Selfsufficientish.com

Last night I was attacked by a swarm of honeybees that have decided to take up residence in my veg patch. I was picking raspberries when I got a sting on my arm, at first I though it was nettles, but there was a bee. As I stood up, I stood up straight into a cloud of them, all rather angry.

I ran for it, shouting the dogs (who were with me) and ran screaming all the way up the garden.

I have been stung several times, most noteably on my eyelid, where the bee kindly left it's sting. This morning, the whole side of my face is swollen, like I've taken a punch in the eye by a boxer.

The dogs have been stung several times too, and my OH has also been got, by the bees that were on the dogs when we got into the house. He managed to stand on one as well, and then promptly crash into the doorframe, breaking several toes. My OH's foot is a lovely shade of black and purple.

We took antihistamines (including the dogs), and have had ice packs and cold compresses, but my eyelid/eye has swollen up to horrid proportions and I feel like I've been punched in the face. Mr OWG can't walk and even the dogs are wretched.

We've got the number of a local "bee lady" to call this morning, as they can't be destroyed cos they're honeybees. Not sure how we're going to get to the doctors today about this, as we've got one person who can physically drive, but can't see, and one who can't drive or walk but can see...

I still need to go into work today somehow, as I have 4 new PC's arriving (2 for me and my boss) which I have to set up. Maybe I will go in, set them up and come home.

As you can imagine, this house is not a happy one

(Except for the fact that I can now use this smiley as I have an eye patch on!)

That sounds really horrid - poor you and the rest of the family. One of my dogs has been stung several times this summer and it's pitiful to watch him. I can't imagine how painful a sting on the eyelid would be - no matter how get the doctor to have a look at it. Get the bee lady to collect the swarm and then see how you feel about work. The PC's will still be there tomorrow.

Oh dear - that really all went horribly wrong... Sorry to hear you've been caught so badly by the bees. I would never have expected them to take refuge in the raspberries, either!

As Contadina says - get better first, before you go in to work. No good you having an accident on top of all the problems you have already.

That sounds horrific... someone will be glad for that hive though.

Can you get a lift, or a taxi in to see a doctor, you best get checked out.

Hope you all get better soon.

You poor things... I'd give the doctor a call asap and see if you can get a home visit given the circumstances.

Big (but extremely gentle) hugs.

please keep taking the antihistamines for a few days, allergic reactions can flare up up to four days after a major sting attack so please be vigillant. You and the dogs.
I hope you're ok, is there no way the bee lady can don some anti-bee clothing and collect the next to place in a hive?!

That's pretty nasty, and I've never heard of bees attacking like that before. Wasps, sure (they're plain evil, but bees are generally better behaved.)

Put vinegar on the stings - it'll take the swelling down and stop them itching. A bit of cotton wool dipped in vinegar and held on the sting for a min or two will work wonders. Hope you're all feeling better soon.

Thought I'd post an update....

We went to the doctors this morning - I am on very strong AB's as apparantly stings round the eyes have a nasty habit of getting infected
I'm also to take painkillers as well, to reduce the swelling and pain round my eye (there have been shooting pains all the way down to my jaw).
TBH, I look worse than I feel. It's poor OH who has suffered.

The doctor told us to go straight to A&E this morning, which we did. We were in and out in about 2 hours altogether, and the staff were superb. OH has fractured his big toe, and it's quite a bad fracture. Unfortunately, his foot was so swollen that they haven't been able to do anything but bandage it up and give him crutches, and tell him to put no weight at all on it. He has to go to the fracture clinic tomorrow in the hope that they can do more with it.

They could put a cast on, which would probably mean us cancelling our holidays (camping in Wales and walking holiday in Scotland) and the Dr said that worst case scenario is that they decide to put a little screw in it to keep the toe in it's right place

We won't know anything until tomorrow.

The buzzies that attacked me were WASPS! The council have been now as a matter of urgency and removed the nest, which was the size of a football from our veg patch. They were "wood wasps", not common wasps, who usually nest in trees. The reason a sting was left in, is probably because I swatted the wasp as it was stinging me, inadvertently disembowlling it

All in all, not a good start to August!

Masco&Bongo wrote:The reason a sting was left in, is probably because I swatted the wasp as it was stinging me, inadvertently disembowlling it

Fabulous! Well done! That's one less of the little B**** to get me!

Seriously, i hope that you're feeling a lot better soon. Take care of yourself.

When i was younger my cousin and I stumbled upon a ground wasps nest, we ran aster than we have ever ran before and luckily we only both got stung a few times. Mine were v v swollen so i am at riskroma worse reaction i it happens again.

It is sooo scary,hopeyou are feeling better soon x

Poor both of you! It's a bit of a horror scenario. Hope you'll both heal up speedily and completely.

Jandra

owwwwww sorry to hear that, hope you are recovering ok is'nt it amasing how a little critter can hurt so bloody much, get well soon, lots of positive waves from jane and me

I don't know much about wood wasps - all wasps are evil in my book. Glad to hear it wasn't bees, as they're having a bad time of it at the mo without any bad PR. Glad to hear the council's done for them.

Hope you're both feeling better pronto.

ooh matey thats awfull wasps are nasty beggars .ive had loads of neck and ear stings off 'em when i was a kid (long tangly hair ) hope you all get better and dont suffer any serious side efects

Hope you are feeling o.k. especially the toes(bloody ouch!!!). We have a wasp nest in our loft,which i've never mentioned to my wife, as it appears to be dormant. However, having read your post, i think i'll get it sorted.