3 quick questions

[Rosti]

George, I think you have missed the main point in MikeA's posting 'the gloves must fit properly' True if you have leather gloves that are too big then the wads of unused leather at you finger tips make you clumsy and get stuck under frames etc, but that was exactly MikeA's point. No use going macho with gloves that are so thin as to be ineffective, thus making you aware of a sting potential, thus making you hurry and become clumsy by default. Speed not haste. Your ppe should be sufficient to allow you to focus uninterupted on the job at hand.
I agree on the washing element and use rubber for that reason, but that is a different debate.

 

[Mike a]

Mike , I just cant see how you can be aware of bees crawling over your hands and below the top bars when you manipulate frames with thick gloves on.
George

George, I think you have missed the main point in MikeA's posting 'the gloves must fit properly' True if you have leather gloves that are too big then the wads of unused leather at you finger tips make you clumsy and get stuck under frames etc, but that was exactly MikeA's point.

Rosti nailed half of my reply.
The other half is the so called "lack of feeling" which is rolled out every time the glove issue comes up and used as the main reason leather gloves shouldn't be used.

I can feel through my standard leather gloves, not only can I feel the fact the bee is there under my finger but if I apply a slight pressure on the bee it will vigorously vibrate its wing muscles and I can feel the vibration and of course the other massive give away is I can hear it.

Try it one day, pick up a drone and cup it between your hands so it is able to freely move around inside then do the same with leather gloves on and you may be surprised how much you honestly can feel as it looks for a way out.

You are right badly fitting gloves are a problem but that doesn't make them into boxing gloves with no feeling. I wear my leather gloves for inspections of my colonies which can be overly defensive, but they are in an out apiary well away from the general public. When I visit other apiaries I will happily wear surgical type gloves for hygiene reasons but I'm not the one handling frames.

 

[Firegazer]

I think in this case, my handling hasn't been perfect and, coupled with a growing colony size and lots of foraging, there is fair reason for some grumpiness on their part.

The gloves: they are fairly thick leather and never been stung through, but I might try the blue rubber ones with gauntlets from Maisemore which are properly washable. I can't get my wedding ring off and I'm very leery of being stung on that hand until I sort it out.

I think, although GWW and Widdershins taught us well, the frames are now heavier and gummed up with propolis, and I've had to inspect when tired a few times.

FG

 

[george]

Firegazer, there is only one way to find out wether it will make a difference and thats to try it . I think over time you will prefer to use thinner gloves and enjoy friendlier colonies , there is no right or wrong way I suppose , you have to do what works for you .
Mike and I are coming at this from different ends of the argument .
I think that dressing yourself with heavy weight gear means you wont get stung regardless of how you inspect , so you can end up being less gentle than you could .
The counter argument says I have to dress like this because my colonies are foul ill tempered things . Chicken and egg situation .

If they are propolizing like mad this makes it even more difficult to be smooth with your manipulations in the hive , take every opportunity to scrape off as much of this crud as you can . If you let it build over a couple of inspections it can become hard work just seperating frames .

As for being tired , it certainly makes it easy to make mistakes or rush a bit . Relax and take your time , this is supposed to be fun
George

 

[kazmcc]

We use washing up gloves. Can they sting you through them. i was told a sting is 2mm long, enough to scratch the surface if wearing surgical gloves.

I quite like wearing the washing up gloves, they feel thick and I feel protected and I can certainly feel what I am doing. I moved frames for the first time on Tuesday, and was quite upset to see squashed bees from when the frames were put in the box. I know Paul was under attack so to speak when he moved the frames to the nuc, he was stung 10 times that night ( he told me just as he was opening the tape from the nuc, then released them from the box in a loud, buzzy cloud )

Is it normal to have squashed bees on the frames where they rest on the hive itself? I was quite upset by that, I am a big softy, do I need to toughen up? I will be devastated when I squash my first bee

 

[Stiffy]

We use washing up gloves. Can they sting you through them. i was told a sting is 2mm long, enough to scratch the surface if wearing surgical gloves.

I quite like wearing the washing up gloves, they feel thick and I feel protected and I can certainly feel what I am doing. I moved frames for the first time on Tuesday, and was quite upset to see squashed bees from when the frames were put in the box. I know Paul was under attack so to speak when he moved the frames to the nuc, he was stung 10 times that night ( he told me just as he was opening the tape from the nuc, then released them from the box in a loud, buzzy cloud )

Is it normal to have squashed bees on the frames where they rest on the hive itself? I was quite upset by that, I am a big softy, do I need to toughen up? I will be devastated when I squash my first bee

The gloves will provide some protection from stings but an angry or upset bee will be able to sting through them. When attending to a particularly 'tetchy' hive I wear two pairs of latex gloves but again the bees can sting through them. I used to have a reaction to the stings but seem to have built up immunity but still feel the sting!

It is unfortunately a part of beekeeping that you will ‘squish’ some bees when you manipulate them but I do try as hard as possible not to and have very few dead bees caught under frames. As my Northern partner says ’ a dead bee will not bring in honey’!

 

[victor meldrew]

We use washing up gloves. Can they sting you through them. i was told a sting is 2mm long, enough to scratch the surface if wearing surgical gloves.

I quite like wearing the washing up gloves, they feel thick and I feel protected and I can certainly feel what I am doing. I moved frames for the first time on Tuesday, and was quite upset to see squashed bees from when the frames were put in the box. I know Paul was under attack so to speak when he moved the frames to the nuc, he was stung 10 times that night ( he told me just as he was opening the tape from the nuc, then released them from the box in a loud, buzzy cloud )

Is it normal to have squashed bees on the frames where they rest on the hive itself? I was quite upset by that, I am a big softy, do I need to toughen up? I will be devastated when I squash my first bee

It isn't normal to have squashed bees anywhere .
When bees are squashed the contents of their guts is sprayed about the hive along with any pathogens they may contain .
As you get used to handling bees , you will squash less and less . I couldn't help noticing ,when the frames were being pushed together in the vid no one was looking between the mating faces to ensure bee weren't in danger of being squashed , just whoosh ! "Close the frames properly".
You will learn to lean over to get a good look and as you push the frames together simply blow between the narrowing gap to shift any stray bee . Sometimes a little smoke is required .
It all comes right with practice Worry guts

John Wilkinson

 

[Firegazer]

Very useful thread for me (and probably others). Thanks everyone for taking the time to give out advice.

Based on this, I will:

1) get my wedding ring off;
2) go off with some young strumpet - sorry, no, I mean . . .

2) start wearing rubber gloves to get better grip and feel (and to be able to wash them);
3) try and keep the propolis situation under control;
4) only do inspections when I'm in good condition;
5) expect some short-range followers but worry if it starts to get worse than just one or two;
6) remember to enjoy it.



FG

 

[Mike a]

Very useful thread for me (and probably others). Thanks everyone for taking the time to give out advice.

Based on this, I will:

1) get my wedding ring off;
2) go off with some young strumpet - sorry, no, I mean . . .

2) start wearing rubber gloves to get better grip and feel (and to be able to wash them);
3) try and keep the propolis situation under control;
4) only do inspections when I'm in good condition;
5) expect some short-range followers but worry if it starts to get worse than just one or two;
6) remember to enjoy it.



FG

Good luck with the list FG especially numbers 2 (original idea) & 3

 

[shonabee]

Re: getting wedding ring off: try putting hand in bowl of iced water (as cold as you can stand it), & sticking a bit of butter in the freezer until it's COLD but not solid. Then use the butter to ease the ring off. It's not worth putting it back on afterward, just get it re-sized. I have had the same problem with rings before....If it doesn't show signs of working, leave it for a couple hours before trying again. If all else fails, go to a jewellers (an independent-type one rather than a chain) and get them to get it off for you.

I use leather gloves, but am lucky in that my hands are clearly standard-glove sized! I do find I can easily feel bees "vibrating" if they are in danger of being crushed.
I WILL try rubber gloves, I keep promising myself - am worried that will get stung and wince, causing me to clatter the frame against something - the frame will, of course, have the queen on it, and the bee that gets squiched, will, of course, be the queen....

 

[Arfermo]

Rubber foreplay

Shonabee,

Bees will sting through rubber gloves too but the best ones that I have found are those sold by Sainsbury which rarely let a sting penetrate. Don't let anybody put you off using them or leather because of lack of sensitity either. Beekeepers should not be into foreplay during a manipulation!!!

Arfermo

 

[victor meldrew]

Arfermo a pseudonym for Graham Norton??

John Wilkinson