[deltacornbread]

The thread on AHB got me to thinking. Are there any sting proof suits? I wear the white coveralls and zippered veil. And from experience I know that when you have to deal with a hive that is upset, you will get some stings thru the suit. Some don't mind getting stung, but I do. Not that I am afraid of being stung, just ain't a pleasant experience.

 

[summer1052]

Magnetman, on this forum, @ honeymoon apiaries manufactures and sells an Ultrabreeze jacket that is supposedly very cool and very sting proof. I have not tried it myself, but several other members of this forum swear by his stuff. Look for an ad at the top of the home page. It is a very popular product, and he is great to do business with. See the Consumer Reports board for more info.

I must, however, add a personal caveat. I have tried to contact him by emailing via his web site, and pm ing on this forum, as well as commenting (as I am now) on posts in this forum. I have several questions re his jacket. After a year, I have yet to receive any acknowledgement. BUT, I am the ONLY one who seems to have ever had that problem, so it must be some kind of weird karma I'm working out here. That would not be unusual for me, either. :lpf:

Good luck!
Summer

 

[markmaster]

The UltraBreeze suit from Honeymoon Apiaries is great...I've had mine for just over a year - never been stung through the suit or veil. It does, however, get pretty warm inside the suit -- I've taken to wearing shorts and no shirt underneath the suit. I'll take perspiration over stings any day, though!

 

[cheesegenie]

That's why I searched to find this thread. I got stung today on the wrist
right through the jacket. I could feel the sting and looked down to see a bee in that spot. I am a newbee, but not afraid of them, but surprised they could sting through my new $125.00 veil/jacket.

 

[Rohe Bee Ranch]

These folks claim to have a sting proof suit make for Japanese Hornets but at over $1,200.00 each they sting you in your wallet.
http://www.7tak.co.jp/z_alf_hati.htm

My next suit/jacket will be an UltraBreeze.:thumbsup:

 

[markmaster]

These folks claim to have a sting proof suit make for Japanese Hornets but at over $1,200.00 each they sting you in your wallet.
http://www.7tak.co.jp/z_alf_hati.htm

My next suit/jacket will be an UltraBreeze.:thumbsup:

Dang! What's this made from - Kevlar? :scratch:

 

[KQ6AR]

No stings through my ultra breeze jacket yet, & much cooler than my old better bee suit.
I'd buy another

 

[Bens-Bees]

I haven't been stung through my normal Dadant jacket/veil yet... I'm wondering if wearing a shirt underneath makes a difference. I always wear a shirt under my jacket, usually just a shortsleve T-shirt, but the gloves cover my arms up to the sleeves of the tee shirt.

So I'm wondering if those of you that have been stung through the suit were wearing an undershirt beneath the suit?

These folks claim to have a sting proof suit make for Japanese Hornets but at over $1,200.00 each they sting you in your wallet.
http://www.7tak.co.jp/z_alf_hati.htm

That looks about as comfortable as trying to work the bees wearing a space suit... actually a space suit would probably be much more comfortable since it's water-cooled.

 

[arthur]

I find that when I wear three layers under my beesuit, I tend not to get stung.

 

[dtompsett]

I find that when I wear three layers under my beesuit, I tend not to get stung.

Sounds way too hot to me! Only time they tend to sting through clothes is when you squish them.

 

[cheesegenie]

I had a short sleeve shirt under, and short rubber gloves. The long good
gloves are on my Christmas list. The jacket was tight at that spot, longer
gloves would have prevented a sting. Remember , I was on a ladder after
cutting out a wild hive in my son's backyard with a chainsaw. I deserved
at least one sting!

 

[ehallspqr]

Dang! What's this made from - Kevlar? :scratch:

It wouldn't surprise me if they where Kevlar. If you saw these hornets you'd understand why these suits even exist. Think of our hornets over here then scale it up 2-3 times. The stingers are 3/8th of an inch and they'll squirt venom through a screened vail into your face. My dad was stationed over there and the first time I saw one of these hornets I about crapped my pants. They prey on honeybee colonies and 30 worker hornets will wipe out a 30K honeybee hive in a few hours. The Japanese beekeepers have no choice but to go after the hornets and ordinary bee protection is of no use. Go onto youtube and type in Giant Japanese hornet. Very entertaining viewing.

Being stung goes with the turf. All you fellow hobby Beeks out there that haven't been stung, you will one of these days. :doh: I have been stung over 200 times in all the years I've been messing with bees and wasps. :s Been stung through just about everything at one point or another, canvas gloves, bee suits with under garments, regular string veils when the netting touches the skin, 2 pairs of blue jeans, coveralls, you name it. Honey bees can sting through just about any bee suit fabric. Wearing layers of cloths underneath will help but there is the heat factor.

The trick is loose fitting outer garments with or without regular cloths underneath. The baggy outer garment keeps the stingers away from your skin. Anywhere the outer garment is touching your skin they can get you. That's why wrist stings are so common. A good pair of vented leather gauntlet gloves work best to protect your wrist . I get it in the waist and legs when I bend down and the fabric of my pants are stretched tight against the skin. When working with hot bees I typically wear a baggy pair of outer pants over a pair of jeans, My baggy Sherriff Rustler jacket which I have yet to be stung through (knock wood) over a thick long-sleeve shirt, my leather gauntlet gloves and a pair of canvas ankle gauntlets. Ankles are another place I've been stung allot. You put on as much protection as you need based on your bees temperament that day and how much heat you can stand.