That's it! Keep this basic principle in mind and you are already a long way towards understanding your bees and reducing the chance of being stung. But even then there's the qualifier that not all honey bees have or use a stinger.īees sting when they feel threatened. Unfortunately for us, the most common type of bee and the ones we keep - honey bees - do indeed possess stingers. Let's start by looking at bee stings and what they are. Be aware that not all bees have the capability to sting. We are not advocating that, but the fact that some beekeepers take this approach is worth mentioning, to put this in context. Some beekeepers intentionally let bees sting early in the season, specifically to make subsequent stings less irritating. Over time the pain lessens as the body reacts. But, believe it or not, there is a qualifier to even that simple statement. Of course, you will no doubt join the rest of mankind and at least try to avoid bee stings. Should You Avoid Bee Stings?ĭid we really ask that question (given what we just said)? Yes, we did and suspect we confused you! So it makes sense to be cautious and get checked. This, of course, sounds dramatic and for the small number of people with an allergy it is certainly is a serious issue. Educate yourself carefully about the risks before deciding if this is the right path for you, but know that there are beekeepers who share this condition. If you are allergic to bees, there are ways to deal with the allergy, such as having an Epi-Pen on hand. It is far better to know ahead of time and be prepared. This is a very serious situation, where your body swells up, including your airway, to the extent you cannot breathe. Only around 2% of the population have an allergy to bee stings and are vulnerable to anaphylactic shock. If you have never been stung by a bee before, it is worth a visit to the doctor to check if you are likely to have an allergic reaction. So yes, we get it! If you happen to be stung, you will probably feel you have crossed a line of some sort! Just don't let anyone tell you that you are not a real beekeeper till you have. And if it takes a sting or two for you a) to realize that stings are really not THAT bad and b) subsequently act more calmly around your bees - well, maybe it is true that being stung may help you "evolve" as a beekeeper. That message somehow gets through to our bees, based on the urgency of our actions. It is fair to say that a "frightened" beekeeper is one that is less relaxed. The author of this article, went through his entire first year (the "beginner" stage, when he's less certain, by definition) without a sting. Really! As one example, one of our contributors was three years into her beekeeping experience before her first sting. There are some extremely good beekeepers who have never been stung. Does that feel like something to be "ashamed about"? Let's put it this way.a beekeeper who hasn't yet been stung is one who has not yet placed a bee in a difficult position where she feels threatened enough to sting. We certainly accept the occasional sting will happen and, when it does, it's human nature to feel you have "paid your dues" and joined the fraternity of beekeepers.īut the idea that anyone who hasn't yet been stung is, by that definition, less of a beekeeper is misplaced! We are being slightly provocative here, of course. So how does that translate into you being "less of a beekeeper" if you haven't yet been stung? It doesn't! That is not to say that this situation is always avoidable, but it is a simple fact that a bee stings as something of a last resort (for reasons we will discover below). If a bee stings then "something broke" and you have met a bee that felt the need to defend herself. Let's first consider your actions.īees sting when they are threatened and, as a beekeeper, practicing natural, graceful and calm actions minimizes the chance of being stung. And, to be fair, when - if - you have that first bee sting it won't be particularly enjoyable but your understanding of the bee and a bee's capabilities just grew!īut is it a "weakness" to have never been stung? No, it's not. For those folks, it is considered a right of passage. You can easily find beekeepers who openly state "If you haven't yet been stung by a bee you are not a real beekeeper". But there are steps you can take to greatly minimize the chance of being stung and it isn't unusual to hear of multi-year beekeepers who have not yet been stung.
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