Q1: How often should you be stung to lessen the chances of developing anaphylactic reactions?
A1: Please speak with an allergist if you have any concerns regarding bee sting reactions. You don’t need that many stings to build immunity and reduce your chance of developing an allergy. However, reactions can be very different from one individual to the next. For about three years after starting beekeeping you swell more in the spring when the bee season starts. After that, most people don’t swell up much at all. Some beekeepers apply stings through the winter to keep building immunity.
Q2: How do you not get stung a lot without protective clothing?
A2: For us, it is having gentle bees, working the hive in good weather, working carefully in the hive, and proper smoke use. It’s a trade off between dressing comfortably vs getting the occasional sting