Author Topic: Has this ever happened to you? (Read 2814 times)

HavocTurbo · « **on:** August 21, 2009, 08:03:27 AM »

So I'm riding to work this morning-

Kinda windy, overcast day, and I turn a corner not too far from my place of business when I encounter a swarm of bugs.

Normally around here, swarms are usually gnats or small flies, but these were huge, and through my blue blocking face shield I couldn't tell what they were.

I knew I was in for it as some went down my neck and sleeves on my riding jacket. But what I was actually in for scared the #$%* out of me when it happened.

...

...

..

Keep in mind I have counted 15 dead ones in my jacket and under my shirt. I have even more sting sites. Scared me so bad I jumped off the bike at an intersection and started giving all the unsuspecting motorists a show as I tore off all my riding gear and my shirt.

But yet.... here I am at work, uncomfortable as all #$%*, and having never been stung before I can kind of understand everyone's fear of bees and wasps.

Any suggestions for all the discomfort? I mean I'm not crying here..... I'm just annoyed as all hell.

Duke McDukiedook · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:23:02 AM »

Hornets suck, and they can be quite mean (if they have any emotions at all...)

kirkn · « **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:25:17 AM »

Oh, MAN, that gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it...

But, yep, been there done that a couple of times, but never to that extent. I've been stung like that only once. I was wearing shorts on a ride and they were a bit "poofed" up around my thigh, and a bee went right up and stung me before I could kill him.

Had another one slip right down my open shirt collar, but I was able to squash him before he stung me.

I've gone thru 'clouds' of bugs, but as you said, only gnats.

One other time, I was riding with an open face helmet with no face shield. A large, juicy bug of some kind hit right alongside my face - POW - right in the ear! LOUD, startled the bejeesus out of me, but no sting.

NEVER been stung by a bee?!? Wow, you must lead a charmed life...

As for the sting - my best home remedy is to dab the sting sites with ammonia. Somehow it takes the itchiness away. At least, it does in our family...

Sorry to hear it all. Glad you're 'relatively' OK. Glad you were able to get to a controlled stop and all that...

Kirk

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:30:09 AM »

Thing is I didn't get stung right away. I went maybe 3 or 4 lights before I felt it really hurt.

I could feel some movement and figured I'd get them all out when I got to work.

Boy was I in for a surprise lol.

ColinMc · « **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:30:44 AM »

I would be dead if that happened...even if I got to my EpiPen in time I don't think it would help much with a crapload of stings...

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #5 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:37:34 AM »

Final count is close to 20 sting sites. I think I got it multiple times from the same wasps.

But man was I not ready for how it felt. Felt like a getting tattoo all over my body. I think it scared me more than anything.

I know it scared the other motorists as I started stripping erratically in the middle of the intersection.

shacolaid · « **Reply #6 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:44:39 AM »

Havoc, for the initial sting, use ice to reduce any local swelling and provide relief. Then either tylenol, aspirin or ibuprofen for the pain.

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:49:50 AM »

Quote from: shacolaid on August 21, 2009, 08:44:39 AM

Havoc, for the initial sting, use ice to reduce any local swelling and provide relief. Then either tylenol, aspirin or ibuprofen for the pain.

TY sir. It doesn't hurt so much as it does itch. I imagine one of these not being so bad, but I have like 18-20. Some I can't even reach lol.

All I have here at the store (I'm alone today also so no leaving) is ice and water. I'll see if that gets rid of the itching.

754 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 21, 2009, 08:58:29 AM »

The itching should only be an hour or two, but you got a massive dose..

Thanks for reminding me to get an Epipen (you may want one too) as I may be going for a long ride soon.

Went without one in 07, got stung, some tense moments till I figured out I was not reacting.. Had a bad one in Mont en route to Sturgis one year, State laws dictated that i get a perscrip to refill my anakit, gets expensive.

Keep in mind if you know what you are allergic too, that most times on a bike you cant tell what you hit.

I should mention its bees for me, Ans I WAS NOT ALLERGIC when I was younger. The first time I reacted I was riding in Oregon alone and had a horrible scary experience...

The last thing that goes thru a wasps mind when it hits you..
...its stinger.....

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #9 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:00:37 AM »

Quote from: 754 on August 21, 2009, 08:58:29 AM

The last thing that goes thru a wasps mind when it hits you..
...its stinger.....

lol thanks man. I feel better already.

my78k · « **Reply #10 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:09:02 AM »

I only got stung while riding once. I had the wife on the back and had just headed out for a ride and made a right turn at the stop sign....wasn't going very fast and felt something hit my neck and then fall into my shirt. Wasn't sure what it was at first but then after a sec or two I knew EXACTLY what it was!! by this point I am doing around 80km/h and i drop my right hand from the throttle and start pounding on my chest trying to squish the little bastard!! Finally got pulled on the shoulder and got the carcas out of my jacket.

My wife thought I was having a heart attack and was trying some self CPR like Chris Farley on SNL doing one of his Da Bears skits.

And that was only one sting...guess I was "lucky"?!?!

Dennis

754 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:11:30 AM »

Is the itching getting better?
If its all over , not just the stung areas, you are reacting, but you did get a masive dose..

avoid them murky buzzing.. low clouds..

goon 1492 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:15:07 AM »

wow, I bet the dance at the intersection was a very unique one.

When I was younger we used ot take some baking soda, wet it with a touch of water and put the thick paste made from it on the wound then cover with a bandage for half an hour. Mom always said its suppost to suck the poison out but now having said that it might be too late to do that if the stings were done many hours ago...

ColinMc · « **Reply #13 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:17:17 AM »

I havn't been stung in a couple years, but I was getting stung about once a summer every summer when I was younger and each time the reaction got worse. One time in the temple and I ended up looking like Sloth from the Goonies for a week. Another time the foot and I couldn't fit my one foot in sneakers lol.

rhos1355 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:31:06 AM »

I worked for a company that was building a black-top road in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania in the early '80s. Boy do they get some nasty bees out there. One evening, my crew (all local guys) and I were working late servicing this grader along the side of the road. Suddenly we heard this low buzzing sound, and looking in it's direction the air was dark from the amount of bees! Well, fcukwit here panics and starts running like crazy towards the maintainance truck about 20 yards nearby. Bad move. Fortunately one of my crew ran after me and threw me to the ground. He told me not to move. That was one of the scariest experiences I've had. For about 10 minutes the bees swarmed around us menacingly, inspected us closely and then moved on. The African guy that jumped me said that when bees swarm, if they notice hurried movement they check it out and if they sense danger, they start stinging. Or even worse, if the queen finds you interesting, she'll land on you & then the whole colony follows.

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:44:33 AM »

Damn rhos... that's nuts!

I've never been stung before today. I've worked on a farm almost all of my life and in the woods as well. Horses, bailing hay, tree trimming, removing paper-wasp nests, all kinds of stuff.

Never got stung.

Usually if I move slow and calm they seem to not notice me. But doing 55mph on a bike and then stuffing them under my shirt and jacket seems to piss them off a little.

754-
No itching except where I was stung. I do taste metallic (maybe like a penny) though. Could that be from the venom? Either way I'm not starting to deform or blow up like a balloon. Yet.

(at least not any more balloon like than I am already)

754 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:54:38 AM »

Farmer remedy.. manure, it does help!

Altho I am allegic to bees, I take great pleasure in ridding our garden shed (6'x8') of wasp nests..

I stand calmly in the middle with a stick, squish the nests, or them if I can trap them.. they get really pizzed, but if you dont move they wont sting. They also call in their buddies, then I get more of them!!...

rhos1355 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:56:11 AM »

Wonderful thing about the body is that when you get stung for the first time, your body fights it like mad, because it's thinking wtf is this? that's when the sting area balloons up to football size. Then it programmes itself to recognise a sting so the next time you get stung, you might just get a small raised area, which won't bother you much after a few hrs.
Well that's my theory & I'm sticking to it.

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #18 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:57:54 AM »

LOL we used to go out at 2am with one of those million candle watt powered torch lights...

Squeeze it on right at the next so they freeze and are blinded. Then grab em with pliers and stick em in a coffee can with the lid modified so you can see into it.

Then find june bugs and spiders and all kinds of other stuff and shake the can.....

Then watch the ensuing carnage.

Maybe this is paypack for my youth?

Tom in Newcastle......Ontario · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:52:48 AM »

Got stung by a yellow jacket last week just below my ankle bone........wife told me to put some polysporin on it.....took the sting/pain away ..........""""""Well that's my theory & I'm sticking to it."""""""""

Caaveman82 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:54:55 AM »

Yeah.. riding... sure.

I bet you were reaching into the nest for some honey weren't you?

Dummy... who do you think you are? Winnie The Pooh?

Haha. Man you have the weirdest crap happen to you. What kind of a-hole runs into a SWARM OF WASPS? lmao

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #21 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:57:04 AM »

I'm not sure... but I have the damndest luck.

I have never even seen a swarm of wasps let alone driven through one.

Let me tell you....

I now know I can dance like a mofo.

Caaveman82 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:34:56 AM »

Quote from: HavocTurbo on August 21, 2009, 10:57:04 AM

I'm not sure... but I have the damndest luck.

I have never even seen a swarm of wasps let alone driven through one.

Let me tell you....

I now know I can dance like a mofo.

This is how I get all the ladies! *dumps bees in his shorts*

mrblasty · « **Reply #23 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:38:59 AM »

I was stung 12 times on the side of my neck and in my ear by those miserable #$%*ers. Benadryl may help with the itch.

HavocTurbo · « **Reply #24 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:41:18 AM »

I'm all good now. Just some seriously sensitive lumps wherever I was stung.

I did manage to find one alive buzzing around my office after lunch. Guess he was hiding in my jacket.

Sneaky bastard.

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Author Topic: Has this ever happened to you? (Read 2814 times)

rhos1355

rhos1355