# Do bees sense you have recently been stung?



## Sambee (Apr 29, 2008)

*Re: Do bees secce you have recently been stung?*

I have heard that they don't sense you getting stung, but they do "sense" the fact that one of thier sisters stung you, some kind of hormone or pheramone that is released when a bee stings and its stinger is removed from its body (along with guts )


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## Andrew C (Mar 16, 2008)

*Re: Do bees secce you have recently been stung?*

Next time you get stung; puff a little smoke on the affected area. This helps cover the scent and prevents another sting. Seems to work for me.


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## PCM (Sep 18, 2007)

Bees leave a pheramone when they sting, this puts other bees into a defensive mode !

But it's best to follow known rules; Do not mess with bees in the evening, before or after a storm, etc. 

Lot's of known facts in the bee books and at your local bee club. :s

PCM


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## bhfury (Nov 25, 2008)

*Re: Do bees secce you have recently been stung?*



Andrew C said:


> Next time you get stung; puff a little smoke on the affected area. This helps cover the scent and prevents another sting. Seems to work for me.


Has worked for me as well.....


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## bayaba (Jul 20, 2008)

I understand about the pheramone that is released when one bee stings and how it makes their sisters more defencive. What happened here, though, was probably seperated by 15 and then another 2 hours.

I also understand that is is a bad idea to work on hives afterdark. The sting last night was, I'm sure, the result of not following the rule not to work with bees after dark.

As I stated before, I was not near the hives, porbably at least 30 feet away. It was as though they just zeroed in on my face and where it was already swollen. The second sting, on the bridge of my nose, causes a good deal of additional swelling, especially around my left eye. The 3rd sting, to my lower right eyelid which was already very swollen, came about 2 hours later. That third sting did not seem to do anything. In fact, the swelling around my right eye has gone down rather rapidly since the 3rd sting.


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## BRescue (Jul 2, 2009)

Bayaba,
Sounds like it's time to change a queen. Those are some aggressive bees if you get popped 30 feet from the hive. You aren't wearing a grilla suit are you?
Richard


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

They also have this instinct to go for your head....maybe the only place on a bear to get a good sting in.


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## schmism (Feb 7, 2009)

they are drawn to CO2 which you expell through your face (nose, mouth). it also happens to be the one place were all animals are vulnerable makeing there sing effective defense against much larger pests. (bears, skunks, dogs etc)


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## Reid (Dec 3, 2008)

I got stung through nitrile glove while tieing in brood come on a cut out last weekend.  I accidentally pinched her so I can't blame it on the bee. There were three of us beeks working and they kept messing with me all morning and ignored the two guys removing the comb from the floorspace. I went through lots of gloves that morning (sticky from the honey). You'd think that the pheramons would have been mostly on that one glove, but they kept messing with me and me alone. 

I think that more than just the sting location is marked and my considerable experience with hornets (I've been stung well over 400 times by those little demons, 27 times at once) tells me that it is highly likely (and true to me) that bees/hornets/wasps can, at least temporarily, identify individuals that have really pissed them off whether you were stung or not.
~Reid


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Here's what I do. Go to the local pharmacy. Buy a small spray bottle. Fill it with isopropyl alcohol. When you get stung, spray the spot with the alcohol. That pretty much takes care of it. When you get a bunch of bees leaving stingers in your gloves, spray them as well. A little goes a long way.


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## bayaba (Jul 20, 2008)

New queen?

Maybe.

I don't even know which hive the bees came from though.

Also, just last Saterday I spent 3 hours going thru all my hives to check to see if any were honey bound. I posted about one that had a number of queen cells in it upon that inspection. That day I was wearing shorts, a tee shirt and flip flops. Not a single bee bothered me, even from the hive that I split into several because when I found all the queen cells. That one I pulled every frame and checked them twice for the old queen. 

I would like to try and understand what triggered the big change in temperment. The weather is pretty much the same as it was on Saterday (all of july is usually always the same here in Utah, hot and sunny). The only thing that I can come p with is having been stung last night when I should not have been monkeying with them.


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## Apuuli (May 17, 2006)

I don't know how long bee alarm pheromones last, but I know that yellowjacket alarm pheromones can last at least a day. I stepped in a nest of them one day, crushing a bunch but not getting stung. The next day I was miles and miles away, minding my own business when a yellowjacket stung me in the calf above the boot that had stepped in the nest the day before.


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## NorthWest_bee_guy (Jun 14, 2009)

I know what you mean, yellow jackets realese a sent when you crush one and they will track you up to two miles away. honey bees just want you to stay a way but the sent they leave does direct others to sting in same area. I also read some were don't know if its true but the sent of bananas is close to the sent given off when a honey bee stings.


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## Reid (Dec 3, 2008)

NorthWest_bee_guy said:


> I .....I also read some were don't know if its true but the sent of bananas is close to the sent given off when a honey bee stings.


I don't know about banana scent and honey bees, but what you heard *is* true for yellow jackets. That 400 plus hornet sting comment I mentioned earlier in this thread comes from a lot of Christmas tree shearing. My family used to own one of the larges Christmas tree growing operations in Washington state (Kitsap County) and I ran one of the shearing crews from high school until the end of college. We would run into at least a couple and sometimes over a dozen yellow jacket and bald-faced hornet nests a day. I think the record was over 30 down in Mason County. They just love to nest in those trees! During lunch whoever was eating a banana would get at least one hornet buzzing around them. We even went as far and hiding a banana peal in other peoples lunch boxes just to screw with them and prove it to ourselves. So, by my experience it is very true.

And concerning how long a yellow jacket will remember you, it is indeed a long time and we would recommend that people wash their clothing before coming back to work, boots and all. 

You learn all kinds of interesting things with that many hornet encounters. Being that I had been stung so many times by the time I got out of high school I was basically immune to the swelling (but not the pain part), I was usually the person tieing ribbon on the unsheared tree with the bees in it so no one else would try to shear it. But if, while marking the tree, I accidentially wiggled a branch too much, the yellow jackets or hornets would sometimes explode out of the tree, go right around me, and head right for the person who originally spooked them if that person happen to be upwind. It was alway something to see.

Also, if while marking the tree a yellow jacket or even a fly would buzz me and I'd get that instant adrenaline sweat, they would bust out of their hive within a second! 

Oh, and by the way, don't ever run in a straight line. Like down a road I've see people run for a long long long way with a black cloud of bald-faced hornets on their tail (yes, sometimes it was me). Sometimes up to 0.5 miles. It's better to quickly zigzag around vegetation and loop back, it seems to confuse them and if you're not really marked (as in you're not stung or didn't actually get righ up to the nest) they tend to get confused as to where the offender went. Just a trick I learn so I wouldn't have to run so far.

Good times! 

~Reid


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## Reid (Dec 3, 2008)

bayaba said:


> I would like to try and understand what triggered the big change in temperment. The weather is pretty much the same as it was on Saterday (all of july is usually always the same here in Utah, hot and sunny). The only thing that I can come p with is having been stung last night when I should not have been monkeying with them.


After the sun goes down I find them to be more protective as well, but never noticed and change in temperment the next day. Though, much like I mentioned about yellow jackets in my post above, honey bees can and do 'remember' you for a long time. 

When I was just getting started beekeeping I had another, beek come over and check out my hives (deep inspection). He was really rough with them and by the time this dude was done he had at least 200 dead bees on the ground and who knows how many inside the hive. Those bees chased his butt all the way to his car at least 300 ft away. Right after that I noticed a group of bees making about a 30 yard loop around the hive (and my house) just looking for a fight with anyone within range. About 10 seconds later I heard my wife scream as 4 or so bees jump her and chased her off the deck. The hive calmed down, but for the next 2 days every time I got within 20 ft of that hive I had a couple of bees ramming into my veil. I had my buddy suite up with me and had him open the hive. They left him completely alone and started pestering me this went on for another week until either the mark they put on me wore off or the guard bees that were around during that event moved on to become foragers.
I did not solicite that guys 'help' again.

~Reid


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

Sounds like you pi**ed off the bees the first day. Now the guards are attacking anything that approaches the hive. 

Stay away from the hive for about 10 days. The guards will eventually be replaced and the hive will return to normal. Had that happen a couple of times in the back yard. We could only water the garden at night.

Fuzzy


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Check to see if any thing else is bothering the girls.

Eairler this season I had some in my out yard that were mean as a snake, after paying attention to them a little better they were beeing harresed by *****, so after catching 8 ***** and 2 possums they have calmed down a bit. 

2 different times I didnt get to check the traps untill later in the day and the ***** were dead from stings aroung the eyes and nose so they do go for the head (they sure do mine):s


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## Batman (Jun 7, 2009)

I have been told by older beeks that bee stings do have a scent of bananas too. I have no reason to doubt them, but when I get stung, the first thing in my mind is not to sit there and try and smell it inch: maybe next time.


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## kwest (May 16, 2009)

i had my one hive mad at me last night. i have only been stung once until then. I opened up the hive down in the lower deep steeling a frame of brood for a week hive and they got mad. one stung me in the side and after that they would not leave me alone. i walked away 80 feet or so and after a bit there they would come. My kids were with me about 60 ft away and not a bee came close to them. I finially left all my gear after I got stung in the armpit and got the heck out of there. they deffinetly had it out for only me they rememberd who i was.


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## luvin honey (Jul 2, 2009)

Great thread and timely! I was in my 3 hives Mon early evening at 7--later than I would have liked. My first hive that has always been a little hotter got me 6 times (I also had not washed my jacket from last time). But, I was gloveless, as always, and they were all on my hands. My second hive was completely docile, a new split with a new queen. My third hive was so hot that I never even made it to the broodnest to see if any queens had hatched from the swarm cells. This has always been my calmest hive, but not this time!

I often invite people out there to just sit and watch through the observation windows. The kids and I often open up the top cover and just gaze through the length of the hive to see what they are doing (topbar hive), talking quietly and breathing on them. 

After Mon night, I went out yesterday afternoon to change feed for the split and queenless hives. I approached cautiously. Hive 1--fine. Hive 3--fine. Hive 4--Yikes! As soon as I eased off their cover to change the syrup, they were on my son's head (he had been stung by a paper wasp on his head the day before while berry picking in the woods). Then, they nailed me right in the forehead. I took 20 stings Mon and that was preferable to that 1 sting to my head. Wow! I look like a freak today! So, I'm wondering if their probably queenlessness has them really peaved or if they seriously remembered me from Mon!!!

In the past, they have been SO good to me, letting me gawk into their entrance from a mere inches away, peaking in their windows, hanging out at the back end. Not this time!

I want to pull their feed fully armed today and see if they act the same. After that, I will try to give them as much time as possible before going in again, which is difficult since I want to make sure they have some room in there--not all honey--and see if they have a queen yet...

Anyway, sorry this got so long


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

*Yes*

If you have been stung recently you have bee sense.


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## Apuuli (May 17, 2006)

The banana scent is isopentyl acetate and is the basic alarm pheromone. You should be able to smell it if you annoy the bees enough and don't use smoke. Say at night, crack open the hive, give it a couple of knocks, and sniff deeply.

The first time I smelled it was when I hived my first package at night (not a great idea but I had no choice). I hit the package on the ground to jar the bees to the bottom of the package and my head was enveloped in the scent of banana. When I smell it while going through a hive, I know the bees are screaming "BANANABANANABANANA!!!!" and getting a little worked up so I add a little smoke.

If you want a really great April Fool's joke (on par with switching someone's asthma inhaler with pepper spray), switch your friend's BeeQuick with isopentyl acetate and watch the fun!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

luvin honey said:


> As soon as I eased off their cover to change the syrup, they were on my son's head (he had been stung by a paper wasp on his head the day before while berry picking in the woods). Then, they nailed me right in the forehead. I took 20 stings Mon and that was preferable to that 1 sting to my head. Wow! I look like a freak today! So, I'm wondering if their probably queenlessness has them really peaved or if they seriously remembered me from Mon!!!
> 
> 
> I want to pull their feed fully armed today and see if they act the same. After that, I will try to give them as much time as possible before going in again,


A. Get your kids veils.
B. Get yourself one too.
C. Get a smoker and learn how to use it. Or get a spray bottle of sugar syrup and learn how to use it. I sat w/ an Amish fellow talking about his seven beehives in his backyard. He doesn't use a smoker. The day was nice, bright, sunny and warm, and w/ his sugar syrup sprayer he didn't have any stinging going on. No veil on at the time either.
D. Whether they remembered you or not is a point for discussion, but I doubt that they are queenless. The difference in behavior that you noticed could be something as simple as a difference in air pressure, a storm coming on in a day or two.
E. You're still feeding? Why? Are they still taking it?
F. Don't wait, thinking that the bees will forget you or just calm down. Do what you need to do when you can do it. If you wait for that perfect day, it will be too late. Learn how to work your bees.


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## luvin honey (Jul 2, 2009)

sqkcrk said:


> A. Get your kids veils.
> B. Get yourself one too.
> C. Get a smoker and learn how to use it. Or get a spray bottle of sugar syrup and learn how to use it. I sat w/ an Amish fellow talking about his seven beehives in his backyard. He doesn't use a smoker. The day was nice, bright, sunny and warm, and w/ his sugar syrup sprayer he didn't have any stinging going on. No veil on at the time either.
> D. Whether they remembered you or not is a point for discussion, but I doubt that they are queenless. The difference in behavior that you noticed could be something as simple as a difference in air pressure, a storm coming on in a day or two.
> ...


A&B. We all have them, just not for refilling the syrup jars. 
C. Have it, use it when actually working the hives (not just removing a feeder), or spray. 
D. The hot hive just swarmed 13 days ago, so its queenlessness is probable. 
E. I'm feeding since they're what's left of a swarm and split, but I pulled the syrup today since I could see they have backfilled everything with honey and don't need my assistance. 
F. Ummmm??? Does being stung by hives that have swarmed or split automatically equate me with being unable to work my bees? As I mentioned, these hives had until this week been quite docile. Of course now I will use much more protection and keep my kids away until/if/when they go back to being docile.


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## CNC4 (Aug 19, 2017)

Here's two occurrences that have me wondering if it was curious coincidence or should it have been expected? 
event 1: Stung on the top of my head outside the honey house of a commercial beekeeper after a helping a little bit in the bee yards (miles away from the hh). Just took off veil after all finished up.
event 2: 1500 miles away, 10 days later - walked past my own hives at dusk and a solitary bee went for exactly the same spot on the top of my head as if there was a bulls-eye there.


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## Scottankarens (Jan 29, 2016)

Fuzzy said:


> Sounds like you pi**ed off the bees the first day. Now the guards are attacking anything that approaches the hive.
> 
> Stay away from the hive for about 10 days. The guards will eventually be replaced and the hive will return to normal. Had that happen a couple of times in the back yard. We could only water the garden at night.
> 
> Fuzzy


I can a test to this. I've noticed if I get into my 1 time a week, they get exceptionally angry. I've learned to spread my inspections out to every 2 weeks.


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## drummerboy (Dec 11, 2015)

Contrary to popular belief these days, our HoneyBees will never like us. The best we can ever expect or hope for is that they tolerate us.

I don't mind the occasional sting, in fact, apitherapy is part of our routine (we 'believe' it relieves our arthritis) and is just one of the reasons we keep bees. 

The OP said it was approaching dark or was dark. Other's have mentioned the possibility of YELLOW JACKETS, which will attack if you walk over their nest, night or day. 

Is it 'possible' that the real culprits were Yellow Jackets? Honeybees flying 30 yards 'after dark' to sting someone is a rare occurrence IMO. Are YJ invading any of the other colonies? They can destroy a viable honeybee colony in pretty quick time, especially weak ones. Happens all the time.

As lifelong naturalists we rarely kill anything around here that we don't intend to eat, but YELLOW JACKETS are another story....we kill them with glee whenever found. And like honeybees, they can get increasingly aggressive as winter approaches. I've got dozens of stories that could be shared about some rather nasty encounters with YJ, but prefer to 'kill' them and move on.....to honeybees. 

Smoking a sting site stops other's from stinging the same site.


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