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How to avoid bees


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I've been stung twice by wasps in Florida without ever seeing a nest or even seeing the wasp until it had its stinger in me.

 

I would say keep your ears open and if you hear buzzing it may good to move on to another cache unless you can see where the actual hive is.

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Need more information about the stinging.

First was it actually a bee and if so what type? The reason I ask is because many people confuse Yellowjackets (wasps from the genus Vespula or Dolichovespula) with honeybees (genus Apis). Now your taking about 2 completely different temperaments for the most part. Typically honeybees do not attack unprovoked because they loos their lives when they do wile wasps can attack multiple times.

 

I have been stung a lot by honeybees.

Once from stepping on one. I put this in the carelessly got stung category and can be avoided just by paying attention.

Every other time was from ignoring the warnings. Basically even tho I didn't exactly want to get stung I was intentionally provoking the bees. I have been stung countless times over the years from doing it. Basically keep your ears open, you may feel and hear bees bouncing off of you, this is their warning that you are to close to the nest. Hold still and try to determine the direction they are coming from and move in the opposite direction, this way you minimize the distance it takes to get around them. If you cant, then turn around and go back.

 

Yellowjackets? Forget about it, you wont know your to close to a nest until they attack. Just keep your eyes and ears open and avoid those nasty buggers.

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Need more information about the stinging.

First was it actually a bee and if so what type? The reason I ask is because many people confuse Yellowjackets (wasps from the genus Vespula or Dolichovespula) with honeybees (genus Apis). Now your taking about 2 completely different temperaments for the most part. Typically honeybees do not attack unprovoked because they loos their lives when they do wile wasps can attack multiple times.

 

I have been stung a lot by honeybees.

Once from stepping on one. I put this in the carelessly got stung category and can be avoided just by paying attention.

Every other time was from ignoring the warnings. Basically even tho I didn't exactly want to get stung I was intentionally provoking the bees. I have been stung countless times over the years from doing it. Basically keep your ears open, you may feel and hear bees bouncing off of you, this is their warning that you are to close to the nest. Hold still and try to determine the direction they are coming from and move in the opposite direction, this way you minimize the distance it takes to get around them. If you cant, then turn around and go back.

 

Yellowjackets? Forget about it, you wont know your to close to a nest until they attack. Just keep your eyes and ears open and avoid those nasty buggers.

I don't know what kind. How can I find out?

Edited by TheCacheSeeker
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Change your deodorant to something less sweet smelling, and avoid sugery foods and drink before you go out caching.

Don't wear brightly coloured clothing or what could be interpreted as floral patterns.

If you see a bee, keep still and watch it, do not try to swat it, wave your arms or run about.

If it is on you, try gently blowing on it (with cold air, pursed lips).

Wear protective clothing - shoes that cover the feet, long trousers & shirt sleeves, hat. Don't wear loose fitting clothing. Wear gloves to look for caches.

Be careful not to spill drinks or food. Take water rather than sweet drinks on a hike.

Carry Piriton or some other anti allergy medicine you can take.

Be aware of where the bees are flying and where the nest might be, any flowers they are attracted to, and try to walk around the areas they are flying in.

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Need more information about the stinging.

First was it actually a bee and if so what type? The reason I ask is because many people confuse Yellowjackets (wasps from the genus Vespula or Dolichovespula) with honeybees (genus Apis). Now your taking about 2 completely different temperaments for the most part. Typically honeybees do not attack unprovoked because they loos their lives when they do wile wasps can attack multiple times.

 

I have been stung a lot by honeybees.

Once from stepping on one. I put this in the carelessly got stung category and can be avoided just by paying attention.

Every other time was from ignoring the warnings. Basically even tho I didn't exactly want to get stung I was intentionally provoking the bees. I have been stung countless times over the years from doing it. Basically keep your ears open, you may feel and hear bees bouncing off of you, this is their warning that you are to close to the nest. Hold still and try to determine the direction they are coming from and move in the opposite direction, this way you minimize the distance it takes to get around them. If you cant, then turn around and go back.

 

Yellowjackets? Forget about it, you wont know your to close to a nest until they attack. Just keep your eyes and ears open and avoid those nasty buggers.

I don't know what kind. How can I find out?

With the attack, was a stinger left in your skin? If so then it is a prime indication that you where stung by a worker bee.

If not, you could have been bitten or stung by a wasp. Yep, wasps can sting multiple times but you will typically have two wounds from one attack if they sting you because they will try to insert the stinger wile biting. Most wasp attack only result in bits and honeybees do not bite.

 

Now visualy.

Meet Apis mellifera or the common honeybee.

Apis_mellifera_Tanzania.jpg

Notice the amount of hair that can be seen easily wile flying and the muted coloration. It almost looks docile.

 

Now meat a wasp commonly mistaken for a bee Vespula vulgaris.

European_wasp_white_bg.jpg

This wasp also resembles the German and the North American eastern and western.

The hairs are much harder to see on the fly, the color is much brighter. Much meaner looking.

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I got stung twice in the right knee last week while geocaching. Not sure what it was that "bit" me. I suspect it might have been ants but it could have been a bee or wasp. I had an After Bite pen and Res Q ointment with me. That saved the day for me and I was able to drive and continue caching a few minutes after the applications. If you have an allergy to stings you might want to carry an Epi Pen.

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Need more information about the stinging.

First was it actually a bee and if so what type? The reason I ask is because many people confuse Yellowjackets (wasps from the genus Vespula or Dolichovespula) with honeybees (genus Apis). Now your taking about 2 completely different temperaments for the most part. Typically honeybees do not attack unprovoked because they loos their lives when they do wile wasps can attack multiple times.

 

I have been stung a lot by honeybees.

Once from stepping on one. I put this in the carelessly got stung category and can be avoided just by paying attention.

Every other time was from ignoring the warnings. Basically even tho I didn't exactly want to get stung I was intentionally provoking the bees. I have been stung countless times over the years from doing it. Basically keep your ears open, you may feel and hear bees bouncing off of you, this is their warning that you are to close to the nest. Hold still and try to determine the direction they are coming from and move in the opposite direction, this way you minimize the distance it takes to get around them. If you cant, then turn around and go back.

 

Yellowjackets? Forget about it, you wont know your to close to a nest until they attack. Just keep your eyes and ears open and avoid those nasty buggers.

I don't know what kind. How can I find out?

With the attack, was a stinger left in your skin? If so then it is a prime indication that you where stung by a worker bee.

If not, you could have been bitten or stung by a wasp. Yep, wasps can sting multiple times but you will typically have two wounds from one attack if they sting you because they will try to insert the stinger wile biting. Most wasp attack only result in bits and honeybees do not bite.

 

Now visualy.

Meet Apis mellifera or the common honeybee.

Apis_mellifera_Tanzania.jpg

Notice the amount of hair that can be seen easily wile flying and the muted coloration. It almost looks docile.

 

Now meat a wasp commonly mistaken for a bee Vespula vulgaris.

European_wasp_white_bg.jpg

This wasp also resembles the German and the North American eastern and western.

The hairs are much harder to see on the fly, the color is much brighter. Much meaner looking.

I think it's probably a wasp.

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Wow, some really good advice! Thanks guys! I recently got stung by a wasp replacing a lock and lock. I'm not allergic so it's not a big deal. It hurts for a little and swells, but didn't stop my caching at all.

 

Being allergic is another story. Then be very carful and carry whatever it is those with allergic reactions carry. Otherwise, suck it up and cache through it!

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the stings from a wasp will hurt like hell, no so much from bees

 

best first aid treatment is to wet the area and rub with salt or vinegar, unfortunately not something that people carry on regular basis :lol:

 

not sure about wasps, but bees are attracted by any fragrance you wearing, even scent from soap..try fragrance free toiletries

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Typically honeybees do not attack unprovoked

I was gonna guess it was wasps, likely yellowjackets. I've stood in a cloud of millions of bees, next to a large area of bee hives. You just need to have no sudden movements (not threatening the hive), and probably not be smelling like a flower or an enemy, and they will completely ignore you, and go out of their way to not even bump into you. Wasps, though, are aggressive, mean and nasty. They'll go out of their way to hurt you.

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I think it's probably a wasp.

In that case the only real protection you can use and still enjoy the great outdoors is "Eyes and ears open and back off."

I would also recommend going to a craft store and getting some of those small paint containers to carry cornstarch in. Just add water to make a past that will stick and put it on the bite/sting.

I get a welt the size of a mosquito bite and a red blotch with about a three inch ...dig this.. radius, my son gets 4 inch welts but if we treat them quickly with cornstarch it doesn't happen.

That is my reaction to a wasp bite, the sting makes a welt but I get this pain that spreads. Say I get stung on my wrist, I'll end up with pain that spreads to my fingers, shoulder, and part of my neck and chest. In this case I can only reduce the distance of the pain with cornstarch. Odd thing, my son only reacts to a sting like he was bitten. Wasps cause a wide range of reactions, like poison ivy.

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I don't really know if I'm allergic, actually

Shooting pain

Pain for an excessive duration. (like my spreading pain)

Excessive swelling (more than 4")

Excessive redness (more than 4")

Hives

Swelling of the mouth and/or throat

Nausea

Vomiting

Anxiety

Chest pain

Low blood pressure (weakness or fainting)

Large portions to entire body itches

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I don't really know if I'm allergic, actually

Shooting pain

Pain for an excessive duration. (like my spreading pain)

Excessive swelling (more than 4")

Excessive redness (more than 4")

Hives

Swelling of the mouth and/or throat

Nausea

Vomiting

Anxiety

Chest pain

Low blood pressure (weakness or fainting)

Large portions to entire body itches

.....and sometimes death

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Today while caching, I got stung. It ruined our plans, because I had to go back home. :mad:

Any idea for avoiding bees while caching other than going in the winter? Thanks!

 

Don't wear cologne, perfume or deodorant. Especially don't wear bright blue because that is their favorite flower.

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D**m wasps ! Seriously though, why do these creatures even exist ? What purpose do they serve ?

 

I disturbed a wasp nest once (by accident), got stung 7 times in the head and 3 times in the leg... all at once. THAT hurt ! One of the little bas***ds was still attached to it's stinger, which was embedded in the top of my head ! They are EVIL !

 

I can only echo the above advice - keep your eyes and ears open. If you start to hear a background 'humming/buzzing' noise whilst walking... you're probably walking toward a hive / swarm. Could be bees, could be wasps... regardless, try to figure out the direction the noise is coming from and slowly (and quietly) head away from it.

Edited by cjdl
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I don't really know if I'm allergic, actually

Shooting pain

Pain for an excessive duration. (like my spreading pain)

Excessive swelling (more than 4")

Excessive redness (more than 4")

Hives

Swelling of the mouth and/or throat

Nausea

Vomiting

Anxiety

Chest pain

Low blood pressure (weakness or fainting)

Large portions to entire body itches

.....and sometimes death

Yes well, you wouldn't exactly be experiencing allergic reactions afterward to know if you where or weren't alergic.

 

D**m wasps ! Seriously though, why do these creatures even exist ? What purpose do they serve ?

 

I disturbed a wasp nest once (by accident), got stung 7 times in the head and 3 times in the leg... all at once. THAT hurt ! One of the little bas***ds was still attached to it's stinger, which was embedded in the top of my head ! They are EVIL !

Well not all wasps are ugly mean SOBs but most social predatory wasps are. Some tho nasty do help by being omnivorous and carrion eaters. Think about it, they help to eliminate meat that is rotting, reducing the amount of maggots that can survive on it, they will even eat the maggots.

 

They also make great food for my carnivorous plants! :D

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Wow, some really good advice! Thanks guys! I recently got stung by a wasp replacing a lock and lock. I'm not allergic so it's not a big deal. It hurts for a little and swells, but didn't stop my caching at all.

 

Being allergic is another story. Then be very carful and carry whatever it is those with allergic reactions carry. Otherwise, suck it up and cache through it!

Those were my thoughts as I was reading this, as well. Ouch. That hurt. Get over it. Unless you go into anaphylaxis shock, you will live. And it will hurt just as much at home.

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I was in Edith Moulton park today but already had that one. Got nailed by a yellow jacket the other day. Was looking for a challenge cache. Coords led me close to a LPC. Nope. Bam. Really it did not bug me that day, the sting, but my hand was numb and puffed up pretty good for next day or two, even with a little benadril.

 

However, 5500 caches, I think I have now been stung twice, three times max, so has not been a big deal.

 

So, I guess to stay on topic, one way to avoid getting stung is to avoid LPCs and guard rails, unless you KNOW its in there and you want the find. Use gloves first perhaps if you cant say where you are touching.

Edited by lamoracke
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Coming into this discussion late, I did notice something what nobody mentioned that I see people do nearly all of the time and it just boggles my mind.

 

Many people, when a flying insect (of any kind) buzzes by them, they start flailing and swinging their arms, ducking their head, dipping down at the waist. Some also stomp their feet or run-in-place! All of this without even LOOKING to see what the insect was. Seem familiar, or have you ever done that?

 

I know, it's *supposedly* an automatic reaction -- NO it isn't. It is a learned reaction, and it is probably the last thing one should do. Honeybees, hornets (yellow-jackets and others), wasps and bumblebees have little, if any, interest in you. Yes, they will check you out -- you are the one wearing the colorful clothes by the way, but none sting you just because they are a bee and you are not. Maybe you even smell 'nice' to them (I really doubt that unless you truly stink!), but if that is the case, when is the last time you saw or heard of a honeybee stinging the flower???? Duhhhhhhh.

Hit them with your flailing arms once or twice, add to that your excited ducking and dancing about may well appear to be a threat -- YOU are the one that just created the attack.

 

Whenever I am with or near somebody that does that, I step away quickly and firmly remark that it is not the thing to do. I usually keep moving away, because they rarely quit. Usually they are screeching or yelling something like "GET IT AWAY FROM ME". Yeah, right....as if I would step in closer to be clobbered by them and to be an 'inclusive' target by then now enraged stinging insect.

 

Flip side -- I stand either completely still, or ignore the "bee" (after looking to see just what it is). Because I ain't sweet like sugar-water or flower-like, rotten smelling like dead meat, nor do I appear like their next meal, they simply leave. Geez, maybe they just needed a rest after a long flight.

 

It's been a long time (an AWFULLY long time) since I have been stung. I have been stung a lot as a kid, finally realizing that each and every time it happened, it was my fault. True, I didn't (always) mean to invite an attack, but I did -- yes, there were times I did mean to invite it -- that is a different story. Some of the stings came about as a response of my deliberate actions and some were from inadvertent actions (not paying attention to/noticing nearby nests, etc.) My stingers have ran the gamut from yellow-jackets, mud wasps, paper wasps and other types of ground-wasps, bald-faced hornets (avoid those 'cuz they are really, really nasty), and the occasional honeybee.

 

Honeybees lose their stinger (you get to keep it) and they die after stinging. Why would they sting you for no reason? Other stinging insects, that is not the case. When aggravated they will circle back and hit you again and again.

 

Reiterating the initial thought here, don't "initiate" by flailing and acting as a threat -- redirect that wasted energy to see if you are an inadvertent threat. The "bee" always leaves of it's own accord. Respect and get to know the animal, don't fear them. You are in their territory, by the way. If you want to avoid them altogether -- don't go outside! :blink:

 

Just be safe, be aware!

 

This post has no bearing regarding the actions of "African-ized" bees. I have zero experience with them. They weren't in the U.S. when I was a smart-___ kid. :)

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Coming into this discussion late, I did notice something what nobody mentioned that I see people do nearly all of the time and it just boggles my mind.

 

Many people, when a flying insect (of any kind) buzzes by them, they start flailing and swinging their arms, ducking their head, dipping down at the waist. Some also stomp their feet or run-in-place! All of this without even LOOKING to see what the insect was. Seem familiar, or have you ever done that?

Nope, not familiar behavior, probably why I neglected to mention attacking will cause an attack.

Basically what you describe appears to them as a predator trying to intimidate.

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Wow, some really good advice! Thanks guys! I recently got stung by a wasp replacing a lock and lock. I'm not allergic so it's not a big deal. It hurts for a little and swells, but didn't stop my caching at all.

 

Being allergic is another story. Then be very carful and carry whatever it is those with allergic reactions carry. Otherwise, suck it up and cache through it!

Those were my thoughts as I was reading this, as well. Ouch. That hurt. Get over it. Unless you go into anaphylaxis shock, you will live. And it will hurt just as much at home.

 

:rolleyes: I got stung once (one instance, stung three times) while geocaching in Bloomington. While not allergic, it hurt so dadgum bad I could barely walk. Got me in the ankles.

 

All I have to say is, watch out for yellow jackets in large, sometimes rotten, willow trees. I see them there a lot and that's where I got nailed.

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I got nailed once in upstate NY. I went to a LPC of all things and got stung while lifting the skirt. Apparantly, the little buggers had a nest inside the skirt.

 

One of them flew out and got me right between my thumbnail and knuckle. I drove straight to a drug store and bought some antihistamene (spelling?). It never got really swollen, but the sting itself sure hurt!

 

Needless to say - I didn't sign that log. :)

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I am not exactly sure of the genus but there are some types of bees/wasps that build nests in the ground. Stepping on their "home" can often trigger a defensive/violent reaction from them. My dad once got stung by 10-15 when he disturbed their nest while mowing the lawn. No real good prevention method for this other than be aware of your surroundings.

 

ETA: Yellowjackets.. They often build nests underground.

Edited by Borst68
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Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

Edited by TheCacheSeeker
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Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

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Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Link to comment

Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Wasps live after they sting. But they cannot survive in the winter. However for bees it is the exact opposite.

 

Bumblebees are the bees that are active during the winter. Recently discovered-2 years ago. Link-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6521434/Scientists-investigate-phenomenon-of-the-winter-bees.html

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Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Wasps live after they sting. But they cannot survive in the winter. However for bees it is the exact opposite.

 

Bumblebees are the bees that are active during the winter. Recently discovered-2 years ago. Link-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6521434/Scientists-investigate-phenomenon-of-the-winter-bees.html

Then I'm safe. Wasps are what I got stung with.

Link to comment

Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Wasps live after they sting. But they cannot survive in the winter. However for bees it is the exact opposite.

 

Bumblebees are the bees that are active during the winter. Recently discovered-2 years ago. Link-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6521434/Scientists-investigate-phenomenon-of-the-winter-bees.html

Then I'm safe. Wasps are what I got stung with.

Oh. I thought you said bees.

 

Happy caching then!

Link to comment

Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Wasps live after they sting. But they cannot survive in the winter. However for bees it is the exact opposite.

 

Bumblebees are the bees that are active during the winter. Recently discovered-2 years ago. Link-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6521434/Scientists-investigate-phenomenon-of-the-winter-bees.html

Then I'm safe. Wasps are what I got stung with.

Oh. I thought you said bees.

 

Happy caching then!

I meant wasps.

Edited by TheCacheSeeker
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While Africanized bees still only sting when provoked, they are very aggressive and seem to have a much looser definition of what it takes to provoke them than non-Africanized bees. They can be a big problem in the U.S. Southwest and Latin America. (And, presumably, Africa.)

 

I came across Africanized bees a few times while out and about in Arizona. Thankfully I saw?heard them ahead of time and kept my distance. There are multiple deaths every year in the US when other folks aren't so fortunate.

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Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Wasps live after they sting. But they cannot survive in the winter. However for bees it is the exact opposite.

 

Bumblebees are the bees that are active during the winter. Recently discovered-2 years ago. Link-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6521434/Scientists-investigate-phenomenon-of-the-winter-bees.html

 

That article is referring to the U.K. The article itself states that you won't find those winter bees even across the channel in France.

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Do NOT take a chalice of mead with you.

 

(Ask me how I know.) (embiggened)

 

So you want me to cache SOBER?!

 

Oh, and I'll bite: Pray tell, how do you know that caching with mead is a bad idea?

The little suckers are drawn to it (the mead...honey wine, you know).

 

I once took a gulp without looking at my cup and got a mouthful of mead and yellowjacket. I spat it out as soon as I felt his little legs on my tongue, and luckily wasn't stung. Else I suspect I would hath talkth funnth thor a thile. :D

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Bummer! YOu guys got stung while edith large cache? \

 

Spray yourself with any type of pillow fracrancer- better be eucalyptus. Spray that on you and the soothing smell will repel any insects- especially Ticks.

Yes, that was bad. But that doesn't hurt anymore. I don't know what happened, but the CO checked on it, but didn't see bees.

 

Also, I found 19 caches after that incident. But not on the same day.

 

Where do you get the spray? Does it repel bees/wasps?

YOu can get the spray from the body shop, target, etc. - Look for pillow mist/ essential oils.

 

Keep in mind that after a recent discovery Bees are active in the winter. So much for the benfits of caching in the winter, eh!

Really? I thought bees were dead/not active in the winter.

Wasps live after they sting. But they cannot survive in the winter. However for bees it is the exact opposite.

 

Bumblebees are the bees that are active during the winter. Recently discovered-2 years ago. Link-http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6521434/Scientists-investigate-phenomenon-of-the-winter-bees.html

 

That article is referring to the U.K. The article itself states that you won't find those winter bees even across the channel in France.

Okay. I Only read the first part of the article. After the big underscore I thought it was the comment section.

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Do NOT take a chalice of mead with you.

 

(Ask me how I know.) (embiggened)

 

So you want me to cache SOBER?!

 

Oh, and I'll bite: Pray tell, how do you know that caching with mead is a bad idea?

The little suckers are drawn to it (the mead...honey wine, you know).

 

I once took a gulp without looking at my cup and got a mouthful of mead and yellowjacket. I spat it out as soon as I felt his little legs on my tongue, and luckily wasn't stung. Else I suspect I would hath talkth funnth thor a thile. :D

Now we know the truth about why Elmer Fudd talks like he does...

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Change your deodorant to something less sweet smelling, and avoid sugery foods and drink before you go out caching.

Don't wear brightly coloured clothing or what could be interpreted as floral patterns.

If you see a bee, keep still and watch it, do not try to swat it, wave your arms or run about.

If it is on you, try gently blowing on it (with cold air, pursed lips).

Wear protective clothing - shoes that cover the feet, long trousers & shirt sleeves, hat. Don't wear loose fitting clothing. Wear gloves to look for caches.

Be careful not to spill drinks or food. Take water rather than sweet drinks on a hike.

Carry Piriton or some other anti allergy medicine you can take.

Be aware of where the bees are flying and where the nest might be, any flowers they are attracted to, and try to walk around the areas they are flying in.

 

This. In my case I also carry my EpiPen in the event of a sting.

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