Hi bee liners!
In a recent message Dave D. Cawley reported some serious swelling, and
some bees chasing him.
 
If I am stung in my hand, my arm will swell double size up to the elbow or
more within 24 hours. Of course this worries me. But other beekeepers that
have kept bees for many years experiences the same reactions and with
time (and stings) they say the swelling fades quicker. "The hive and
Honeybee" resent version has a very good chapter on venomous incects
and reactions to stings. As I remember it, they divede reactions to stings in
different groups: Small local reactions, large local reactions, allergic
reactions etc. As I understood it, there is no connexion between large local
reactions and allergy - can any body correct me on this?
I am not a medical person.
Bees chasing you:
I have a hive in my garden, it is placed by the hedge with a fence in front
to force the bees up (180 cm). Next to this fence I grow vegetabels. Twice
this summer I have been stung working silently picking berries or digging
potatoes. In both instances the bee went directly for me, and it was more
than a week after I had worked these bees. I think they know the "bad"
smell of me, since neigther my wife or children have been stung. 2
instances is not much, but if you have upset a colony working it (wearing
full gear), do not go near (10 m in the fligth direction) that colony without
veil for the rest of the day or they will go for you.
FWIW
Morten ([log in to unmask])