Although our bees occupy a soft spot in all our hearts, we are conscious at the same time that they possess the ability to inflict pain on the unwary.

This is a trait for which we are thankful because if they could not defend themselves, they could not collect enough honey for us to keep as those yellow and black fiends, the wasps, would move in and empty the hive of its golden contents as quick as our bees could fill it!

Getting stung is part and parcel of keeping bees but follow these simple steps and KEEP YOUR STINGS TO A MINIMUM!

If ANYONE is going to come into contact with honey bees, no matter how placid they are, it is Good Beekeeping Practice to take the following precautions:-

1.    ALWAYS WEAR A VEIL.  The poison in a bee sting induces swelling.  As the skin on your face is generally taught, there is little room for it to expand, therefore a sting on the face is very painful.- I know I got stung on the side of my nose.- MY OWN STUPIDITY -  NOT RECOMMENDED!

2.    WEAR GLOVES. You will see beekeepers of a "macho" nature working with bees barehanded. Good I say, but why get stung at all when it can be so easily avoided.  I would not dream of letting the dentist fill my tooth, (nor I would suggest would the barehanded beekeeper) without something to prevent the pain.  In this case a pair of washing-up gloves will do the trick - cheap but very effective!

3.   WEAR WELLINGTON BOOTS - For the same reason that you do not want to be stung on the face, the same applies to the ankles.- Therefore BOOTS ON!

4.   Avoid woollen type fabrics, the bees seem to get caught in the fluff, which makes them angry.  Stick to cotton or nylon.  Light colours preferred - two reasons, the bees prefer light colours and on a hot summers day they are cooler to work in.

5.    DO NOT OPEN A HIVE UNLESS YOU HAVE A GOOD REASON TO DO SO.  While there is always a temptation to "have a wee look and see how they are getting on", this "wee look" invariably upsets the work of the colony, and it may not be until the next day that colony activity returns to normal.  

I've just got stung, What should I do?

1.    As quickly as possible, SCRAPE the area with the thumbnail to remove the sting and the venom sack. 

2.    DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PINCH OUT the sack with index finger and thumb.  All you will do is squeeze more venom into the sting and the wound.

3.    Blow a little smoke over the area to mask the scent of the sting.

4.    Apply an Antihistamine cream or spray to the area- this should help minimise swelling.

What should I expect now?

1.    The area will probably go red, swell and generate a lot of                   heat.

2,    This can be accompanied by itchiness.

3.    The whole escapade may last a week.

4.    If you experience any other side effects, for example                dizziness or drowsiness, seek Medical attention.