I had a significant reaction to yesterday's bee sting on the forehead, ultimately receiving a Solu Medrol injection today. More information on that will be posted in the bee sting topic. I'll resist posting the selfies.
Something or somethings need to change for me including some or all of the following (in no particular order):- My behavior and / or technique;
- My protective gear;
- Continuing with the hobby;
- Genetics of the hive.
So sorry that you had such a bad reaction, incognito. :-(
I hope that you do not give up, though.
I'd certainly wear protective gear. In college I did not wear any protection for my own bees but was once asked to harvest another person's hive. Got stung twelve times before retreating to the truck to put on gear. They were banging into the window, trying to get to me!
Doing inspections now I wear gear. Why suffer needlessly, right? Though my hive is very gentle, they get irritated when I get deep into their brood chamber. The impression I get with this hive is that they are protective of the queen. Others with more experience may have an opinion about that.
I'm feeding now between flows, Mesquite to Cotton, because this is a first season build-up situation. So, getting into the topmost super to change out quart feeders requires no protection. I spray water to clear out a place for the feeder among the bees. The guard bees are not up there.
I do not like manipulating hives very often, once every other week at the most. Plus, I try to put everything back as I found it. What if someone came into your house and rearranged the furniture and your cabinets? What if they took half your children? What if they took your mother! Yikes!
My plan is to wean myself from the old HIVE AND HONEYBEE way to the more natural way described by Doctors Seely and Sharashkin.
I'm very happy with the Italians that Gary sold me at The Bee Place, San Antonio. Next spring I want to expand with some of his Texan feral bees, which I will put in the country and not in my back yard.
Dr. Seely tells us that the bees now surviving in the wild in Upstate New York have some African genes.
Horses, like bees, have quirky personality traits. Both are magnificent creatures. Maybe a little uncertainty is the price we pay for being part of their wonderful lives?