I am simply walking past a bush when suddenly out of nowhere I see a bee darting towards me at record speed to push it’s stinger through the skin of my forearm. I have been stung before but this time is different. It almost seems that the bee was on an assignment to attack. I pulled the little devil out of my arm and quickly ran inside to remove the stinger and clean up the point of contact. No big deal right?
My whole forearm became ablaze with red itch skin and although the initial pain was minimal the aftermath is driving me crazy. Two days later I find that I still have the same condition and decided to go and get it checked out. I told my doctor that I didn’t understand as I have been stung dozens of times before in my life and never had this type of reaction. Take 20 MG prednisone for five days and it should clear up.
Now as I look out into my healthy garden after work and see all of the bee’s buzzing around doing their job I am swayed from getting too close. My search for vegetables ready for picking happens in the early morning now before the bee’s set out to collect their pollen.
I don’t know if this bee one protecting it’s hive or it was just me who got in the way of it’s flight. All I know is that I have never been stung like this before.
I suppose that it is Bee Season and as I work outside it is something that I will have to be mindful of as to not stir the nest.
Simple Living Over 50 
Bummer! I’m so glad you got over that, tread carefully my friend!!
To Bee or not to Bee
Lol, glad to see it didn’t diminish your sense of humor! 😉
LOL. The swelling actually went down this morning before I started taking the stupid drugs. I should have waited, but sometimes you just can’t take chances.
Yes, it is definitely bee season, or even yellow jacket season. It’s hard to tell them apart at times. Two days ago, I was mowing my lawn and I ran over what must have been a hive in a hole in my yard. I had no idea that they would take up residence in the ground. Anyways, they were angry and swarming. My husband walked out of the house and directly into the swarm…9 stings. We cleaned the stings, gave Hume some Benadryl, and put hydrocortisone on them. But way better than that, was ice. If you are still having swelling, get some ice on them. Relieves the pain AND itching. So sorry this happened to you. Be safe out there 😉
Thanks Kelley. It seems to have cleared up
Ouch!! It is definitely the time of year for it. Be careful…id check and make sure there is no nest near there because that seems more like an attack the an accidental sting.
Timing is everything. Just reading your post made me itchy! I’m not thrilled w/bees, and I have been known to “vocalize” my fear to the masses. Case in point:
Today. I went into my bedrm to get my bag to go to the stores. Just as I was turning to leave the room, I caught a glimpse of “something” in my peripheral vision. That “something” turned out to be a WASP! I screamed my brains out, grabbed a book (my weapon) and started swinging. The wasp got a second wind and started buzzing my room. He looked as though he was trying to find a way out. I finally grabbed a magazine and made contact. I knocked him out. Problem: He was nowhere to be found. I was a wreck. I left the house, and moved on w/my life. At 1:00 this morning I went to bed. I convinced myself that he was a gonner.’ AGAIN, in my peripheral vision I caught a glimpse of him WALKING out from under my bed. This time, it was obvious that I had done some damage. I grabbed yet another book, as he turned to retreat under my bed. I wasn’t having it. I raised the dust ruffle and went after him. I hit him w/a
hard-covered book and then grabbed his slightly moving body with a few tissues. Still shaking, I brought his corpse down to the kitchen to dispose of it. Just as I popped the cover of the garbage can, I heard a buzzing sound and felt the vibration. I flung the tissues and SCREAMED!!! Why a half-dead wasp could throw me into such an uproar, I’ll never know. He was on the kitchen floor, apparently writhing in pain. I ran into the living room, grabbed a hard covered book. As I stood over him, I swear HE screamed! But there was no mercy in my heart. I dropped my copy of Jimmy Carter’s new book in him and then proceeded to stomp on it. When it was over, I took a plastic bag and placed him in it — double knotted the bag and placed it in the garbage pail.
It’s 3 a.m. and I’m back in my bedroom, convincing myself that he didn’t have a family. To sleep, perchance to dream — hopefully, NOT about bees!
The point of this, Bill, is to tell you that you’re WAY braver than I when it comes to BEES
OH MY Kathy! He was like the wasp from Hell! I don’t even like they way they look. I’m glad that you finally got that sucker and can sleep in peace. 🙂
I’m terrified of bees, which is why I never wanted to garden even though I love flowers. I’d rather put them in a vase and enjoy them indoors.
I’m not a big fan of bees (honey bees are ok) but wasps, hornets and yellow jackets seem to have it in for me! I hubby tells me if you are afraid they know it and seek you out… I think he’s right
Most of the time they leave me alone especially in the garden. I believe this time I may have been to close to a nest.
N. Idaho is also experiencing bees, yellow jackets, and wasps. A local stated that their heightened activity is their preparation for a quickly arriving winter and that fall will be cut short this year. N. Idaho hasn’t had a great snow year in two decades and this could be a sign that this could be it. Preparing for the worst, hoping for the best in N. Idaho.
Interesting, I am sure we will also experience an early winter here in Oregon. It has been so mild this summer that my garden is really suffering.
Here too. However, i appreciate it after the fire season we had last summer, which was very scary around here. I almost have the firewood in, and I need to make a few repairs on the snowplow then we’ll be ready.
Awesome
I do not care for bees, though I do appreciate their ability to pollinate. I got stung on a finger some years back and got the worst infection requiring antibiotics and it almost did not end there.