Hives is the name given to a common form of 
allergic reaction. Hives generally take the form of a series of large angry red and swollen welts on the skin. They are often caused by direct contact with an allergenic substance (generally a plant, such as 
poison ivy, but they can also be an immune response to food or some other 
allergen.
A 
hive is also the common name for a colony of 
bees or for the shelter built for or by the bees. See 
beehive.
For the rock band, see 
the Hives.
 
All Wikipedia text 
is available under the 
terms of the GNU Free Documentation License