I'm feeling a bit more normal today, after my beekeeping mishap on Sunday.
For the past few weekends, I've been busy doing shows in the Midwest. I should have had new bees delivered a month or more ago, but with the cool temperatures, my supplier is running a month or more behind. He moved me to the front of the list, but I had to pick them up at the same time as my flight to Milwaukee. If I couldn't pick them up, it would be weeks until I could get more. Thankfully, one of the homeschooling groups I teach beekeeping to was willing to pick them up. The packages were dropped at my house, and because of the weather, thousands of bees were being stored in my bathroom. My family was very adimate that I move them as soon as I get home.
I arrived home from the airport late on Sunday, and had less than an hour before dark. Normally I don't wear a veil or gloves when working bees, but I thought that being rushed and rusty from the winter, I should take the extra precaution just in case I made a mistake. So,I threw on a long sleeved t-shirt and a light toule veil over my bush hat..
Installing a package of bees is a pretty simple process, A 3lb box contains a caged queen, a can of sugar syrup, and about 10,000 bees. After carefully removing the queen cage, and placing her, you turn the box upside down and just shake the rest of the bees into the hive. They come out in big clumps, buzz around your head alot, and freak out the uninitiated. I've installed a hundred hives in a day, with no more than a sting or two.
This day however, I noticed an inordinate number of bees on my veil. As they started to crawl on my face, I realized that they were in the veil and that I had not only tied it incorrectly, but now had a hundred or more agitated bees trapped against my face. As I started to slowly untie the veil, one of the bees was pinched by my glasses and nailed me in the temple. The first one released the bad pheromone, and started a chain reaction. I ended up with 20 or more stingers in my face and head. The last couple of days I've been O.D.ing on benadryl. My left eye was swollen shut, Had some really achy joints and a bit of a fever, and generally felt like crap.
A person my size should be able to take 1,000 stings or more before they die... Last time I came close to this I was about 8 years old. Hopefully, I've pushed my personal envelope and reached my lifetime high.
Anyone want to come over and help me harvest a little honey this summer?
busy