1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Bees

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by tochatihu, May 19, 2015.

Page 2 of 2
  1. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    8,995
    3,507
    0
    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    #21 tochatihu, May 23, 2015
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,996
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    wow, what bees don't sting? i need pics!:p
     
    #22 bisco, May 23, 2015
  3. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2006
    2,369
    978
    70
    Location:
    Sunnyvale, California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    The epipen didn't exist back when I was having problems with bee stings. At least no doctor I went to ever mentioned such a device. One very successful treatment for a swollen arm was ACTH that my dermatologist injected. Absolute miracle cure. The swelling was gone before I left the doctor's office (15 minutes?). Zero aftereffects. When I told my GP about it, he mumbled something about dangerous stuff he'd never use.

    I just checked the price of an epipen. Try several hundred dollars for one, with an 18 month lifespan. And they sell them in 10 packs! Apparently US people who pop over to Canada can buy them over the counter for about $90. Half price. Canadians get them for a trivial co-pay with a prescription.

    I tried to figure out the price of my DMSO/VitC slurry. I have no idea how many tablespoons of DMSO in a jar, or tablespoons of C in a bottle. But under a dollar wouldn't be too far off. And no doctor visit for a permission slip.
     
    #23 RobH, May 24, 2015
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,996
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    wow, that's ridiculous, and probably not covered by insurance. they'd much rather pay for the after affects.
     
    #24 bisco, May 24, 2015
  5. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    8,995
    3,507
    0
    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    On one hand, bees (stinging or stingless) do a lot of pollinating.

    On the other, bee stings can be a problem. This guy is sill alive:


    Man survives up to 1,000 stings by swarming Arizona bees


    But there are others who did not survive. Bees and others within Hymenoptera use their chemical delivery systems to modify behavior of vertebrates. This is very different from insects using venomous chemicals to prepare food for consumption. I've lost hope that PC people would share my fascination about this, but the literature is right there at your fingertips.

    Fingertips not swollen I hope :)
     
    #25 tochatihu, Jun 13, 2015
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,996
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i only know that i can't keep them out of my birdbath.:cool:
     
    #26 bisco, Jun 13, 2015
  7. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,314
    3,588
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Re: Stings
    We lived in Louisiana briefly and it was the blasted little fire-ants that sent me to the hospital. Mowing my lawn, the buggers climbed up my leg. At the hospital they gave me intravenous benadryl and Pepcid AC chewable. Apparently Pepcid is an H2 antihistamine, what ever that is (internal organ antihistamine).

    Bee stings I am in pain for days but I just take benadryl and Pepcid AC. I had an epipen for a while but my reaction was not extreme, just bad.

    When the fire ants get to North Va., then I know we have global warming and I move to Boston with Bisco. If the fire ants get to Boston, its game over.
     
    #27 wjtracy, Jun 13, 2015
  8. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    8,995
    3,507
    0
    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Among ants, fire ants' venom is not so bad. Their attitudes are, however.

    An Arizona ant Pogonomyrmex maricopa wins in venom toxicity.
     
    #28 tochatihu, Jun 13, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2015
  9. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    8,995
    3,507
    0
    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    #29 tochatihu, Jun 13, 2015
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,996
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i'm thinking montana.
     
    #30 bisco, Jun 13, 2015
  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,751
    11,328
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Well, I'm hoping sightings of Japanese giant hornets in the US are just cases of mis-indentification.
     
    #31 Trollbait, Jun 13, 2015
  12. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,162
    15,408
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Dental floss?

    Bob Wilson
     
    #32 bwilson4web, Jun 13, 2015
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,996
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    missoula. fly fishing, where there are more trout than mosquitoes.:)
     
    #33 bisco, Jun 13, 2015
  14. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    8,995
    3,507
    0
    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Other than by fly-fisher-people, mayflies don't get much attention. Spend most of their lives under rocks in streams, as predators of other under-rock-life.

    They are at immature stages (molts), and apparently go through more such immature stages than any other insect. So, life under rocks is pretty good?

    When they emerge as adults for 'dating', they tend to do it all at the same time. Leads to interesting situations

    Dense mayfly swarm causes crashes, closes US bridge - BBC News

    For me it is hard to imagine that out of such a mess, a sufficient number of eggs can get put in the river for the next go-round. Human-based intuition often does not apply well to world of little critters.

    +++

    I think 'random nouns as messages' above are a defense against actually visualizing the situation of 'successful drone bees.
     
    #34 tochatihu, Jun 14, 2015
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 2 of 2