Dear Editor,

Spring is here once more, only this year it’s here with a vengeance. Thanks to El Nino and a bizarre weather pattern, we’ve had more rain, which means more greenery and more flowering plants sending an invitation to those darn bees. I had come to terms with the fact that a bee could find me in a closet. I convinced myself that bees take Polaroid pictures of me and carry them in flight, so they could better recognize me from the air. I have been bombed and chased by wasps and hornets for no apparent reason, or so I thought. Then I re-evaluated my “personal” lifestyle before I walked outdoors.

Gee whiz, I thought one day, “I smell like a flower.” Considering my hair spray, deodorant and cologne, none of which was fragrance free, I was nothing less than a great big, walking flower. The bees really did love me. I did not consider the stings I received over the years “Love Bites,” so I changed my personal habits just a wee bit. My hair spray and deodorant are now fragrance

free and when I am out of doors, the cologne is left behind.

These small changes have surely helped, but I still have an unhealthy fear of being stung, simply because I have an allergic reaction to a bee sting. I keep antihistamine with me when outside. Benadryl works wonders for me in just a few minutes. If you are stung by a bee, here are a few signs to watch for:

• Intense heat at the sting site

• Extreme swelling

• Pain and itching

• Red lines shooting away from the bite

• Rapid heart beat

• Difficulty breathing.

Any or most of these warnings should be considered exactly that – warnings which should be reported to your doctor.

Remember — It’s Spring and we should be cautious of “Those Darn Bees”.

Ellie Dimino

Red House