I'm in my first summer of beekeeping. I started out with one hive which was doing great. I split it and started a new hive. After a month or so, I lost the queen from the second hive and decided that rather than replace her, I should re-unite the colonies and over-winter with one strong one.

I put a single sheet of newspaper in between the two hives and waited a few days. One of the hives was headed by an Italian queen and they were very gentle. The other hive was all-stars and were kind of nasty. One day I decided to pull the semi-chewed paper out. Should be quick and easy right?

I lifted the side of the top brood chamber and pulled out the shredded newspaper and set the brood chamber back down.

I walked back to the truck feeling like top dog for playing with bees with no protective gear.

I felt the slight breeze whip the newspaper I was still clutching.

I felt the sting after sting after sting as the all-star side of the newspaper wrapped around my leg in that breeze.

I'm not allergic to stings, but I think I was stung at least fifteen times. I walk about twenty miles a day at work and everyone had a good laugh watching the bee man limp along with his swollen leg.