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
All the bravado from the non glovers! Saying we will insist newcomers dont wear gloves etc. What a croc of shite.

I suggest to all the people that think they have "immunity" to bee venom, or it dont matter, have a read up on Kounis syndrome and also have a read about exactly what makes up bee venom.
You might alter your thinking!
 
Unfortunately, with my nasties, I need to wear gloves. If not, I would come out of an inspection with hands full of stings!!!

BTW, Where you been recently icanhopit? Haven't seen you in ages...

Ben P

only just read this.... was out to sea, then mooved house!!! Chaotic!
 
All the bravado from the non glovers! Saying we will insist newcomers dont wear gloves etc. What a croc of shite.

I suggest to all the people that think they have "immunity" to bee venom, or it dont matter, have a read up on Kounis syndrome and also have a read about exactly what makes up bee venom.
You might alter your thinking!

I do wear gloves when pulling up nettles.... Urtica diocea?
Had heard of Kunes syndrome in association with adder bites.............
 
If doing a lot, i cover the marigolds with latex purely for practical reasons of cleanliness. I also have a bucket of washing soda solution to clean off tools so rinse hands. As latex can be flimsey, i can easy replace these as i go. The point being it is so much easier than continually cleaning bare hands.

Other times i just wear latex or nitrile. There is a lot of difference in the "feel" the latex being fine and frail with the nitrile tougher, more resilient but not so sensitive.

A point not mentioned is that both are easier to apply (and latex def last longer) if you blow them up gently and hold the stretch - like a balloon?

My pet hate is unprotected wrists! I don't mind so much finger stings as i am expecting the odd one. I am not expecting them to breech the suit and the shock of getting one on the wrist has a worse effect than the sting. If its a session i wear wrist muffs or rubber bands to seal the gap. An excellent free supply courtesy of the Royal Mail off any UK pavement?


Regards

FB

As this is a poll, i would further add my personal preference as an aide to the newcomers without the foulmouth responses from the morons who have not read the forum rules?

I have never worn anything thicker thsn marigolds, not out of some machoism, but because i want to feel what is going on. If i felt compelled to wear leather gloves, the majority of the appeal would not exist. No bravado, but as has already been said, "stinging bees" will not be cured by wearing armour
 
Despite the advantages of being able to work without gloves, or with very light gloves, I would definitely recommend having a heavyweight pair for those occasions when you suspect the girls might be less forgiving than usual. The knack, of course, is to avoid bothering them at times when you know it will wind them up... but perfect timing isn't always possible.

Today reminded me of doing this poll a few weeks ago. I don't normally wear gloves because I'm blessed with fairly forgiving bees and like to be able to feel what I'm doing and avoid clumsiness with frames etc. However, today I wore my leather gloves because I knew the girls would be cross, and boy am I glad.

It's a classic example of how calm bees can get defensive under certain cirumstances. They're making queen cells, are already more advanced than I expected at this time of year, and I wanted to move some of them into a new brood box. That particular colony has a huge brood area and is brimming with bees. A really strong colony can make gentle bees a lot more "forthright"... And these had put honey into brace comb, and reacted angrily when I had to break some of it, something I'd normally avoid if at all possible. They really clung to me, and had a right go at stinging my gloves. I was very grateful for wearing them - the prospect of maybe dropping a frame or, much worse, a box, under a barrage of stings is too bad to think of :willy_nilly:

Within an hour they had all settled down, disappeared into their respective boxes, and apparently forgiven me. However, I will be putting the gloves through a hot wash before I use them again.... they must reek of angry bee!
 
Well that sounds like blitzkrieg not beekeeping. Rather than increase glove and overall defences, i would practise my queen rearing skills. As the dog whisperer says " it's not for the dog to decide when it bites it's master" ?

Just my opinion!

Regards

FB:)
 
I would agree. But if you really have to do something that risks upsetting bees, it's best to be sure that you can handle the situation as swiftly and un-clumsily as possible. Queen-rearing can only get you so far... what if the hive's queenless? all sorts of things can upset otherwise peaceful bees. It's only happened once with my little apiary in a year, but it can't be helped: sometimes even calm bees will get cross. I never usually need to move them like that, so they can settle down now and get on with the important business of my neighbour's apple tree blossom! Hopefully I can put the gloves away now.
 
Marigolds just are not sting proof and all the other sergical gloves inc latex - Nitrial - Vitrial which is a sort of hybrid of latex and vinyl mix all are NOT sting proof.

I just use the Soft kid venterlated long sleeved gloves and use caution and look where you put your fingers.

As said befor try a queenless hive which is a new ball game all together and really nothing is sting proof! As they will get you though anything really even your bee suit where its close to your skin or they will wait follow you for upto about 100m and get you when you remove your suit.

just my 2p worth
 
:iamwithstupid:

well not so stupid in reality...... stung today on the back of my hand through nitrile gloves, red rubber bands and all.... then they chased the poor dog!!

Girls had a right ole moody going on.... definitely Q- !!
 
Marigolds just are not sting proof and all the other sergical gloves inc latex - Nitrial - Vitrial which is a sort of hybrid of latex and vinyl mix all are NOT sting proof.

I just use the Soft kid venterlated long sleeved gloves and use caution and look where you put your fingers.

As said befor try a queenless hive which is a new ball game all together and really nothing is sting proof! As they will get you though anything really even your bee suit where its close to your skin or they will wait follow you for upto about 100m and get you when you remove your suit.

just my 2p worth

I agree with you that nothing is sting proof, Yes they can sting through marigolds but I think if you have them a tad (and i meen a tad) loose then they rarely get connected.

Dont think I could use leather I already feel clumpy in marigolds, having said which I tried using nitrle as I have them for milking and did get a lot more interest from the bees, including a sting. so although easier to work in its marigolds for me. I wonder if some of it is that they sense the warmth through nitrile and think they have found the target, but with marigolds there is less skin contact and maybe less heat?
 
I dont know what kunes Syndrome is, never heard of it!

What i was talking about is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kounis_syndrome/allergic_coronary_spasm

Ever heard of wikipedia syndrome!:rolleyes:
I never believe anything on wikipedia, sometimes things are changed just for fun!

If gloves are not sting proof then why wear them???? Baby powder seems to stop you getting all gummed up with propolis and if they really are a bit feisty (usually my own fault), I always have my kid leather gloves at the ready, not the vegetarian option I know, but it works for me.
 
As a newbie, I do as I am told, leather gauntlets with latex over gloves, not the most dexterous but plenty of protection and hopefully a hygienic solution.
 
i use marigolds but my hands do get sweaty. what is good about nitrile under marigolds?
 
being new and having had bad reactions to insect stings on my hands I started beekeeping with nice Kid leather gauntlet type gloves, I ventured into the bare hand handling a little while ago, now I'll only wear gloves if the bees get a bit tetchy (well, that's already progressed to reallytetchy!) I don't react badly to stings anymore and the last time I wore my leather gloves was to retrieve a swarm and I was stung between two fingers straight through the gloves (so what's the point in wearing them?):)
 
smoked fingers

I smoke my bare hands while getting the smoker lit. Bees steer clear of my fingers if I watch where they go.
 
Just wondering how to get latex or nitrile gloves over leather ones. How do you manage that?
I've not found any large enough to even consider this.
 
Today while cutting out a very big colony with loads of honey I got stung loads through leather gloves with latex ones over the top. Over 30 stings in all. My right hand is now like a balloon.

There easy to put latex over leather, just roll the fingers down like a .... Well lets not go there ;)

Its really helpful if cutting out, so you don't get the leather covered in honey
 

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