[USCBeeMan]

How are you coping with this weather? Went outside this AM to look at my bees since being gone for 2 weeks.

Put on my suit and liked to have died. Them temp and humidity must have already been in the 80's. I don't know how I am going to be able to work these hives and take off honey..... I am literaly weak from the experience and need to lay down.

I sure hope I am lucky enough to be able to get one of the Ultra Breeze suits. Also hope the best for Bill's family. They sure seem to be very nice folks...

 

[HONEYDEW]

come on quit your complainin its been rainin here almost everyday this whole spring and the main flow is about 50% over at my location, going to be a long costly summer !!!!

 

[beekeeper1756]

Seriously, I have a zip up type suit and zipper veil. I keep a 44 oz. ice drink in my truck with a straw. I unzip my suit just barely enough that I can slip the straw up through the zipper and take big long drinks. That's how I survive the heat and humidity. Lots of ice cold fluids.

Good luck.

 

[knpeterson]

I just came in from working in the garden. I need to do some inspecting but I just couldn't bring myself to put on my suit this morning. I have to wear a sweat band in mine or the sweat starts dripping in my eyes in less than five minutes. It has been sooooo hot and humid the last few days. I worked for two hours in the garden and I'm sick from it. I'm sitting here with a wet dish towel draped over my head trying to cool down!! Supposed to rain this evening, hopefully that will cool it down some for tomorrow. My husband is baling tonight, it will be about 120 degrees inside the cab when he's doing it.

 

[USCBeeMan]

Had the suit on for around 30 minutes this AM and had to change all of my clothes. Every sq inch of my clothing was soaked.

That's the thing, very little breeze, suit and everything you are wearing is soaked. Skin cannot cool down. All of the ice water in the world will not bring your core body temp down.

A person could easily get sun stroke in one of these suits in less than an hour if he/she are doing a lot of exertion.

 

[knpeterson]

lol sounds like we got the same suit! Mines not exactly breezy. Last year I was able to work bees with just a veil and a tank top and would never get stung. I have different bees this year and some stings that REALLY swelled. So I'm not taking the chance not having my suit on even if it does bake my brain.

 

[G3farms]

I find you have to hydrate yourself the night before, start your chores early, stay out of the A/C, work slowly but deliberately, plenty of breaks, I also carry a large insulated mug of ice water with a straw (sip, sip, sip all day long).

Once I come into the A/C (truck or house) my day is pretty much over.

You really have to watch yourself and others around you, you can over heat quick!!

As for working the bees, if you do have to suite up I wear thin white cotton coveralls (underwear only underneath), helmet with folding veil (seems to let the most air circulate around neck and face).

Good luck, stay cool and lots of water.

G3

 

[StevenG]

That's one reason why i don't wear a bee suit, simple long sleeved white shirt, with ventilated hat and veil. I have 4 bee yards. I take along a gallon jug of water, can drink it thru the veil. When I finish a yard, I return to the truck (in the shade) take off the sopping wet shirt, dry off with a towel, rest and drink more water. slip on t shirt while driving to next yard, arrive, slip on ls shirt while drinking water, do my work... when done, same routine... have 4 yards, 4 ls old white shirts. Nice to start work dry, but it doesn't last. Temp yesterday when i worked my yards was 98 degrees, and humid. Gotta love SE Missouri.
Regards,
Steven

 

[longrangedog]

I bought a cooling vest with water panels that you freeze. The panels then velcro to the inside of the vest. It helps a lot for about 45 minutes in 95 degree weather. Check Amazon.com

 

[certaut]

lived in some pretty hot places and found things that work for me;
Avoid air conditioning
Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine
Don't eat large, protein-rich meals, Digesting food takes energy, generates heat.
Be able to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses
I use water in my spray bottle instead of sugar juice and seems to work, you can not only spray the bees , but yourself also.

 

[knpeterson]

I might just switch to plain water in the sprayer too. Good idea! I don't eat much either. Just a small cup of yogurt with a glass of water. Once I have to come inside to the ac I'm ruined too. I've got to start early in the morning to get the more labor intensive stuff done first but now we are in the middle of hay season.
260 acres of hay fields+104 heat index+zero a/c in tractors= BLECH!
I think I should just invest in a good pair of Generation 3 night vision and do everything at night!

 

[Countryboy]

I have a complete beesuit with the coveralls and zip on veil. I have worn the complete outfit one time. I nearly had a heat stroke.

I have an UltraBreeze jacket I wear fairly often, but unless you have a good breeze, it doesn't let much air in and you'll sweat pretty good. It's nice in early mornings, or cooler weather.

Just a veil is the coolest.

It's not wise to drink ice cold drinks in hot weather. They are too much of a shock to your system. Drink room temperature water, or slightly cooler. You will be able to drink large amounts of cool water, which is what your body needs if you are sweating heavily.

It also helps to take drinks regularly, instead of dehydrating and then trying to consume a lot of water all at once to replenish your body.

 

[USCBeeMan]

Wonder if salt tablets would be a good idea?

 

[Beeslave]

As Country Boy said "Do not drink ice cold beverages", I repeat "Do not drink ice cold beverages". Drink plenty of water(cool-warm) while working. Before you start working drink gatorade or powerade and drink it every hour or so with little breaks out of the sun. The heat index here the other day was 95-100 degrees. I visited 6 yards of 32+ hives each and tipped up the top super of every hive and added supers to those that needed it. Every yard had at least 2-4 hives that needed to be checked for laying queens that I installed 10 days prior. All this by myself in 6 1/2 hours with 10 min between yards. If it wasn't for the powerade I wouldn't have made it. Oh yeah that was in a t-shirt and bluejeans with a veil. No A/C in the truck between yards either.

 

[Hambone]

I like power aid. It higher in the electros than gator. I like the hot and humid..it helps keep my buff bod looking good.

 

[MikeJ]

You said 80s right?

 

[Countryboy]

Another thing to watch is urine color. If your urine isn't clear, you aren't drinking enough water.

 

[Beeslave]

t:
If I drink a 20 pack of barley pop the next morning my pee is dark yellow. Does that mean I didn't drink enough?

 

[conky]

USCbeeman - in a normal situation don't ever take salt tablets it will only make things worse.

 

[Countryboy]

If I drink a 20 pack of barley pop the next morning my pee is dark yellow. Does that mean I didn't drink enough?

It means you didn't drink enough WATER.

Alcohol dehydrates you. Dehydration exacerbates hangovers. A sign of not getting enough water is discolored urine, especially dark urine.