It didn't float like a butterfly...

Buck said:

The strangest part is that I was hit by several bugs this morning
before getting stung.

Several times while riding on a river side path I'll come up on a
honeybee flying the same direction. I'll slow and follow for several
yards before she veers off to the side.

RFM
http://www.cyclelicio.us/

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

... but it stung like something with a sharp stinger and a hefty dose
of venom. I don't know what it was, but it deflected off my right arm
and hit me in the roll of fat right above my shorts (thank God it
wasn't any lower). It stung me then flew away.

The strangest part is that I was hit by several bugs this morning
before getting stung. The only thing different than usual was the red
jersey I was wearing. I wonder if they thought I was a big, fast
moving, red flower.

Now, where is that Benadryl?

-Buck

I take an antihistamine and smother any exposed bits in DEET as bugs seem to
find me a tasty bit of stuff. Life's hard when it's just the bugs that find
you tasty... sigh... ;-) Especially as if I am bitten, the affected limb
swells enormously.

Wearing yellow a lot, as I do, I find that aphids, corn flies etc., find me
particularly attractive. On several occasions I've had a bumble-bee hitch a
ride on my bar bag and the other week I was followed for many yards by a
glorious bright blue damsel fly flitting alongside me. I've also had the odd
owl and hawk fly alongside at eye level, which is *glorious*

Cheers, helen s

Buck said:

... but it stung like something with a sharp stinger and a hefty dose
of venom. I don't know what it was, but it deflected off my right arm
and hit me in the roll of fat right above my shorts (thank God it
wasn't any lower). It stung me then flew away.

The strangest part is that I was hit by several bugs this morning
before getting stung. The only thing different than usual was the red
jersey I was wearing. I wonder if they thought I was a big, fast
moving, red flower.

Now, where is that Benadryl?

-Buck

I got a similar hit on Tuesday, didn't see what got me, but produced a
hell of a welt. Still there and itching like crazy even today.
And I had a redish jersey as well, huh?

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

"Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation."
Edward R. Murrow

wafflycat <waffles*$*A**T*v21net$*££*D*O*T*co*D£$£*O*T*uk> wrote:
:> flitting alongside me. I've also had the odd owl and hawk fly
:> alongside at eye level, which is *glorious*

You're kidding, right?

Funny, I tend to favor a solid-yellow jersey when riding and I've never
had a problem like I did this morning. Solid colors, yellow, white or
blue, is what I usually use.

Damsel flies can be quite amazing to watch, but I didn't think any
could fly fast enough to keep up with a cyclist. I wouldn't be
surprised about a dragonfly though. One of the coolest sights I have
ever seen was hundreds of damsel flies near a spring in south Oklahoma.
They had bright blue bodies and black wings. I've never seen
black-winged damsel flies since. Hey! Here's one on the 'net!
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/youth/bug/bug005.html

-Buck

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Funny, I tend to favor a solid-yellow jersey when riding and I've never
had a problem like I did this morning. Solid colors, yellow, white or
blue, is what I usually use.

Damsel flies can be quite amazing to watch, but I didn't think any
could fly fast enough to keep up with a cyclist.

You are making the assumption I cycle fast ;-)

The damsel fly that flew by me was a banded demoiselle (male). See

http://www.hookedonthenorth.co.uk/idgallery/thumbnails.php?album=4

Cheers, helen s
(hillslug extraordinaire)

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't be
surprised about a dragonfly though. One of the coolest sights I have
ever seen was hundreds of damsel flies near a spring in south Oklahoma.
They had bright blue bodies and black wings. I've never seen
black-winged damsel flies since. Hey! Here's one on the 'net!
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/youth/bug/bug005.html

-Buck

In article <[email hidden]>,

Buck said:

... but it stung like something with a sharp stinger and a hefty dose
of venom. I don't know what it was, but it deflected off my right arm
and hit me in the roll of fat right above my shorts (thank God it
wasn't any lower). It stung me then flew away.

The worst sting I've had in recent years was from some sort of
black, slender, long-abdomened flying ant or wasp that was
aggressively getting in my face, and I casually swatted at it.
The li'l bugger must've been royally PO'd about something and
was taking it out on me. It actually hung onto my chin with it's
mouth pincers and danced it's stinger around like an out of control
jackhammer, stinging me multiple times. Boy, did I yell and utter
a profanity or twenty. Anyhow, a quick application of calamine
lotion immediately and permanently soothed it. Calamine really
does the trick for me, with insect stings (to which I'm not
allergic.) But I suspect it might work better for some folks than
others, so it might be a YMMV thing. Of course people with allergic
reactions will require more specialized (and possibly prescribed)
medications to specifically deal with their stings.

Folks who aren't allergic might like to consider putting a bottle of
calamine lotion in their first aid kits, if they haven't done so
already. It's also handy if one suffers the misfortune of crashing
into a bed of nettles or other stinging plants.

Heh. As I write this, the song "Poison Ivy" by The Coasters
is playing in my mind.

cheers,
Tom

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