Author Topic: 400kΩ insects (Read 3963 times)

Kim · « **on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:33:05 am »

We appear to be in the middle of an epidemic of attacks on cyclists by the little stingy bastards.

In the last week we've had:

CrinklyLion, stung on the lip

Regulator, stung on the tongue

Plug1n, stung on the lip

Chocolatebike, saved by glasses

I can only suggest tactical use of buffs, breathing through your nose when possible and growing a Wowbagger-style beard (men) or keeping your jersey zipped all the way up (ladies). Barakta should perform full underwear inspections when getting dressed, and on no account should recumbent riders wear baggy shorts.

It's a warzone out there!

YahudaMoon · « **Reply #1 on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:39:32 am »

Ha.

Me as well. lumpy legs !

CrinklyLion · « **Reply #2 on:** 08 July, 2011, 07:33:23 am »

And more a couple of weeks back

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #3 on:** 08 July, 2011, 09:39:34 am »

And me - wasp-attack the Friday of the York Rally. I still have the mark on my chest, two weeks later. Stung me straight through my top.

токамак · « **Reply #4 on:** 08 July, 2011, 09:50:58 am »

I hadn't mentioned it, but a few weeks back I was stung by a bee on the arm, cycling home from work. Had an allergic reaction - broke out in hives and a rash all over and my arm remained ridiculously swollen for days. Also, one of my club mates says he nearly rode through a swarm of bees on a TT recently - reckons he was able to headbutt them out of the way, WTF?!

Charlotte · « **Reply #5 on:** 08 July, 2011, 09:52:07 am »

Quote from: barakta on 06 July, 2011, 09:56:29 pm

getting stung on the labia...

Jesus, I missed that at the time

Perhaps we need a slightly more lethal Barbie Cannon MkII?

clarion · « **Reply #6 on:** 08 July, 2011, 10:26:37 am »

Quote from: токамак on 08 July, 2011, 09:50:58 am

...stung by a bee ... broke out in hives ...

токамак · « **Reply #7 on:** 08 July, 2011, 10:46:28 am »

If only I had looked this up earlier... Urticaria

clarion · « **Reply #8 on:** 08 July, 2011, 11:03:54 am »

So long as it's 'urticaria' you're looking up, not 'urtication'. Ouch!

rower40 · « **Reply #9 on:** 08 July, 2011, 11:38:25 am »

Oh dear...

Resistor colour code for 400kΩ: Yellow Black Yellow.

I claim my 2.27 kilograms.

Did everyone else who got the joke not bother to comment?

clarion · « **Reply #10 on:** 08 July, 2011, 11:43:51 am »

I was happy to let it fly way over my head. As I am with bees & wasps, of course.

Riggers · « **Reply #11 on:** 08 July, 2011, 11:53:05 am »

A friend and I successfully liberated the wasp nest from our garden on a slightly-damp and cooler Tuesday evening this week. Decked out in motorbike helmets, heavy coats, scarves, thick gloves (that were taped up at the wrist), the branch holding it up was cut, and an initial attempt to stuff the nest into a plastic bag failed, so it was whipped into the big plastic bucket and the lid clamped down quickly.

They weren't happy.

Nonetheless, we left the dozen or so flitting around the garden, while the bucket was driven up onto the Downs, and my chum flung the nest into some bushes. Maybe they'll survive, maybe not.

The nest was about the size of a football.

There are still some boy and girl wasps flying backwards and forwards in a confused way as we speak (Friday). And as I say… they're not 'appy.

And I should add… not one sting!

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #12 on:** 08 July, 2011, 12:23:51 pm »

Some beekeeping neighbours had their hive swarm and settle in an old tree in our garden. That was fine, but then they came round to collect their bees. All decked out in white overalls, gloves etc, and mesh masks over their faces - that scared me! I thought they were some kind of spacemen! I was only about five when this happened.

Kim · « **Reply #13 on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:11:29 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 08 July, 2011, 09:52:07 am

Quote from: barakta on 06 July, 2011, 09:56:29 pm
getting stung on the labia...

Jesus, I missed that at the time

Perhaps we need a slightly more lethal Barbie Cannon MkII?

I think we should take off and nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

andrew_s · « **Reply #14 on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:27:11 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 08 July, 2011, 12:23:51 pm

Some beekeeping neighbours had their hive swarm and settle in an old tree in our garden. That was fine, but then they came round to collect their bees. All decked out in white overalls, gloves etc, and mesh masks over their faces - that scared me! I thought they were some kind of spacemen! I was only about five when this happened.

My beekeeping story is from when I went to a job interview in Cambridge. I stayed with my sister's mother in law, who was an amateur beekeeper. Apparently the local beekeepers had some sort of rota for dealing with calls for help, and she was "it" at the time, but her car was in the dock.
So muggins got collared, we drove round to where the swarm of bees was, and I watched from a safe distance whilst they were transferred into a cardboard box.
The cardboard box went in the back of my Polo (hatchback, no parcel shelf), and I had to drive off to the beehives whilst trying to ignore the 40 or 50 bees flying round inside the car.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #15 on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:29:47 pm »

Quote from: rower40 on 08 July, 2011, 11:38:25 am

Oh dear...

Resistor colour code for 400kΩ: Yellow Black Yellow.

I claim my 2.27 kilograms.

Did everyone else who got the joke not bother to comment?

I saw the thread title, saw who posted it and thought I bet it was a colour code joke. Not having l33t electronic skillz I had to look up the colour chart. Dead good, causing me to chortle into my muesli.

clarion · « **Reply #16 on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:30:35 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 08 July, 2011, 01:11:29 pm

Quote from: Charlotte on 08 July, 2011, 09:52:07 am
Quote from: barakta on 06 July, 2011, 09:56:29 pm
getting stung on the labia...

Jesus, I missed that at the time

Perhaps we need a slightly more lethal Barbie Cannon MkII?

I think we should take off and nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

Nuke barakta's pants?

Is this wise?

Kim · « **Reply #17 on:** 08 July, 2011, 01:43:23 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 08 July, 2011, 01:30:35 pm

Nuke barakta's pants?

Is this wise?

She needed some new ones anyway.

But that would be clothes shopping, so I suspect we're going to stick to checking for beasties for the foreseeable.

BrianI · « **Reply #18 on:** 09 July, 2011, 12:36:01 pm »

Do I win a prize for also getting stung today?

I was cycling along quite happily on the cycle path towards Alloa, felt something hit my lips. Tried to brush it away, then got a nice sting on the inside of my lower lip.

At least my lip is less swollen now, although still a bit nippy.

Kim · « **Reply #19 on:** 09 July, 2011, 09:15:53 pm »

Presumably as karmic retribution for this thread, I got stung today. I didn't see what by, as I was entangled in a picnic bench at the time, but it hurt like a bastard.

Bizarrely, I don't appear to have suffered any kind of allergic reaction whatsoever.

Plug1n · « **Reply #20 on:** 09 July, 2011, 10:14:55 pm »

Quote

as I was entangled in a picnic bench at the time

I think we need some sort of grading system based on a) speed and b) impact

I claim a 5 Star for speed as I was going downhill at ~23mph and 3 stars for impact the lower species was flying directly at me.

Of course the impact is subjective, especially for football players suffering pain.....

Kim · « **Reply #21 on:** 09 July, 2011, 10:21:58 pm »

Also c) target area, with points being awarded for comedy, creativeness or areas of particular sensitivity. Barakta scores fairly highly on this one.

clarion · « **Reply #22 on:** 09 July, 2011, 10:55:20 pm »

We experienced four odd stripy events today:

I spotted what I thought was Eric the Half A Bee on the road. It turned out to be Eric the Bee and a Half, as two bees (ish) seemed to be engaged in some mutual activity. Looked like there could be some stinging going on...

I got a wasp stuck between the arm of my shades and my temple. Needless to say, I got it out very fast, but I am awfully glad that there was not oncoming traffic, as I was on the wrong side of the road at the end of the incident

Helen got attacked by a bee, though thankfully not stung

A bee or wasp took a ride on Jan's hat

rower40 · « **Reply #23 on:** 09 July, 2011, 11:01:38 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 09 July, 2011, 10:21:58 pm

Also c) target area, with points being awarded for comedy, creativeness or areas of particular sensitivity. Barakta scores fairly highly on this one.

Ewww.
A several of years ago, a (black/yellow:rpt) insect got caught between my nose and my glasses. 'Twas a bit ouch. I've been sting-free for many solar orbits since.

Andrij · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 July, 2011, 08:11:56 am »

The last few years there have been stories of bees 'disappearing', and report of 'colony collapse'. Now the truth can be revealed: they've been going through Basic Training! All these incidents must be the result of a small, initial troop sent forth to test our defences. Forget zombies, beware the bees!