Yes, I really do sting myself with bees.  Yes, it really hurts.    So far I've only done it four times (well, 5 technically, but I don't think the first one counts since the technique was something of a fluke, and I couldn't get it to work when I tried to repeat it).  Which means that I still swell and itch each time.   According to my beekeeper friend, that goes away after you get stung several times.  It will still burn during the actual sting, but you don't swell up over the next couple of days.


The first time, we took one of those tubes that hold water at the bottom of a flower--like long stem roses or orchids.  We got a bee into it, and I turned it upside down on my wrist where I wanted to bee stung.  Get it?  Bee stung?  I slay me with that one every time.