[pct-l] Yellow jackets and EpiPens on the PCT

miles brown e.milesbrown at gmail.com
Mon Sep 10 22:55:41 CDT 2012


Yellow jackets (wasps), Hornets, and bees have different behaviours.

The hornet, it seems may have the most painful stings. Also, they release
an attack pheromone, which is likely why, in some instances (like my own
experience), some people are attacked and others not.

Interesting.
Don't mess with them hornets.


On Mon, Sep 10, 2012 at 10:33 PM, Colleen Osland <colleenko at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> Just watched a great documentary on colony collapse-queen of bees.
> Entomologists delineate hornets from bees. Different behaviors.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 10, 2012, at 8:27 PM, miles brown <e.milesbrown at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Wow.
> > Frightening stories, really.
> >
> > I find bees, and such, calm down if you just give them a little tickle
> > under the chin. Helps.
> >
> > Actually, I don't mean to make light those traumatic experiences.
> > Hope you never run into them again.
> > They sound horribly vicious.
> >
> > On Mon, Sep 10, 2012 at 9:16 PM, Lindsey Sommer <lgsommer at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> I too have wandered into a nest. They went up my pants, into my shirt
> etc,
> >> resulting in some painful bites. I wasn't aware they were that prolific
> in
> >> southern California, but I know they are very common in northern
> California
> >> around this time of year. I recall that I often run into them picking
> >> blackberries, which are also ripe right around now.
> >>
> >> You're well advised to stay away when they can be avoided. I did a
> section
> >> of the AT a few weeks ago (for AT trail day) and had to cut my trip
> short
> >> because someone was stung by a bee and didn't have an EpiPen, knowing
> they
> >> were very allergic. You are ahead of the game if you're wise enough to
> be
> >> carrying one just in case! Though, I learned something from that
> experience
> >> (other than to carry an epipen), which is that after doing the epipen,
> you
> >> should then ALSO take an antihistamine (such as Benadryl). The epipen
> >> blocks the nasty reaction you get from an allergy, giving the
> antihistamine
> >> time to work.
> >>
> >> Good luck!
> >> Lindsey
> >>
> >> Sent from my iPhone
> >>
> >> On Sep 10, 2012, at 9:48 PM, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <
> >> diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I don't have any real wisdom except to say that here in So Cal I
> >>> mostly see them in late August to September.
> >>>
> >>> I have had enough really bad experiences with them that I'm scared to
> >>> death by them. Once I stepped into a nest and was stung multiple
> >>> times in about 20 places. They burrowed under my hat and stung my
> >>> hairline. They stung me on the arms, I would scrape them off and
> >>> they'd come immediately back and sting me some more. They burrowed
> >>> under my day pack and stung me down my back. They are like ticks the
> >>> way they burrow into tight spaces. I have been irrationally afraid
> >>> ever since.
> >>>
> >>> This weekend while hiking on a local trail, we saw a hole next to the
> >>> trail and some gray, old comb next to it. I was too afraid. So I
> >>> backtracked about a quarter of a mile and hiked down a creek instead
> >>> until I was able to rejoin the trail beyond the bees.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Sep 10, 2012, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Subject: [pct-l] Yellow jackets and EpiPens on the PCT
> >>>>
> >>>> About two years ago I was stung 6 times by yellow jackets who had
> >>>> established a nest in my front yard. The stings were painful but
> >>>> that was
> >>>> about it. Two months later I was stung 3 more times. That second
> >>>> incident
> >>>> resulted in a severe allergic reaction and I now carry an Epipen
> >>>> with me as
> >>>> a result. The yellow jacket nest was also removed shortly after
> >>>> that (so
> >>>> much for "live and let live" ).
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> I'm currently doing the planning for a possible PCT hike in 2013. I've
> >>>> continued to do hiking, backpacking, trail work, etc. during the
> >>>> last two
> >>>> years but always carry the EpiPen and back off if I think that I've
> >>>> gotten
> >>>> close to a nest. This approach has been successful so far.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> I'd be interested in any wisdom that people on the list can provide on
> >>>> yellow jackets on the PCT; e.g. which sections are more likely for
> >>>> encounters,  strategies for replacing Epipens, etc.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks.
> >>>
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Miles
> >
> > *Find your passion.  **Pursue it with fervour.  *Have something to fall
> > back on.
> > (Like, your ass.)
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>



-- 
Miles

*Find your passion.  **Pursue it with fervour.  *Have something to fall
back on.
(Like, your ass.)



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