • Members Only