# How often do you get stung?



## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

Ok, hubby is thinking of beekeeping. He's not particularly squeemish, but no one really WANTS to get stung, right? Anyway, we've read all kinds of data on getting stung, and I'm wondering how often the average beekeeper actually gets stung. We just read today that most beekeepers develop a kind of "immunity" or lessened reaction to the stings, but they have to get stung at least once every 10 days to maintain their immunity!

So, how often do you get stung?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Kare still swells up when she gets stung, but appears to finally be getting better. She gets stung about 5 times a year, she says a result of some thing I have did.
I keep telling her every spring to go out and get stung a half dozen times and she would stop the swelling. She doesn't listen to me.

I get stung 4/5 times a week. No big deal, smarts for a short time but no swelling in several years.

 Al


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I only get stung when I'm working in the beehives, so that's not enough to keep up any "immunity". Maybe once every 2-3 months. But when I get stung I tend to get stung a lot ... like 5-10 stings per incident. Those bee suits are somewhat worthless ... the bees always find their way in and then they get trapped in the fabric and get mad. 

I don't swell up or anything when I get stung, unless it's on the face or the ears. The hands are where I'm most likely to get stung and those don't swell. It's still not pleasant though. It's like a thorn that itches. This year when I was harvesting the honey, I squatted down and my pants pulled tight. A bee stung me right on the testicle. That was somewhat unpleasant.


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## Dirtslinger (Feb 10, 2007)

I get stung about 3 times per year unless there's an 'accident' where my veil comes open or similar. Not bad for running 20 hives. It's because I wear gloves and a full suit.


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## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

Oh Ernie... I read this aloud and my husband stopped and said "on the what?!!!" Ok, so that intimidated him a bit lol!


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## pixelphotograph (Apr 8, 2007)

Ernie said:


> I only get stung when I'm working in the beehives, so that's not enough to keep up any "immunity". Maybe once every 2-3 months. But when I get stung I tend to get stung a lot ... like 5-10 stings per incident. Those bee suits are somewhat worthless ... the bees always find their way in and then they get trapped in the fabric and get mad.
> 
> I don't swell up or anything when I get stung, unless it's on the face or the ears. The hands are where I'm most likely to get stung and those don't swell. It's still not pleasant though. It's like a thorn that itches. This year when I was harvesting the honey, I squatted down and my pants pulled tight. A bee stung me right on the testicle. That was somewhat unpleasant.



Makes me not want to bee a beekeeper OUCH Man you didnt have to give me that visual. LOL


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

aywhere from 0 stings a week or 20 to 30 times a day depends what i am doing an average easy day is 5 stings and mostly in the hands from carelessness and mostly stinger is scraped out before it injects its full
venom.

only wear gloves and beesuit when moving bees or shaking bees
normally work without veil mostly work in shorts and t shirt with a wide
brimmed hat which helps to prevent an angre bee selecting my face or head as a target.


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## Queen Bee (Apr 7, 2004)

I have been keeping bees for 11yrs. I try very hard not to get stung. I move slowly and if I am alone the bees do not bother me. I get stung more often because I squish a bee in the bends of my arms with moving equipement. The girls just do not like my dh--they swarm him.. he doesn't really like them but he does my lifting and lets me go into the hives. (Sweet man). 

Unlike many older beekeepers, I do not suggest that you go with out your veils --ever.. Not worth getting stung in the face, ears, eyes, throat.. I wear my suit and gloves if I am dealing with a hot hive, queenless hive or robbing. 

My dh wears full gear just to walk into the beeyard and they still swarm him--head butting and stinging his suit over and over! 

I get stung maybe 5-6 times a month in the heat of summer.. Queen Bee


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

As queenbee says, never go without a veil, unless you are prepared to have multiply stings to your face. The morning this photo was taken, I received 100 plus stings to my face and head, plus 150 plus to my body before donning my gear and going back to finish the job. If you go prepared, you won't find yourself in that situation.


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

I've got one hive that hasn't stung me or even acted like they wanted to all summer. I've got another one that gets in one to ten stings anytime I open the box. Those are my extremes, others run the gamut between. All sitting in the same yard within 20 yards of each other.

David


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## Queen Bee (Apr 7, 2004)

When I first started beekeeping, I joined a bk club with all old timers(they all had been keeping for 35-60yrs) --no women..
They laughed at me when I took a frame to the meeting to ask if I had put it together (The equipment had arrived with not directions) because I had put the bottom on the frame upside down-- They tried to 'bully' me into not wearing my gear, then when the club came to my beeyard to inspect my hives--I warned them that I had one hive that was hot..Oh, they made fun of my gear, said I would never be a beekeeper, That I was a greenhorn and would never have hives for long! The minute the inspector opened the hive I smoked it and out came a hand full of really mad girls....Stung the inspector 11 times in the face, and three other old-timers that were 'raggin' me, a total of 100 times --they all went back to their cars and donned their gear.. I could only say--"next time I say I have a hot hive--maybe you will listen."

IMOH, there is no shame in wearing protective gear, in fact I think it is a wise beekeeper!! Be prepared... Queen Bee


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## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

We're starting to get a little intimidated...but I think we're still very interested. I believe that one of the first things we'll be buying is protective gear!


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

One thing that no one has mentioned is how many hives they are dealing with!! Someone who is handling a dozen or more hives is going to get stung more than someone with just one or two. I had three hives this year and was stung less than a half-dozen times total. Last year I had one hive, and was stung 15-to-18 times in a matter of minutes on one day when the girls were very cranky. So, the answer to your question is "It depends."

Protective gear will not only protect you, it will allow you to be more confident & relaxed, so you'll be able to move slowly and deliberately, and get stung less.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Kare and I have floated between 80 & 90 hives this year. We collected 14 swarms. Did 15 removals from sheds, trees, a barn and a couple houses.
We also have a student we taught our method to who has two hives. She never got stung all summer while we were there.

 Al


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

If I put the veil and coveralls and yellow rubber wash-your-dishes-gloves on correctly (an older 'keep told me to use them as stuff doesn't slip out of your hands)? Never.

I found it very useful to put a large mirror where I put the 'keep suit on - that way I can inspect myself to make sure I have the 'keep suit on correctly.

The first time I put the veil on? Incorrectly? I got stung on the face and neck 4 or 5 times. I looked like I had goiter.

And one time I decided to take the hive top off to casually inspect them? Without a 'keep suit? Yeah, ran like a little girl, screaming, ripping off clothes, and laughing while the Bgirls tried to kill me. That time I got 2 or 3 stings. I put the 'keep suit on ALWAYS. I'm much more relaxed with it on...


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

indypartridge said:


> One thing that no one has mentioned is how many hives they are dealing with!! Someone who is handling a dozen or more hives is going to get stung more than someone with just one or two. I had three hives this year and was stung less than a half-dozen times total. Last year I had one hive, and was stung 15-to-18 times in a matter of minutes on one day when the girls were very cranky. So, the answer to your question is "It depends."
> 
> Protective gear will not only protect you, it will allow you to be more confident & relaxed, so you'll be able to move slowly and deliberately, and get stung less.


i run between 600 and 1000 colonies I dont recomend to anyone not to wear protective gear but for me when im outside all day in the heat i just rather
wearing cooler gear and veils disrupt my view when i am looking for queens
or eggs.i also listen to the ladies and when they start to fussing i beat a hasty retreat to the protective gear.

and that picture of the beekeeper with the bright white bee suit with all the bees over it if it wasnt so bright white there would not be as many bees on it

and as far as gloves are concerned they encourage sloppy beekeeping when
the bees can give you a good sting when you are not being carefull you soon
learn how to be carefull.and i find i drop and bump more frames when i use gloves.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Don't be intimidated. I wear a veil to keep them out of my hair and beard and eyes and I don't always bother with the rest. Depends on what I'm doing. 

The stings are not that brutal. It's not like when you were a child and got stung picking a flower. Don't let the prospect of being stung sway you away from beekeeping. Unless you are allergic, it's not a big deal. Also, I have one hive that never stings me at all and one that is very hot and stings me if I so much as open the top. The reason I haven't broken up that hot hive is that they produce a lot of honey!


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

AND you need to pick a nice, warm, sunny day to mess with 'em...

Nighttime is never good.

Windy and they are VERY VERY cranky. And sometimes? Just danged cranky.

I've seen them swirling around the hive frantically in a large 5'-15' gyroscopic pattern. ~200-400 of them. I didn't mess with them THAT day either. 

I have my single hive outside my bathroom window ~10 away. AND within ~15' of my garden. Except for putting up a snowfence so they go UP and away from me in the garden? No problems. Really.


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## Home Harvest (Oct 10, 2006)

I'm in my third year, with two hives. I don't work the bees often enough to get immune. Plus I don't know that I ever would, so I don't try. I always wear long sleeves, veil, and canvas gloves. 
I will wear shorts in the summer, as they don't seem to bother my legs. I only got stung once this year, three quick stings, two on the forearm, and one under the armpit, when I got casual for a quick look and only wore a t-shirt. Won't be doing that again, thank you very much. The swelling only lasted two days, and itched for another two.

Still, I wouldn't give them up. I KNOW I get more fruit from my trees. More veggies from my garden! And my three gallons of honey will taste great all winter long!


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## foxtrapper (Dec 23, 2003)

If I work fully suited, and take normal precautions like smoking, I may not get stung at all during the year.

Let me get sloppy or casual, and I may get stung a few times. I don't do well in shirt sleeves and such.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Home Harvest said:


> I will wear shorts in the summer, as they don't seem to bother my legs.


I tried that once. I had been watching some beekeeping videos that had this guy in loose running shorts working in an apiary with dozens of hives. Well, my bees had been exceptionally gentle the last few times I had been out, hadn't had to use my smoker at all. So I went out in shorts one day and my girls decided to play a game called "Make the Beekeeper Dance". They were buzzing my legs, trying to crawl up my shorts. I beat a hasty retreat to the house to put on jeans, and I swear, those hives were just rocking with laughter!


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

I got stung the most when I had three hives and no idea what I was doing Now I'm up to eight and I wear short sleeves, long pants, and a veil, usually no stings working half the hives each weekend.


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

I have been stung two or three times since we got bees about 7 months ago. I think I must be more sensitive than most folks though I'm not allergic. A sting burns pretty good, swells up, and itches for the better part of a week. If I got 50 or 100 stings I think I'd be in trouble.

If I wear long pants (jeans), boots, long sleeve shirt, veil, and canvas gloves, I don't get stung and I don't even use the smoker.

I have two hives and they are both very docile. One gets more excited than the other when I'm taking it apart but they are more like curious than angry.


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## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

Thank you all so much for your responses. This has turned into a very informative thread...more than we hoped for. I think we'll prepare well, and be cautious when we start. We've read all that we possibly could, and are planning on speaking with some other local beekeepers before we get our first hive. I think that for the most part, the most important thing is to be as knowledgeable and prepared as possible, reducing mistakes and paranoia/fear that could lead to mistakes.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

If you smoke the hive entrance properly and listen for the tune of the bees to change to communicating that the hive is on fire,give them 30 secs or so and then get in and get out disturbing them as little as possible. Be sure to smoke under the cover. If a bee comes off a frame straight at you give a little more smoke..always sparingly. Bees feel vibration; they don't hear sound. Pry gently as the snap of the hive bodies coming apart is what arouses their ire. You are being a home invader! If at all possible pick sunny,low wind,mild days to work them. Granted,you can't always but as a beginner it is to your benefit to have the majority of the bees out working! Even mild bees don't like cold,wind,rain and nothing to work. In a honey flow they could care less about you! DH has kept bees for 40 years and its fun to watch him...he can open/close a hive so easily they don't know he visited. He often doesn't wear a suit but always a veil. Often a sting is a matter of where and the severity is whether you can get to it and scrape out the stinger promptly. A day spent in the beeyard with him is a college education; he really knows alot about bee behavior. DEE


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