Dick Allen wrote:

"The bee books say that for someone not used to being stung massive swelling
can occur, sometimes increasing in size for 72 hours and even lasting for a
week."

Another dangerous statement. There is no way to predict whether someone will
become "used to being stung" OR whether they will go into anaphylactic shock
and almost die. Anaphylactic shock symptoms are those that are not limited
to the site where the sting took place and can include, but are not limited
to whole body hives, sudden total body hot flash, sudden total body itching,
difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, loss of vision as blood
pressure drops, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety. The onset of these symptoms can
be very rapid.

I get as annoyed as anyone that honeybees are blamed for stings by other
venomous insects. I also try to educate all my honey customers on how to
recognize a honeybee as opposed to the yellow jackets that were probably
responsible for their sting while they were drinking that can of pop.
Ultimately, if someone thinks they are allergic to stings, (here's where I
really sound like a broken record), they should go to an ALLERGIST (not just
any doctor), get TESTED, find out which insect(s) they are allergic to and
learn how to avoid being stung.

Janet A. Katz
Chester, NJ

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---