I was doing some weeding in my black sweat pants/lycra trousers. I was cutting back the grasses next to the pond. All of a sudden I felt an oouchy prick on my right thigh. Horribly familiar.
Really, I should know better, it has happened before. Bees do not like black and they do not like the smell of sweat. They confuse take dark colors + sweaty smell to mean BEAR. Bears, as we all know like honey and so are one of the
animals bees seek out to sting. Right now I am ready to do a second harvest having already 6 supers on the hives. They have something to protect and defend, honey.
Interestingly, these Italian 'docile' bees sting badly. At least that is my experience. The swelling may take 24-36 hours to reach its height but it is very pronounced. Socially awkward.
The Africanized bees on the farm are more frightening the way they chase you and sting multiple times. But in my experience, and it is early days, the Africanized bees do not sting too badly. More like bad mosquito bites - albeit 20 of them at a time.