Fair Entry-Stinger and Venom

Fair Entry-Stinger and Venom · 06:50 PM

Entered this one for our bee association this year at the state fair. It got first place!
Disclaimer: No bees were injured or killed during filming for this picture.

Arvin

K20D, 50mm Super Macro Takumar w/extensions, f/16, 1/180, ISO 200, combination of modified ring flash and homemade snoot. Tripod mounted, cable remote triggered by my teeth.

jct us101 · 08-14-2009, 07:55 PM

Ah that's gross!

Damn Brit · 08-14-2009, 09:07 PM

That's great Arvin, congratulations on the first place.
Er, cows are easier to milk mate.

timbo13 · 08-15-2009, 03:33 AM

congratulations! great shot!

**NaClH2O** · 08-15-2009, 04:40 AM

What a glorious macro. BTW is there any use for the venom?

NaCl(one of these days I will get as good)H2O

**Ash** · 08-15-2009, 05:10 AM

Congrats mate.
It's so close there's too much detail on those calloused hands!
Well done.

acbees · 08-15-2009, 07:52 PM

Thanks for all the comments.

jct us101-Yea, I've gotten that and others similar to it.

Gary-understand the cows.

The judge thought I squeezed her to make her do this, but I didn't even have to squeeze this one. This little lady was serving her time as a guard bee in the top of the hive and was more than ready to ready to give me the full dose had I given her opportunity.

timbo13 and NaClH20- Thanks. Yes, there is a use for the venom. Some folks use bee sting therapy for ailments such as MS or rheumatoid arthritis. The venom stimulates the adrenal gland causing it to manufacture natural cortisol. Some folks testify to its effectiveness. Most common treatment sites are at acupuncture points. Was stinging a friend last year when I noticed the venom on some of the stingers. Always wanted a shot of this and managed to get one this time.

Ash-I certainly agree about the dirty old hands.

Arvin

**Kerrowdown** · 08-16-2009, 05:15 AM

Would have thought the venom would have come through the end of the stinger not the top as shown here, really great capture, well worthy of a winner.

acbees · 08-16-2009, 06:36 AM

kerrowdown,
Appreciate the favorable comment and thanks for wondering about the venom.
Had seen venom on this part of the stinger before. But, already knowing the stinger is made up of barbed parts working together instead of looking like a hypodermic needle, I still couldn't have explained it without some research. Here's a link to a short article with drawings that explains very well how the venom is pumped from the stinger, especially in "The Action of Stinging" part.
The structure of the Honey Bee's Sting
Thanks for making me look.
Arvin

**Kerrowdown** · 08-16-2009, 07:25 AM

Aye your welcome.

Thanks for the interesting link, there's a great drawing of the barbed parts of the sting, showing the leakage points.

The old saying you learn something new each day, well that must be todays.

MO-bran · 08-16-2009, 11:15 AM

I have a question about the shot and bees. By getting the venom there was no sting, so does the bee live? I thought that honey bees died after stinging. The picture by the way is great and definitely makes me weak--I am highly allergic to bees and I was squirming in my seat on this one. I am not as terrified of them since starting to garden back in the 90's, I now can stand right next to a plant and work with bees in it--a plus!

acbees · 08-16-2009, 01:55 PM

MO-bran,
Yes, the bee lives as long as the stinger does not penetrate the skin. The barbs on the stinger catch and it's ripped out of the bee's abdomen. Sometime when they sting they will spin around anchored by the stinger in the skin until it is pulled out. On rare occasion I have seen them work the stinger loose, but very rarely. It is solely because of our elastic type of skin (and those of animals) that the stinger is pulled out of the bee. Bees can sting other bees and other insects without losing their stinger.

When the stinger is ripped out, the insides of the bee will sometimes come out with it. Whether they do or not the loss of the body part causes the bee to die. On occasion I've had them land and repeatedly just barely touch the end of their stinger on my skin, just enough to make it tingle. It's like a warning saying "Don't make me sting you"

as if they know they'll die if they sink it in.

Sorry to hear about your allergy. At the risk of causing you to squirm some more, here's what the stinger looks like in the skin. Maybe it will help desensitize you.

Arvin

**Kerrowdown** · 08-16-2009, 02:01 PM

Oh

,

That's quite enough of that sort of picture.

MO-bran · 08-16-2009, 08:10 PM

Thanks for the information about bees and stings Arvin. I hope to never get stung again, but carry the epi-pen with me just in case. I had seen the above pic before in my own skin, but wasn't sure about the trailings--now I am. I am in fact a champion for the bee now, especially with the death problems they are having--when I garden and if I must spray like this year for the Japanese Beetle, I waited until no bees would be out (sprayed after dark) and was not to kill them after three hours on plant. I guess the shot can make more than just me squirm. LOL

Igilligan · 08-16-2009, 08:17 PM

Love the shots and love the bees...

The last shot with the stinger in the skin... well that one just hurts to look at it!

acbees
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08-14-2009, 07:55 PM	#2
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793	Ah that's gross!

08-14-2009, 09:07 PM	#3
Damn Brit Guest	That's great Arvin, congratulations on the first place. Er, cows are easier to milk mate.

08-15-2009, 03:33 AM	#4
timbo13 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Northboro MA, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,007	congratulations! great shot!

08-15-2009, 04:40 AM	#5
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	What a glorious macro. BTW is there any use for the venom? NaCl(one of these days I will get as good)H2O

08-15-2009, 05:10 AM	#6
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Congrats mate. It's so close there's too much detail on those calloused hands! Well done.

08-15-2009, 07:52 PM	#7
acbees Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lowder, Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 124 Original Poster	Thanks for all the comments. jct us101-Yea, I've gotten that and others similar to it. Gary-understand the cows. The judge thought I squeezed her to make her do this, but I didn't even have to squeeze this one. This little lady was serving her time as a guard bee in the top of the hive and was more than ready to ready to give me the full dose had I given her opportunity. timbo13 and NaClH20- Thanks. Yes, there is a use for the venom. Some folks use bee sting therapy for ailments such as MS or rheumatoid arthritis. The venom stimulates the adrenal gland causing it to manufacture natural cortisol. Some folks testify to its effectiveness. Most common treatment sites are at acupuncture points. Was stinging a friend last year when I noticed the venom on some of the stingers. Always wanted a shot of this and managed to get one this time. Ash-I certainly agree about the dirty old hands. Arvin

08-16-2009, 05:15 AM	#8
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,863	Would have thought the venom would have come through the end of the stinger not the top as shown here, really great capture, well worthy of a winner.

08-16-2009, 06:36 AM	#9
acbees Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lowder, Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 124 Original Poster	kerrowdown, Appreciate the favorable comment and thanks for wondering about the venom. Had seen venom on this part of the stinger before. But, already knowing the stinger is made up of barbed parts working together instead of looking like a hypodermic needle, I still couldn't have explained it without some research. Here's a link to a short article with drawings that explains very well how the venom is pumped from the stinger, especially in "The Action of Stinging" part. The structure of the Honey Bee's Sting Thanks for making me look. Arvin

08-16-2009, 07:25 AM	#10
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,863	Aye your welcome. Thanks for the interesting link, there's a great drawing of the barbed parts of the sting, showing the leakage points. The old saying you learn something new each day, well that must be todays.

08-16-2009, 11:15 AM	#11
MO-bran Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Madrid, MO Photos: Gallery Posts: 26	I have a question about the shot and bees. By getting the venom there was no sting, so does the bee live? I thought that honey bees died after stinging. The picture by the way is great and definitely makes me weak--I am highly allergic to bees and I was squirming in my seat on this one. I am not as terrified of them since starting to garden back in the 90's, I now can stand right next to a plant and work with bees in it--a plus!

08-16-2009, 01:55 PM	#12
acbees Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lowder, Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 124 Original Poster	MO-bran, Yes, the bee lives as long as the stinger does not penetrate the skin. The barbs on the stinger catch and it's ripped out of the bee's abdomen. Sometime when they sting they will spin around anchored by the stinger in the skin until it is pulled out. On rare occasion I have seen them work the stinger loose, but very rarely. It is solely because of our elastic type of skin (and those of animals) that the stinger is pulled out of the bee. Bees can sting other bees and other insects without losing their stinger. When the stinger is ripped out, the insides of the bee will sometimes come out with it. Whether they do or not the loss of the body part causes the bee to die. On occasion I've had them land and repeatedly just barely touch the end of their stinger on my skin, just enough to make it tingle. It's like a warning saying "Don't make me sting you" as if they know they'll die if they sink it in. Sorry to hear about your allergy. At the risk of causing you to squirm some more, here's what the stinger looks like in the skin. Maybe it will help desensitize you. Arvin

08-16-2009, 02:01 PM	#13
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,863	Oh , That's quite enough of that sort of picture.

08-16-2009, 08:10 PM	#14
MO-bran Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Madrid, MO Photos: Gallery Posts: 26	Thanks for the information about bees and stings Arvin. I hope to never get stung again, but carry the epi-pen with me just in case. I had seen the above pic before in my own skin, but wasn't sure about the trailings--now I am. I am in fact a champion for the bee now, especially with the death problems they are having--when I garden and if I must spray like this year for the Japanese Beetle, I waited until no bees would be out (sprayed after dark) and was not to kill them after three hours on plant. I guess the shot can make more than just me squirm. LOL

08-16-2009, 08:17 PM	#15
Igilligan Guest	Love the shots and love the bees... The last shot with the stinger in the skin... well that one just hurts to look at it!