The Odd Sock: August 2015

Previous reports have included "best of" versions for both hummingbirds and butterflies and it came to mind a short while ago that a "best of the bees" issue was long overdue.

I have spent most of my life having a relationship with bees which was marked by extreme avoidance bordering on fear. As a young child I had a rather traumatic episode in a swimming pool where I was the only one not inclined to submerge when a bee was hovering over the water. Naturally, all of the other (older) kids disturbed the bee upon submerging and I was left to be stung and stung I was. I don't recall if it was that incidence or a latter one but it was determined (perhaps only by my mother) that I was allergic to bees. I got sick and had a fever... apparently.

March forward 50+ years. I found the cure in 2011. I got my 1st DSLR camera and discovered a remarkable level of braveness and confidence photographing bees. Getting my best shot overrode everything else. I will go so far as to say we've developed a friendship of sorts. Shortly thereafter something else happened... I got stung by a bee. Right smack in the center of the most sensitive part of one's palm. This wasn't while tempting fate taking pictures but rather by sticking my hand in some city mulch to facilitate getting it from my vehicle onto a snow shovel.

Here I was, from childhood to adulthood, led to believe I was allergic to bees. An interesting thing to examine, how we are able to put so much faith in childhood beliefs. My initial reaction was a combination of an incredible rush of pain, pulling the stinger, washing my hand with a nearby garden hose and getting inside and by a phone. I honestly didn't know what to expect and using Dr. Google was kinda discouraging. But, basically... nothing happened, nothing beyond a normal reaction anyway. According to WebMD "most people are not allergic to insect stings and may mistake a normal sting reaction for an allergic reaction." 'Nice to finally get this straight, don't always believe what you've been told.

Onto the bees...

Bees on California poppies.