Venom Potency in Bee Races

[ArmucheeBee]

I have been on the forum since July and don't think I have read a thread in real time or archive on differences in bee venom among the different races or strains of honeybees.  I got stung by a friend's bee tonight and I swelled like a watermelon.  I have been stung 3-4 times in one area of the skin by my bees and never swelled like this.  I even got the sting out quickly.  Her bees were 10 times hotter than anything I have seen.  It would be cool to engineer a non-sting bee but that goes against my natural/organic principles!!

So is there a difference in venom potency among races? 

[fermentedhiker]

I have to admit I've never seen anything on venom concentration differences between the various subspecies.  I do remember at least one of my books mentioning that the workers born in the fall have a hotter sting.  Part of the programming for winter survival I guess.  I think it was only mentioned in one book so that certainly doesn't make it a fact.  Have fun in your search.

[dpence]

I'll go along with the fall worker idea, I was told they have a hotter sting when plenty of honey is in the hive.  How much validity that has who knows. 

[BeeHopper]

I believe there is a potency difference. In my first year, I kept Buckfast Bees , I had no reaction to their venom, no swelling whatsoever, maybe a little itching, then the Italians came into the picture. In the last two seasons, I've had major swelling and itching to their venom. For 2009, I will be experimenting with some hybrids or mutts, we'll see 
In the meantime, I'll be wearing full battle gear to keep the stingers off my skin 

[dhood]

 Sure would be interesting to find out. I have had very different reactions from one day to another, during a cutout once over 50 stings and not much swelling at all, another day less than ten and my face swelled up? I think that is has more to do with how the body reacts to the venom at that particular time than the sting though.

[Michael Bush]

Not all stings are created equal.  Some are much worse than others.  It has nothing to do with race or even hive.  It does seem to be related to location, age of the bee, how long the stinger stays in ect. but that still doesn't explain the wide variation.

[TwT]

and something I seen which might not have anything to do with it but its what the bee's have been working (plant) seems when blue berry are blooming and bee's are working them my stings fester like ant bites, doesn't happen any other time of the year. I always thought it was because of the blue berries. might be wrong but that time is the worst.

[johnnybigfish]

Ive always thot that my bees stings are worse ij the summer when its hot! And, this time of year, i dont notice at all after about 3 minutes..I always thought it was because of wharever they were eating that made their stings burn more.
your friend,
john

[BEES4U]

differences in bee venom

Many years ago a lot of researchers compared the AHB to European bees.
There were two if not three major diferences in the venum.
regards,
Ernie