News Story x - Beacon Villages Journal

Bees and wasps fall into the Hymenoptera group which are stinging insects. Hymenoptera sensitivity exists in 0.4 to 4% of the population. Hymenoptera stings account for approximately 30 deaths each year, or around twice the number of deaths caused by snake bites. The initial sting may last 24-72 hours. Short applications of ice may be beneficial in relieving pain. Application of ice should be limited to 15 minutes Stinger removal: It was thought that stingers should be scraped out as not to inject more venom into the wound. This has been proven wrong and it does not matter how the stinger is removed. Experiments have shown that there was no worse allergic reaction by pulling the stinger out or scraping the stinger from the wound. Oral antihistamines such as Diphenhydramine may relieve itching. A Tetanus booster is also advisable if it has been greater than 7 years since last Tetanus booster.Anaphylactic shock is characterized by a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness, wheezing, shortness of breath, and severe itching or hives. If left untreated, death can occur. Most deaths are from upper airway obstruction, acute respiratory failure due to bronchospasm, or cardiovascular collapse. Death is most frequent during the first hour after being stung. Outdoor Treatment of anaphylaxis: The ABC's, airway, breathing and circulation, must be instilled. If one a history of severe allergic reactions, an Epi-pen should be carried into the outdoors. These can be prescribed by your healthcare provider, and they are available in adult and children dosages of Epi-pens for use. White, George L., Stewart, Shane J., Murdock, Richard T., Hymenoptera Stings: Treatment and Prevention. Physician Assistant Journal, May, 2001; http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/beeswasps/index.asp
Replacing the Queen I arrived on the scene to find a couple of astronauts, apparently trying to assemble their Lego spacecraft. I was pretty sure that they hadn't noticed my arrival until one face mask looked up to reveal David , who smiled and said 'hello'. Roy then looked up and said to come closer "they are quite alright, they won't hurt you". Dubiously, I stepped forward and put the camera on zoom, as he indicated the racks of honeycomb swarming with, guess what - hymenoptera!
	Of course, I didn't know it at the time, I thought that they were just bees. There was something at the back of my mind that was asking the question 'why are they dressed up like that and you are just in jeans and T-shirt?' Maybe I should have waited for the answer but I was too impressed with the rows and rows of geometrically perfect six sided cells and the singing of the winged choir, as they clambered in and out of them and over each other.
		I am told that David has a theory that bees can recognise shapes and this helps them find their way home when they have a bit too much nectar some nights. To this end, he has marked various coloured shapes on the front doorstep of each hive. Looking up, I decided that Roy was taking this theory a bit far by writing 'BEEKEEPER' on his spacesuit. He pointed out to me the large circular bump on the cone which, he said, the bees had built to accommodate a new queen. He then smashed it!
Whether it was at this point that the word got out to the surrounding bee population or not, I don't suppose I'll ever know. While they worked, Roy explained that they were busy replacing the queen, which involved 'removing' the old queen and her followers and developing a new colony in its place. I gathered that this, unfortunately involved the demise of rather a lot of the little darlings so I quietly melted away, to take a few shots of a hive which had no 'welcome home' shape on its doorstep.
	As you can see, I have no more close ups after this. I had knelt down several metres away from this older hive and was about to snap the inhabitants, as they went in and out, when I got the first of my three stings. Roy told me later that the bees in that hive were 'aggressive' and that I 'should wear a suit next time'. Strangely, the stings didn't hurt as much as I expected and, with the application of some anti-histamine cream , were gone by the next morning. There may be a 'next time, after all!

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