I could probably count the number of stings I have had individually since my beekeeping experiences began in 2005. Every bee sting hurts, that burning sensation, for about a minute, and then gone. Mostly now, I don't even react, nor swell, nor itch, guess I am one of the fortunate ones.
Now, where they are most painful? I would venture on the face. During my second year of keeping bees, my Cousin called me to come down to her place, as a small swarm as in a tree. Being rather a show off that I can at times be, I thought I would just go down there and get that swarm, with no protection of any sort. The cluster was in a tree that was to tall for me to reach, but my Husband towers more than a foot higher than my teeny tiny body, and he could reach the branch. He used a saw to cut the branch, asking me to hold it up. Hmmm...guess that I am somewhat weaker than I could ever believe. I couldn't hold the branch, and the branch kind of dropped, bumping the swarm off that branch and landed on my head. I can still remember feeling all those little feet grabbing onto parts of my face, as they braced to evert their stinger into that which betrayed their comfort and safety in that cluster. I sustained about 10 stings to my face that day, and have the pictures of a most swollen face to prove it. Needless to say, I now always wear a veil any time I do any thing with my bees, or others' bees. I am superwoman with a veil, I am not vulnerable to anything those bees may or may not chose to do to me. I can do anything, smiling that big smile. I find that I can even tell now from that experience of feeling their feet, before some bee may chose to give me a sting, I can feel them alight upon me, their little legs bracing for that punch. Actually that may be a slight exaggeration, not always do I feel this grab, but on a sensitive spot like my face, I so surely can. Just a little story about a little story, beautiful and most awesome days, of love and health. Cindi
