What to wear to an Apairy???

[Chef Isaac]

Hello all!

I was wondering what people wear to their bee yard.

When I started, I wanted protection so I bought a full length bee coverall with zip on veil but the only problem is is that it gets soooooo hot sooooo fast.

I was thinking of just buying a beekeepers long sleeves shirt and a vail that ties around my chest.


any thoughts or suggestions?????

[TwT]

all i ever wear to the yard is a hat & veil and 4 big rubber bands(to put around my jeans and sleeves - even short sleeves) stings dont hurt to bad until you get more than 50 lol

[A Devries]

Started out last year wearing the veil, etc. Now it's shorts, T-shirt and sandals. Only problem is when the honey drips on my toes and maybe the time my wife couldn't stop laughing because I got stung on my nose.

[kayakdg]

I were long sleeve cotton shirts from the good will store. The wife sews the front up so the bees dont get in between the buttons.Always a vail and sometimes gloves. I work with out gloves most of the time Dan

[Got Honey?]

nothi-I mean it depends on two things for me the weather out side and what I'm going to do around the bees or what I have done recently, if I just took honey off or did something major I wear pants (t-shirt wearing is implied), but other than that I wear shorts t-shirt and shoes, but I've gone out in my PJ's before, thank goodness I have no neighbors.

JoSePh

[jfischer]

It matters not what you wear, but you must
accessorize!

I wear t-shirts, but my veil is not far
away, and if anyone is with me, there is
a full bee suit for each person nearby.

The key to not needing to worry about
what you wear is to make liberal use of
smoke. There just is no subsitute for
strategic use of smoke.

One of these days, I might buy a bee suit.
(I keep saying that every year, and a
decade or more has gone by...)

[BULLSEYE BILL]

When I go out to the yard I will wear sandals, shorts, sometimes a t-shirt, and sometimes a hat.

If I am going to open a hive I take all that off and put on my Golden Bee suit, white rubber boots, gloves, sweatband, and go to work.

I don't use smoke and don't have time to work all sixty hives on just the weekend, so I have to get to work and get as much done as possible. If I had just a few I could take my time and go real slow and not use gloves, etc., but I don't.

I would rather get in and out as quickly as possible without scenting them with smoke. I think it is less intrusive that way and they return to normal faster.

I also pull my honey one frame at a time with a brush.

[Michael Bush]

Now that I have a Golden Bee suit, I wear shorts and a tee shirt or no shirt. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif Then I put on the suit.

[beebarf]

I wear full armour. my beesuit(full zipped one w/hood attached). full length leather/denim? gloves.(beekeeper type from bee store).underarmour: my fishing waders, and a long sleeved hoodie. ya,ya laugh it up, its hotter then heck, but I only have two hives. I dont like getting stung, and havnt been in 2 years. My bees are totally non-agressive in any way, they seldom even land on me when in the hive. Mabey when I expand to 4 hives next year I will take off the underarmour..............

[Martha]

It depends what I am doing.

I cut branches off the bushes right behind the hives in shorts and sandals, opened up the hive when smaller in population in veil and garden gloves (shorts and tshirt).

Then when the hives hives had a jillion bees, I went to jeans, hooded sweatshirt, veil and garden gloves. Now - when I take the honey off (one frame at a time), I put on my Ebay cotton bee suit, veil, garden gloves. Oh and put my hiking boots on with the thick socks going over the pants legs. I had a nasty bunch of girls fly up my pants' legs about a month ago.

I also wear playtex dishwashing gloves under my leather garden gloves. That way I can take off the garden gloves and handle frames better.

The bee gloves that go up your arms are too tight for my arms and the fingers are too long.

My friend told me to smoke my clothes before I get into the hives too. And to smoke myself if a bee stings my glove or something. Then the others won't pick up on the alarm and zero in on me.

Talk nice to them too. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/wink.gif Maybe hum a little tune. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/wink.gif

This is my first year having bees live with me.

Martha

[Martha]

Then there are the formal situations.

They don't like black, so I favor light colors or small print on a light backround. I do fix my hair, make myself smell good, a skirt or dress with a slit up the side. Depending on the outfit maybe a Victoria's Secret undergarment.

A couple of "hallo darlings" with a glass of wine and go mingle.

Martha

[Tia]

Until I became a beekeeper the majority of my wardrobe was black. Now it's all white and pastels. My veggie garden is 15' in front of my beeyard and the girls and I commune with no incident while I weed, hoe, etc. (I just love it when they land on my knee or shoulder and observe for a while before they fly away!) I'll also do my daily "garden spider patrol" in just a t-shirt and shorts. If I'm "peeking" into the hives--whether by lifting the covers or looking into the entrance--I'll put on my veil. If I'm taking off honey, manipulating frames, etc., it's the full suit, veil & gloves, socks & my garden shoes. When I fog, it depends on the girls' mood. If they're happy, just the veil; if they're grouchy, the full suit.

[Daisy]

One things for sure...

I do wear sandals at minimum...

Otherwise I get stings on my feet. I can't see em when they're on the ground.

Getting stung on the foot is ok, but at the second I get stung on the foot, I start dancing.

It's funny to watch... LOL

[bjerm2]

I have my short sleeve shirt, long pants, sneakers, maybe a vale ( don't like using it and if the bees are in a bad mood then I will use it), and yes a smoker. Out side of that there is nothing else I have. I do use light colored clothing though.
Dan

[ZEEBEE]

Wow Martha....

Can I be a bee in YOUR yard?

[Whitey]

2 hives.
My girls are un-predicatable. Last spring doing inspections etc. They hammered me the minute I cracked the top cover. I had over 10 stings a visit from the bees getting inside the Alexander veil. So I orderd a full nylon bee suit. I worked with the hives all summer with barely a visit from the bees even when I took honey supers off. I went out last Sat to chek their store levels to see if I could take more before the end of sept. At the sound of the top cover cracking both hives unloaded and in a minute I was coverd from head to toe with bees. They where even able to sting a little through the suit. Some how two bees got into the veil and got me in the throat. My neck swelled up 3x its normal size. I looked funny for a few days. But I do not mind it makes the achy joints feel good for a few motnhs and does not hurt.

[Michael Bush]

How many of you, when the inner cover pops, just leave the lid on for a few minutes until they calm back down?

[bjerm2]

I do with the cover.
I have a question for Whitey, did you leave enough for them for winter. They can get pretty obnoxious if there is no flow and they have very little stores left. They also remember who took it away. Mine follow me for about two days. Make you wonder if they don't like the 'tax' assessment that I give my hives. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Dan

[Tia]

Michael, oh yeah, when that inner cover pops and that roar goes up in the hive, you'd better bet I just let it set a bit--and then give them another puff of smoke--before I proceed any further. In beekeeping, one must practice patience.

[Whitey]

Berjm,

Yes. Each hive had 100lbs plus each and there was 3 full deeps of bees in each hive in early April. Funny thing was that once brood rearing got underway with a early spring they drained that 100lbs each before the flow hit. When the flow hit I had 5 deeps packed tight with bees. They had no choice but to swarm and then they where nice. Now they are built back up and it's kind of a dearth so I count that as the reason for last Sat. Should have left them alone. They have a habit of teaching you what you do not know. It take a little time to see the signs bfore they beat you about the head with it. I love them any other critter treated me like that and it would be all over for them:)

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>How many of you, when the inner cover pops, just leave the lid on for a few minutes until they calm back down?

I try not to "crack" the inner cover. I run my tool around the outside edge, then grab opposing corners and twist. That dislodges the burr and releases the cover. A few will still get angry, I suspect from a few getting squished in the twist. But they usually do not boil out of the hive even without smoke.

[kamerrill]

A hat, t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers during the summer. I carry a long shirt, pants and vail in case they're sassy but I havn't put 'em on in 2 years.

[DZE]

I only have one hive and I am very new to this
I just use my work clothes but I have my Vail and gloves close by. I light the smoker but only use it if I have to.
If I had to hurry I would suit up.

[Michael Bush]

>Then there are the formal situations.

I would like to see Martha at one of the "formal situations". :>

[SilverFox]

Birthday Suit< LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL,>When just checking and removing the top cover, jeans or shorts, shirt or not, shoes or sandles, When I'm working deep in the hive or robing FULL Battle gear, I rob one frame at a time and brush the bees off, put the frame in an empty box w/a cover and move on. This year with the early spring out of 17 hives I might be able to rob just 5.

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'WHEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES WE ALL LOOK THE SAME' GWPW 03

[Hillbillynursery]

I wear my veil at all times when opening hives. I am very light complicted(sp) so never wear shorts. So short sleeves and veil unless the hives are agressive or I am in a hurry(like some mentioned sometimes speed is better), then I have a long sleeve shirt handy and my gloves. I am going to get a full suit for removals. To many bees crawling on me when doing them and they always find a hole.

[scsasdsa]

I have a full suit for removals and for visitors, most of the time i use an inspector style jacket with zipper veil and gloves. My hands are always warm and the bees rely go for the hands. I even tried wintergreen and spearmint oils on my hands. I also wear my carhart pants with double fronts and have never been stung while suited up I harvest one frame at a time with a brush.

[rocky ridge bees]

since i live in mississippi, the reality of AHB IS ALWAYS ON MY MIND.in my bee yard i can get by with a vail, but i am trying to get in the custom of full dress. i help the city and county catching wild swarms.

[Luke]

I wear a veil, along sleaved shirt, and gloves. I tuck my pants into a pair of army boots. When I was starting out at 13 I used to just tuck my pants into my socks. The bees used to love stinging me there.
I was working one of my hives yesterday and they got ticked off for some reason. About ten of them were attacking the bootlaces but not one sting. Ha! http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif