Beekeeping Gloves

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What skin protection do you use ?

  • Nothing I use my bare hands.

    Votes: 64 10.3%
  • Marigold washing up gloves.

    Votes: 187 30.0%
  • Thick rubber gloves.

    Votes: 61 9.8%
  • Leather Gloves.

    Votes: 204 32.7%
  • Leather gloves with latex over the top.

    Votes: 34 5.4%
  • Surgical gloves.

    Votes: 112 17.9%
  • Something else

    Votes: 23 3.7%

  • Total voters
    624
I started with Marigolds then moved on to nitrile long cuff with a view to being able to have more "feel". However this seasons personal bee experiences and those of a number of my friends have led me to realise that it is recklessly stupid to wear inadequate protection on your hands. All the waffle and nonsense about what marvellous calm bees you have and idiotic bravado about wearing no gloves etc. are totally misguided. Bees however calm can change demeanour at the drop of a hat and an individuals reaction to stings can vary enormously from sting to sting. I have been stung reasonably frequently with only a bit of discomfort but a recent emergency visit to A&E and having intravenous antibiotics administered led me to "wake up and smell the coffee". I dont want to wear clumsy leather but putting nitrile under marigolds seems to do the trick and I have now had several incidents where the sting punctures the outer glove but the double barrier has been effective.Those of you that think its clever to take risks with bees should take the time to read about the increasing number of incidences where even experienced beeks are getting into serious trouble or worse by lack of protection or over-confidence!

I must agree, I normally wear nitrile but one day after two stings changed to thicker rubber. Upon removing thicker gloves counted seventeen stings! They were having a real 'off' day, no-brainer really.:)
 
Can you add Nitrile to the list please - it seems a lot of people (including me) use them.
 
I use Nitrile, but ticked the option for surgical. I have just been cleaning out my shed and found some Neoprene fishing gloves I might give these a try Friday with a pair of Nitrile over the top.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodbobby
I started with Marigolds then moved on to nitrile long cuff with a view to being able to have more "feel". However this seasons personal bee experiences and those of a number of my friends have led me to realise that it is recklessly stupid to wear inadequate protection on your hands. All the waffle and nonsense about what marvellous calm bees you have and idiotic bravado about wearing no gloves etc. are totally misguided.




Hmm I must tell the 73 year old beekeeper who started beekeeping when he was 15 that he has been doing it all wrong for nearly 60 years.#. and that his wearing no protection on his hands (unless the colony is stinging badly) is reckless and stupid and he's idiotically brave and showing off...

# including beeing a Bee Inspector when I suspect he wore gloves.

:willy_nilly:
 
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