Insect attack on the move!

[andycharlton3460]

I had the classic wasp in the helmet vent. ***** stung me 5 times. I've been stung before and that felt like, well, a sting. This time it genuinely felt like I had been hit on the forehead with a baseball bat.

[reohn2]

It's become an infamous ride now.

Rat run?

And one of my work colleagues startled a sheep on a high bank which then lost its footing and fell on top of him putting him in hospital for a few days with concussion and broken bones.

I had a mate who wrote off a very nice Triumph Bonneville and a good sheep when it decided to cross a mountain road at the wrong time.It wasn't very nice to watch either from about 100m behind him at 60mph .
Luckily he wasn't seriously injured.
The sheep expired on impact .

[oneten]

I was up on our local cycle route through the woods a couple of years ago and went to move a fallen oak post only to find a hornet right where I gripped the wood. I had finger- less cycle gloves on so of course it got me on the exposed part of my right middle finger, right in the joint. It hurt like hell and my mate wondered why on earth I was hopping around gripping my hand. Brought a tear to my eye at the time and still ached for a couple of weeks afterwards as I reckon the poison had found it's way into the finger joint which became quite inflamed.

On same topic - there was a report on BBC news this morning about the popularity of fresh berries and when they went to interview the fruit grower/land owner, he'd literally just been stung! Showed remarkable restraint I thought.

[Vorpal]

I have had a number of large, buzzy things in my (long) hair lately, but none have stung me.

When I was teching Bikeability, my hi-viz seemed to attract bumblebees, and I was stung several times in situations where I just wanted to move my hi-viz, for example to make it hang better, or to reach a pocket. I happened to put my hand on a bee and was stung. After a few of these 'lessons' I learned to avoid touching my hi-viz unless it was absolutely necessary, and I often checked it before I put my hand on it.

I never saw any bees on it, except the ones that stung me, so it must have been partly just bad luck, getting stung by them.

[LollyKat]

It's recommended to plant lots of yellow flowers if you want to attract bees to your garden, so.....

Maybe try pink hi-vis instead?

[robing]

I too find insects seem drawn in to the helmet vents, it must be due to air currents? I had an insect incident in Spain recently. It was extremely hot, and felt something hit me in the chest, then a split second later had a searing pain on my left side. Fearing a wasp or hornet had gone down my top I stopped sharply and removed my top, but could see no sign of my attacker. But I'd definitely been stung and it hurt like hell!

[Mick F]

I'm not wearing helmets now, mainly because they aren't comfortable as I'm very thin on top, and any trapped flies or insects are right on my scalp! ................... so I'm wearing a cycling cap.

Also, I wear eye protection ever since I was hit in the eye with a dead leaf. Hurt like hell and nearly had me off!

However, I was stung on the eyebrow on Tuesday. Really painful! I stopped and felt my brow but other than the pain, I had no other symptom and carried on for the rest of my ride. Good job I had eye protection as it could have been much worse.

Wednesday morning, my eyelids were puffy and I had bags under both eyes. My eyebrows were very itchy and sore, but I was ok.
Thursday morning, and it's no better.
This morning, there's a numb feeling in my lips and the bags under and over my eyes are even bigger!

I went down the health centre and saw the doctor. She reckons I've got an allergic reaction so has prescribed me some antihistamine. One tablet a day, and TBH, the one tablet I've taken so far seems to have done the trick. Bags are going down and eyes feel better.

Be careful out there. Those bugs are gonna get you!

[gaz]

Stung today, base of right index finger. I pulled the stinger out immediately but I didn't see what model of winged assassin it was, ninja wasp perhaps.

Stung like fury for the next fifteen minutes, very minor swelling. Continued with my ride. Dull throb remains .

[PDQ Mobile]

I was stung in the eye by a late evening unidentified continental flying beast some years ago. Because it was late and getting dark I had removed my sunglasses. Never again!
Was extremely painful/unpleasant. Required a visit to eye hospital and took a very long time to fully heal.

[Brucey]

this is what some people call 'dopey wasp season'.

Wasps will be eating a lot of partially decayed fruit etc around now and they will tend to sting anything that they collide with more than normal.

Being stung in the eye is the stuff of nightmares!

cheers