I wish I could add them back into my plans. However, they went before I got married. My Wife is allergic to just about every kind of insect bite. My Father died from a bee sting. They weren't my bees.
I only had about 20 colonies which is hobbyist level. Other than the one really viscous hive that I had I probably didn't got stung over once or twice a year. Actually, I did get stung in demos and programs to schools. There, I would pick up a bee and force it to sting me on the hand. Then I would use my pocket knife to show the Kids how to scrape off the stinger. It doesn't really hurt if you're expecting it.
I am starting to see more managed hives around. When I was a kid, they were all over, never been stung and I would go right up to one. Last year, yellow jackets were everywhere. And these guys make a home where it suits them. And I would just walk into the middle of them and do my tasks. Bees all around, people thought I was totally NUT'S. I guess I just don't smell like a flower
Only time I was ever stung was by a Wasp. Worked on a produce farm at 12. First couple paychecks went into a new 10 speed bike and all the gadgets from K-Mart. Speedodometer, Generator Lights, etc... I was booking down 14th ave (best kept gravel road around) and it had probably a good 12 ft slope in a quarter mile (it was pretty sandy before you hit the top and took a lot of work) Anyway, I started to apply the brakes to slow down and catch my breath. Luck had it, at that moment that a Wasp was somehow inhaled and took up a few resident seconds on my tong. It was quickly spit out, but none the less. I talked like Fat Albert for a while.
