# bee stings ,therapy box ,joint pain



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Hi Flo,

We keep our bees in a glass jar with holes in the one-piece lid. They last two weeks at the latest. We use a piece of screen with a slit in it so we can insert the locking tweezers in to retrieve a bee and still keep the other bees inside. The screen is held in place by rubber bands around the top of the jar. Then the jar lid with holes is screwed on.

We cut a coffee filter in half and place it flat in the bottom of the jar and wet it slightly. It doesn't need much water. Add two sugar cubes to feed them. Honey gets sticky and messy. The cubes soak up a little water from the filter. There has to be something in the bottom of the jar for the bees to hang out on. We just kept the box that the bees were delivered in in there. Some people use toilet paper rolls or maybe a piece of wood.

When our bees came, we removed the staples from the bee container and placed it in the jar (with wet filter and sugar cubes already in it), placed the screen piece loosely on top and used the tweezers to slide the bee container's cover off and remove it. All the while keeping the screen somewhat in place with the other hand. Place the rubberbands and then screw on the lid. Add new sugar cubes daily, every other day or as needed and moisten them with a drop or two of water via wetting the filter. Don't add too much water! No need to remove the screen until the jar is empty of bees.

It's easy to pick the bees with tweezers when they crawl to the top of the roll or wooden box they came in.

Edit: We got about 90 bees in one shipment (box) so that's what we kept in a jar at one time.


----------



## cow pollinater (Dec 5, 2007)

In addition to Bee Bliss's method, I'll add that an even easier way to do it is plant something long blooming with deep flowers like a sage within easy reach. They are easy to grab when they stick their head down in a flower and can't see you so I can do ten stings in a few minutes any time the weather is good enough for them to fly.


----------



## flo (Sep 17, 2010)

Thank you bee bliss and cow pollinater for the answers ,good ideeas.

Bee Bliss how big is the jar that allowed you kept the 90 bees ?


----------



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

It was a pickle jar that holds 4 cups of water. It is 6-1/4 inches high by about 3-3/4 inches wide. We used two so that if we got a new shipment we put the bees in a new jar while we were still using older bees in the other one. 
You are welcome.

Cow pollinator.... the last couple of days I pulled a few bees off the sedum for our dog. I used the locking tweezers. Do you ice the area you sting first?


----------



## cow pollinater (Dec 5, 2007)

ICE??!!! What a fantastic idea! I will try that. 
My only concern with it is that in my opinion part of the pain relief comes from the body focusing resources on the part of the body that "hurts" so i'm wondering if ice would dull the effectivness of the sting along with the pain.


----------



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Our apitherapist taught us to use ice. She should know. I have also read that the body recognizes bee venom as a source of "pain" and you will get the benefit even though you are not getting much actual pain. There are times my hubby is stinging my back and I can't tell if the stinger is in yet! However much I ice the palms of my hand just above the wrist, those are doosies! The apitherapist also told us no alcohol 24 hours before and 24 hours after a sting as alcohol neutralizes/cancels out the benefit of the bee venom. (Mr. Mraz, author and apitherapist for more than 60 years, goes so far as to caution against alcohol during stinging due to anaphylactic reactions to bee venom in persons with that in their system. Not that everyone with alcohol in their system gets that though.) We are told to avoid Benedryll unless the itching is really bad in the beginning. Benedryll would also interfere with the benefits of the bee venom. We just itched it out. It's great when a person is built up to it and there is no swelling or itching!!!

Another thing Cow Pollinator, make sure to sting the spinal area corresponding to what extremities you are treating. Like, if you sting knees, ankles, feet, make sure you sting along the lower spine. Sting upper spine for arms, hands, wrists. Middle spine is for the organs. Check for trigger spots along nerve pathways, pressing firmly with thumb. If it hurts, sting it! Take pollen, royal jelly and propolis and raw honey for the health benefits also. 

Edit: I recommend people practicing BVT to chart their stinging.... date, total number of stings, number of stings that session, location of stings making sure to differentiate right or left areas for sides of the body, arms, legs, etc.


----------



## flo (Sep 17, 2010)

Excellent advice > I would also recommend using tea tree essential oil , and any form of poultice (best home made) after the sting because there is increased skin absortion and circulation in that area.


----------



## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

BeeBliss,
Don't your locking tweezers crush the bees, making them unable to effectively sting? Where/how do you grasp the bee with your tweezers to keep from crushing them?


----------



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Omie,
We grasp the head or the thorax with the locking tweezers (pointy tip). Yes, that part is crushed, but the bee can still sting as long as the abdomen is not injured. We fill each tweezers and place it upside down in a coffee cup so they are ready to use quickly.


----------



## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

Bee Bliss said:


> Omie,
> We grasp the head or the thorax with the locking tweezers (pointy tip). Yes, that part is crushed, but the bee can still sting as long as the abdomen is not injured. We fill each tweezers and place it upside down in a coffee cup so they are ready to use quickly.


Thanks! (yikes!)  lol!


----------

