Last summer I had an allergic reaction to 4 wasp stings. I'm carrying
epi-pens and I'm doing the de-sensitization. I've always loved
gardening, so I'm trying to figure out strategies that will allow me to
garden and yet minimize bee and wasp activity so I don't get stung again.

My yard was sort of, uh, wild with all sorts of invasive stuff planted
by the previous owner. So my first step is cutting down anything that
is dense and out of control. It's not the bees I can see that worry me
so much as those I can't see. I'm going to have the house and deck
sprayed in April with something that is supposed to deter bees and
wasps. I'll hire someone to mow this summer as I did the end of last
summer. I can avoid the middle of the day when bee and wasp activity is
high and wear suitable clothing. Late summer and early fall seem to be
worse for bees and wasps than spring and early summer.

I don't have the kind of yellow jackets that are attracted to food, but
do have ones that look like them and try to build tiny nests all over
the place. What stung me, however, were white-faced hornets and I'd not
even noticed their nest but must have backed into it or near it while I
was mowing the lawn. I've not had any ground bees in my yard, but they
do live in west-central MA. My soil is clay, which I gather they don't
find as hospitable as sand.

Are there any other things I can do or should avoid? I refuse to simply
have no flowers.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Janet

"Janet Price" wrote in message
...

I'm going to have the house and deck sprayed in April with something that
is supposed to deter bees and wasps.

I know that a sting could put you in the hospital or kill you, so what I'm
about to say next may seem silly, but make sure that whatever's being
sprayed isn't just as bad for you somewhere off in the future. Since most
pesticides can't be tested properly on humans, you may need tarot cards, a
ouja board or a crystal ball to know what's safe.



Are there any other things I can do or should avoid? I refuse to simply
have no flowers.

Bees like some flowers, but there are some they seem to be absolutely nuts
about. In my garden, it was big zinnias. I had bees the size of baseballs
around those flowers, and they didn't give a damn about me. Maybe it would
be a good idea to plant just one thing that's guaranteed to keep them fat &
happy. This way, it's like a nice swing set for kids - you know where they
are.

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:01:17 -0500, Janet Price
wrote:

Last summer I had an allergic reaction to 4 wasp stings. I'm carrying
epi-pens and I'm doing the de-sensitization. I've always loved
snip

Thanks for any suggestions.

Janet

Hi Janet,

I havn't had any bee stings in over 30 years. But, I have had my
first three wasp stings in the past three years. All of these times I
got stung for no apparent reason. One wasp was a red wasp and the
swelling was intense. The other two were black wasps and were
annoying for a day. Wasps like to hang out under shelters, big and
small. You should ask your doctor what you need to do. Above all, be
aware of your surroundings and look before you step or put your hands
anywhere. A year ago I know a woman that was standing on the curb and
a honey bee decided to fly up her pant leg!

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:01:17 -0500, Janet Price
wrote:

Last summer I had an allergic reaction to 4 wasp stings. I'm carrying
epi-pens and I'm doing the de-sensitization. I've always loved
snip

Thanks for any suggestions.

Janet

Hi Janet,

I havn't had any bee stings in over 30 years. But, I have had my
first three wasp stings in the past three years. All of these times I
got stung for no apparent reason. One wasp was a red wasp and the
swelling was intense. The other two were black wasps and were
annoying for a day. Wasps like to hang out under shelters, big and
small. You should ask your doctor what you need to do. Above all, be
aware of your surroundings and look before you step or put your hands
anywhere. A year ago I know a woman that was standing on the curb and
a honey bee decided to fly up her pant leg!

That requires a joke.

A woman gets stung while playing golf. It hurts, so she runs into the pro
shop and asks "Do you have anything for bee stings? Some Benedryl cream or
something?" The says he doesn't sell it, but he might have something in the
first aid kit. While he's checking, he asks "So, where did you get stung?"
She says "Between the first & second holes". He says "Sounds like your
stance is too wide!"

Janet Price wrote in
:

Last summer I had an allergic reaction to 4 wasp stings.
I'm carrying epi-pens and I'm doing the de-sensitization.
I've always loved gardening, so I'm trying to figure out
strategies that will allow me to garden and yet minimize
bee and wasp activity so I don't get stung again.

did your allergist test you for bee venom allergies? bee
venom & wasp venom are not that similar & you can be allergic
to one and not the other. if you weren't tested, i'd get that
done first.

My yard was sort of, uh, wild with all sorts of invasive
stuff planted by the previous owner. So my first step is
cutting down anything that is dense and out of control.

i have the same problem. some people must love invasives
because they're so "easy to grow"

It's not the bees I can see that worry me so much as those
I can't see. I'm going to have the house and deck sprayed
in April with something that is supposed to deter bees and
wasps. I'll hire someone to mow this summer as I did the
end of last summer. I can avoid the middle of the day when
bee and wasp activity is high and wear suitable clothing.
Late summer and early fall seem to be worse for bees and
wasps than spring and early summer.

bees that hang around your house & deck tend to be carpenter
bees. they look like big bumblebees, but, like bumblebees,
aren't too inclined to sting. in fact the ones that buzz you
when you're sitting on the deck are the males and they don't
even *have* stingers
OTOH, you may get wasps building paper nests under your deck
or behind shutters. those would most likely be the type that
sting.

I don't have the kind of yellow jackets that are attracted
to food, but do have ones that look like them and try to
build tiny nests all over the place. What stung me,
however, were white-faced hornets and I'd not even noticed
their nest but must have backed into it or near it while I
was mowing the lawn. I've not had any ground bees in my
yard, but they do live in west-central MA. My soil is
clay, which I gather they don't find as hospitable as sand.

there are yellowjackets in Mass. & not all yellowjackets
build in the ground. the arboreal ones tend to be even meaner
than the ground dwellers, and yes, they attack without
provocation after mid-August or so... you don't really have to
get very near the nest to set them off. bald-face (white face)
hornets are actually a type of yellowjacket.

Are there any other things I can do or should avoid? I
refuse to simply have no flowers.

honeybees are or orchard bees are highly unlikely to sting,
except under extreme provocation. bees die when they sting.
so, your main issue should be control of the wasps/hornets.
lee
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell

Janet Price wrote:
Last summer I had an allergic reaction to 4 wasp stings. I'm carrying
epi-pens and I'm doing the de-sensitization. I've always loved
gardening, so I'm trying to figure out strategies that will allow me to
garden and yet minimize bee and wasp activity so I don't get stung again.

My yard was sort of, uh, wild with all sorts of invasive stuff planted
by the previous owner. So my first step is cutting down anything that
is dense and out of control. It's not the bees I can see that worry me
so much as those I can't see. I'm going to have the house and deck
sprayed in April with something that is supposed to deter bees and
wasps. I'll hire someone to mow this summer as I did the end of last
summer. I can avoid the middle of the day when bee and wasp activity is
high and wear suitable clothing. Late summer and early fall seem to be
worse for bees and wasps than spring and early summer.

I don't have the kind of yellow jackets that are attracted to food, but
do have ones that look like them and try to build tiny nests all over
the place. What stung me, however, were white-faced hornets and I'd not
even noticed their nest but must have backed into it or near it while I
was mowing the lawn. I've not had any ground bees in my yard, but they
do live in west-central MA. My soil is clay, which I gather they don't
find as hospitable as sand.

Are there any other things I can do or should avoid? I refuse to simply
have no flowers.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Janet


I remember from when I was a kid, how much bee stings hurt, so I try to
avoid them whenever possible. When you know you're going to be in the
garden avoid bath products, hairspray and perfumes with a flowery/sweet
scent. Don't wear brightly colored clothing. Wear well fitting clothing
with long sleeves and long pants whenever possible. Avoid drinking soft
drinks and sugar sweetened beverages just before and while gardening. If
I drink these, I find especially honeybees are attracted to my face,
guess they can smell it on my breath.
If you have plants that are bee magnets in your yard, for me it's
wisteria, consider replacing it with something else or be content to
stay well away from it while it's blooming. You may have to learn to
purchase new plants based on color and beauty alone, avoiding the
strongly sweet scented ones.
Hope this helps!
Alana


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Don't go spraying everything that moves.
Wear smooth finished light colored clothing and don't wear scent or go
barefoot.
Keep your epi-pens current, and perhaps lay in a bottle or two of
bennedryl syrup because syrup goes down a swelling windpipe easier than
a pill.

Stop and observe before you enter the garden, bees forage at different
times and if they are on your flowers at 10 am they may be elsewhere at
2pm because many plants only produce nectar at certain hours.

Most physicians over-diagnose venemous insect allergy because they
don't get in trouble for over-reacting.
4 white faced hornet stings around the face make me look like I got
clubbed with an ugly stick but it goes away.

If you had a tight throat, swelling tongue, rash away from the
immediate sting site then don't fool around.

I seriously doubt spraying the house and deck will make any difference.

"Alana Gibson" wrote:
When you know you're going to be in the garden avoid bath products,
hairspray and perfumes with a flowery/sweet scent.

That's very true. Bees are attracted to hair spray.

Avoid drinking soft drinks and sugar sweetened beverages just
before and while gardening.

When I was just a kid, and my brother was a younger kid, a bee flew
into his bottle of soda pop. He took a swig and didn't know the bee
was there and he ended up in the emergency room with a bee sting in
the throat. He, to this day, claims, "Yummy!"

Jim Carlock
Post replies to the group.

"Jim Carlock" wrote in message
. ..
"Alana Gibson" wrote:
When you know you're going to be in the garden avoid bath products,
hairspray and perfumes with a flowery/sweet scent.

That's very true. Bees are attracted to hair spray.

.....and mosquitoes and black flies and almost every other nasty but you
might run into.

Try the bug out net clothing at
http://www.wisementrading.com/insect...on/bug_out.htm
Also check local sports stores for similar items.
Wear a hat, long-sleeved shirt, long pants and leather gloves under this
protective net clothing for best protection.



"Janet Price" wrote in message
...
Last summer I had an allergic reaction to 4 wasp stings. I'm carrying
epi-pens and I'm doing the de-sensitization. I've always loved
gardening, so I'm trying to figure out strategies that will allow me to
garden and yet minimize bee and wasp activity so I don't get stung again.

My yard was sort of, uh, wild with all sorts of invasive stuff planted
by the previous owner. So my first step is cutting down anything that
is dense and out of control. It's not the bees I can see that worry me
so much as those I can't see. I'm going to have the house and deck
sprayed in April with something that is supposed to deter bees and
wasps. I'll hire someone to mow this summer as I did the end of last
summer. I can avoid the middle of the day when bee and wasp activity is
high and wear suitable clothing. Late summer and early fall seem to be
worse for bees and wasps than spring and early summer.

I don't have the kind of yellow jackets that are attracted to food, but
do have ones that look like them and try to build tiny nests all over
the place. What stung me, however, were white-faced hornets and I'd not
even noticed their nest but must have backed into it or near it while I
was mowing the lawn. I've not had any ground bees in my yard, but they
do live in west-central MA. My soil is clay, which I gather they don't
find as hospitable as sand.

Are there any other things I can do or should avoid? I refuse to simply
have no flowers.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Janet

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. To answer a couple questions, yes
I was tested for all venoms and I'm allergic to all of them. I'm up to
about the one sting level with respect to the de-sensitization now, and
hope to get to the two sting level by the end of May.

Wasps and hornets are indeed my primary worry because they can sting
multiple times and that's where the danger is.

When I was stung last summer, I noticed a few hives on my wrists about
15 minutes after getting stung on the feet. I drove quickly to the
medical center, about 10 minutes away, and shortly after I got there was
one giant hive. While my throat did not swell, my blood pressure
dropped and my eyes and ears were itchy. They gave me benedryl and
cortisone and that did the trick. Four hours later my son's girlfriend
drove me home. Only good thing was that the cortisone reduced my
appetite and I lost a few pounds over the next week or so.

After the incident, I wore jeans and tennies with socks rolled over the
pantsleg, something long sleeved and long gardening gloves whenever I
went outside. I move slowly and am careful about touching anything.

Before, I wore nothing but shorts and a T and sandals. I totally
ignored bees. I spaded my garden in birkies. I still don't own any
shoes but tennies and my mother of the groom wedding shoes.

Thanks again for the various suggestions.

Janet

"Janet Price" wrote in message
...
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. To answer a couple questions, yes I
was tested for all venoms and I'm allergic to all of them. I'm up to
about the one sting level with respect to the de-sensitization now, and
hope to get to the two sting level by the end of May.

Wasps and hornets are indeed my primary worry because they can sting
multiple times and that's where the danger is.

When I was stung last summer, I noticed a few hives on my wrists about 15
minutes after getting stung on the feet. I drove quickly to the medical
center, about 10 minutes away, and shortly after I got there was one giant
hive. While my throat did not swell, my blood pressure dropped and my
eyes and ears were itchy. They gave me benedryl and cortisone and that
did the trick. Four hours later my son's girlfriend drove me home. Only
good thing was that the cortisone reduced my appetite and I lost a few
pounds over the next week or so.

After the incident, I wore jeans and tennies with socks rolled over the
pantsleg, something long sleeved and long gardening gloves whenever I went
outside. I move slowly and am careful about touching anything.

Before, I wore nothing but shorts and a T and sandals. I totally ignored
bees. I spaded my garden in birkies. I still don't own any shoes but
tennies and my mother of the groom wedding shoes.

Thanks again for the various suggestions.

Janet


One last thing: A number of clothing companies advertise garments which are
impregnated with bug repellent. LL Bean's "Buzz Off" clothes, for instance.
The stuff they're treated with is classified as a carcinogen by the EPA &
FDA, but it's use in clothing is permitted, for obvious reasons (cash in the
right pockets). I mention this in case you run across it in the future.
Forget it.

White faced hornets are actually a type of yellow jacket.

Janet Price wrote:

Are there any other things I can do or should avoid? I refuse to simply
have no flowers.

The primary repellant for bees is the same as for mosquitos, DEET. You
can also spray your clothing with permethrin. One sparying will last
through several washings. These products are effective for mosquitos
and ticks as well as bees and are perfectly safe. The reason it is
sprayed on clothing, is that it is neutralized by oils in our skin.

You can use mosquito netting like beekeepers do.

Beekeeper protective clothing is available many places. One I found on
line is:

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page61.html

where there are 8 pages of beekeeper clothing.

or

http://www.gardenscapetools.com/pages/0310Protect.htm

where they have bug jackets, pants, head nets and arm savers.

You can get mason bees. Mason Bees are completely non-aggressive and
perfectly safe to raise in any area.* The male Mason Bee cannot sting
and the female has a mild sting (similar to a mosquito) and will only
sting if squeezed between the fingers.* Secondly, Mason Bees do not
swarm because they are ³solitary².* About 85% of the 3,500 species of
bees in North America are solitary.* This means that instead of having a
queen bee and many workers, each solitary female mates, finds her own
wood nest cell, collects nectar and pollen, and lays her eggs.

To attract mason bees put out mason bee houses that look like drinking
straws in a tube or wooden blocks with holes drilled in them. To make
your own mason bee house, drill 5/16" diameter holes 1" apart in the
edge of a 2x4 (actually 1.5'x3.5").*

You can put the mason bee houses far from you house to keep them from
nesting near you home. The mason bee houses are easy to make or you can
buy them ready made.

Here are some sites:

* http://snohomish.wsu.edu/mg/ombblock/ombblock.htm

or

http://www.floriantools.com/Merchant...ROD&Store_Code
=florian&Product_Code=OB-RBG1&Category_Code=gift_50

or

http://www.tarencotta.com/largehouse.asp

I would also install yellow jacket traps. Up with the good (mason bees)
down with the bad (yellow jackets). Yellow jackets are more aggressive
and a nuisance. Place the traps far from areas you frequent.

If nests are found, you will need someone who is not allergic to spray
them. The worst ones are the yellow jackets nests in the ground. Most
wasps aren't aggressive. I have wasps in my newspaper box all summer
and they never attack me. I wouldn't suggest you take such a risk.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

not true. white-faced hornets are wasps, just like hornets are--just
depends upon which side of the world you're from; i.e., new york city,
they're called wasps; over the hills and through the dales to oregon,
they're called hornets.

but i have it from a prime-time (certificates from various degrees on her
wall) entomologist, that white-faced hornets ARE wasps. yellow-jackets are
a much lower-case type of wasp/hornet, but definitely quite a distance from
the white-faced and require a different type of anti-venom if you're
undergoing the venom shot programme.
--
With Malus toward none, and Cherry-Trees toward all.


From:
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 21 Mar 2006 06:49:07 -0800
Subject: gardening with a bee/wasp allergy

White faced hornets are actually a type of yellow jacket.