# pretty unremarkable summer



## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

as far as stings go--i got stung a few times..............that is until yesterday lol. i was trying to give a friend an idea of how many bee are in the hives. i took the outer cover off and when i took the inner cover off it popped (i told her at the time that it wasnt going to be good, but did it anyway)--boy were they mad. i also forgot what i was wearing---loose fitting dark purple t-shirt. i dont know how many bees went up my shirt and into my sleeves and tangled in my hair--it only took a second and i was stung, i dont even know how many times. wont be doing that again. i have to suit up and go into both the hives today (if it doesnt rain) or tom--well not a suit but my white stuff.....well i know it hurts to get stung on the knuckles but i got stung on the neck and didnt feel it just found the stinger later on. but i have had them tangle in my hair before and am wondering if anybody has gotten stung in the head and how much does that hurt?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Yup been stung in the head. Make every effort to at least be wearing a hat when near any honey bees.

 Al


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## Sededl (Jan 14, 2011)

Oh man, Yes Ive been stung in the head, Ohhhh its horrible, ugh


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

I got one just above my eyebrow while I was mowing around the hives, looked like an egg on my forehead. Just one of the hazards I spose. I did get to try on a jacket/veil combo when I was at Dadants last week. It was fast to put on and a lot cooler than a full suit. The next free money jingling in my pocket has a home.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

that sounds like a good idea--i have had a few get under my veil. how spendy are they FWilly?


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

Right around $60 if I recollect. They had one open while I was waiting for the boy to fill my order and found it would fit even my fat self. 
Usually if I'm just popping the top my hat and a veil is good enough, but I was adding a second deep to this years splits and I wanted the new deeps on the bottom so I suited up. Good timing on the splits, one was near bound up, the others had some heft to em as well. They were not at all thrilled with me moving home around but being good girls they settled down once things got settled. I was about swimmin by the time I finished and got out of the thing.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

first year I had bees ,, got it just below the eye , she got between my glasses and my face ,, same week one tryed going up my sons nose , it stung him when he stopped it from going up .. I wear hearing aids ,, have had them set on the aid ,, boy are they Loud then ... 
"""""" loose fitting dark purple t-shirt. i dont know how many bees went up my shirt and into my sleeves and tangled in my hair """""" this is why I take my shirt off ,, I know thats not something you can do ...


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

well Tom why isnt that something i can do??????????????? in the summer i am pretty blocked from the road so my shirt can come off--dont think i would do it for the bees though .


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

Mare ,, I always have in mind that the household has kids around one way or other ,as the last 50 years there always have been kids around me,, first it was my sister's ,and/or my 2 brothers kids ,and/or there friends kids , then my own and there friends ,now grand kids , and there friends. the only time there was no kids around the house ,was when we were in Germany for a year and a half .. Oh man I never thought about that ,, crap 50 years with kids coming ,going , or just showing up .. No wounder I'm getting gray , age has nothing to do with it ( my getting gray ) ..


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Tom even with kids around for 50 years you can't possiable be old. Your only in your 60's and can probably run circles around people half your age like me.
these youngun's today for some reason don't have any git up and go.

:gaptooth: *GOT RAIN ?*

 Al


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Somehow I got a huge swarm that took up in a tree in the back yard. And they are all over. And tame as can bee. I work potting and working on plants with a bunch of them right beside me doing thier thing. I even talk to them LOL. I wish I knew someone that would get them. But they are up about 20ft in a tree. Which obviously has a hole in it and sets 50 ft behind the house and leans this way and is a red oak. Hmmm! A good storm and they may move inside the house. What to do??


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## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

My first sting was on the back of my head and while it hurt, it was nothing like my 2nd sting (only been stung twice so far). The 2nd one was on the side of my leg and man did that joker swell. I had to go to lace up boots because my pullons were getting hard to put on and take off. We're supposed to where the calf high socks at work and the swelling was so bad that you could see it taper down at the top of the sock and again where the top of my work boot would be.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

Usingmyrights ,,,, yea I have noticed one sting hurts a moment ,the next lets you know you been stung .. the way I understand is the fist day or so they have no venom , then it increases in amount for something like 11 or 14 days ,, so the age of the bee would be what makes it hurt .. I thought I had got stung were it hurt the most ,, as I have posted in the past , but as soon as you say that this spot is the most painful place to get stung ,,, the girls will show you a place that hurts more .. ..................
Al ,,, The kids help keep me young , I never think of being old ,, I do all the things that I did when I was younger ,, it may take a few min more but I do it , I always have let my body tell me how fast I do things , not my ego .. I refuse to kill myself doing any thing ( I work at the speed that I'm comfortable with ) ,but I also refuse to stop doing things because I'm 62


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

thats interesting--thanks for sharing, i had heard something to that effect but not in that much detail. is there a way to tell how old the bee is?
yeah the trick is to keep moving cuz once ya stop it hurts worse but you cant over do. it can be a vicious cycle---work too much, hurt, stop working, hurt even worse. i have a hard time figuring out how much is too much sometimes.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Count the hairs on the girls backs. The ones with the most hair are the youngest the ones with the least are the oldest. The very young like just hatched some times will still have a milky film look to them. Also the wings of the old are tattered and the young have those crisp lines.
We used to use ear tags when we didn't have so many bees in the yard. :icecream: The lower the number on the tag the older the bee was. Be warned those tags are hard to attach to the ears.

 Al


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

alleyyooper said:


> Count the hairs on the girls backs. The ones with the most hair are the youngest the ones with the least are the oldest. The very young like just hatched some times will still have a milky film look to them. Also the wings of the old are tattered and the young have those crisp lines.
> We used to use ear tags when we didn't have so many bees in the yard. :icecream: The lower the number on the tag the older the bee was. Be warned those tags are hard to attach to the ears.
> 
> Al


are the ear tags spendy


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

It's best to use a hot glue gun, staples tend to catch on the entrance.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

Farmerwilly2 said:


> It's best to use a hot glue gun, staples tend to catch on the entrance.



sage advice!!!!!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

The ear tags are pretty cheap even if you buy them. I used to make then during the winter months from surplus 5 gallon pails. Cut them out and paint florcent orange and number them. 
I found pop rivits worked best for attaching them. :nana: Keep in mind you can pick them up in front of the summer hive, clean and sort them them for next year. Neighbours don't give ya much grief about being stung by your bees when they see those ear tags identifying your bees.

 Al


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

sounds like i have a winter project---i like the idea of reusing them, its always good to bee frugal.


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

Oh yeah, my second sting from our hives was right on the head, was cutting grass right in front of the hive, (well, about 20 ft. away,) and I think I caught one coming in for a landing. Got all caught up in the headphones I was wearing and then zap, got me good. Swelled up pretty good. I've kept my distance from the hives with the mower since then...although I do need to address that soon. Is there ANY good time to be around the hives with a riding mower?? I'm guessing not...


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## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

I was at one of the Dadant branches yesterday and someone was out cutting the grass on an older Snapper style riding mower. He had a large smoker in his hand and would give the hive a couple puffs as he passed by the front.


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

I stick to a hand sickle now.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I mow around the hives here at home all the time. I do it at all times of the day and don't dilly around, never point the exhust at the hives. I use the string trimmer under the stands at just about every other out yard. Some times you just get unlucky and get stung, I suggest you wear ar least a ball cap so they don't get tangled in your hair. being tangled in your hair really does tend to Pizz them off.

 Al


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