Clothing??

[Raceyboy]

Hi, is there a reason why the majority of beekeeping clothing is white, is it possible to get other colours such as blue or red etc, if so where would i be able to purchase from?

 

[drstitson]

you can buy other colours (even camo).

white makes it easier to see bees on the suit.
white is easier to see over distance helping thieves/vandals plan raids on out hidden apiaries.
white shows up muck, propolis etc and hence helps identify serious versus newbie beeks better.

 

[Juststarting]

I bought a white suit, but dyed it with a cold water dye and its now sage green, doesn't show dirt so much and is much less visible over long distances.

 

[RoseCottage]

Or just mucky over clean!

I think the issue of drawing attention to ones location and hobby is increasingly a concern.
I'm not sure how real the threat is but both Linn and I worry about being spotted getting changed near the hives.
I guess there are thousands of keepers, tens of thousands of hives, and a very small number of thefts. It may just be better reportage but we worry.


Spotting bees is easier on white and I was once told that dark colours around wrists etc attract unwanted bee attention.

All the best,
Sam

 

[Rosti]

Certain suppliers do colours. I have a mid-green suit from Sherriff. My apiary is accessible but isolated. I try to protect the location of my out apiary and running around like a mobile glacier is not consistent with that!

 

[Black Comb]

BB wear sage green is popular in our association. They also do a sandy brown which looks OK.

 

[RogueDrone]

Advice is keep away from blue, most likely to colour to cause aggression apparently

 

[moby]

Advice is keep away from blue, most likely to colour to cause aggression apparently

Is it the colour or the chemicals in the dye that the bees dont like? I had a red badge on my suit with the suppliers logo on that the bees used for target practice, I was told that bees cant see red but possibly the smell of the dye badge has since been removed and now no problem.

 

[tonybloke]

I wear white, makes it easy to spot any bees hanging on for a change to sting you when you take the suit off.

do the paranoid few with their camo suits also disguise their hives ( and their vehicles when they visit out-apiaries) or just themselves, so that a paramedic can't find them if they need to?

 

[zng109]

my father was how should I say "disliked by bees" he used a blue boiler suit green wellies and vail.
I had to crack my hive last night (evening) I was wearing a dark blue work fleece, Blue cargo trousers, black steel toe cap boots, no gloves no vail.
now mine are a fresh swarm 2 days in captivety now (making cells and filling them (but only 2mm off the comb)
I just dont have the kit, or better to say havent collected it yet.
However I am brown haired with blue eyes and no BO that bees find offensive so have never had problems, plus a vodka and lemonade in hand to keep my nerves down whilst working

 

[Adam]

Advice is keep away from blue, most likely to colour to cause aggression apparently

I know a former commercial bee farmer and he always wears a blue boiler suit. I've never seen the bees bothered by it whatsoever.

Adam

 

[Rosti]

I wear white, makes it easy to spot any bees hanging on for a change to sting you when you take the suit off.

do the paranoid few with their camo suits also disguise their hives ( and their vehicles when they visit out-apiaries) or just themselves, so that a paramedic can't find them if they need to?

This member of the paranod few does (but then some local hives have been vandalised) and the less that know the location the less chance of damage/theft! You cant operate in secret but you can reduce profile.

Hives are in a tree line and green not cedar brown. As for transport, the Cheftain came in a natty cammo paint job anyway ....

 

[Beezy]

I have a camouflage bee tunic (bought by my friends as a bit of a joke when i started last year) and my husband always wears a white one. My suit very rarely has bees on it and his does - for some reason they always seem less interested in mine. Mine is from bee basic and is still in great condition - I recommend them.

 

[Headnavigator]

If you can trust the mood of your bees, in this hot weather I'm finding I am much more comfortable doing straightforward tasks in the Mod** B**keeping 'Observer smock' (for about a tenner). Nice Olive green and a much cooler and lighter fabric. Wouldn't want to face a torrent of angry bees in it, but the face mesh feels quite secure and with no zips and good bottom elastic there are no bee entry points.

 

[madasafish]

I have a camo top. Bees rarely cling to it. As our garden is overlooked from up the road (halfway up a 150 metre tall hill), I prefer not to draw attention to it: hives are behind a low box hedge so not visible and painted green/brown.

 

[zng109]

I would just like to say the following.
My swarm is very small, It was pointed out to me yesterday by my mother that currently due to the swarm size "naked" bee keeping is posible, as the brood grows it might be very un wise to continue with no protection. so i will be suited and booted next year, and apparantly a rollup is not a valid substitute for the smoker.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I would just like to say the following.
My swarm is very small, It was pointed out to me yesterday by my mother that currently due to the swarm size "naked" bee keeping is posible, as the brood grows it might be very un wise to continue with no protection. so i will be suited and booted next year, and apparantly a rollup is not a valid substitute for the smoker.

I guess you are being a bit tongue in cheek, but I would seriously advise against beekeeping without a veil. Your placid colony may get very nasty if you accidentally drop a frame of them on the floor.

 

[beeatshellards]

i use white overalls from the local paint merchant, cheap all in one zip front ,pockets etc, just elasticate the cuffs and ankles, all for a tenner!

 

[BBG]

Or just mucky over clean!

I think the issue of drawing attention to ones location and hobby is increasingly a concern.
I'm not sure how real the threat is but both Linn and I worry about being spotted getting changed near the hives.
I guess there are thousands of keepers, tens of thousands of hives, and a very small number of thefts. It may just be better reportage but we worry.

Sam

The other thing is do bee inspectors gossip with others passing on positions of bees in isolated places.

Are bee inspectors told to NOT relay information or is it all down the pub and gabbing about other people's business.

What recourse is there if this behaviour is suspected.

 

[hedgerow pete]

i have one shop brought set which is white but the home made ones are cream as they show up less dirt

there is lots of here say about how colours aggravate bees, but i have never had any problems, we do find at work on building sites that high viz jackets seam to atract attention from bees and wasps, or is it just my after shave??

you will proberly find they are white due to the fact that when they were first made in bulk say the 1850 that cotton was the main material to use , or linen most of which would come naturealy in whiteish shades without dyeing

now if you as a poor beek was going to make your own suit due to not affording a new one then the cheapest form of big sheet of material would have been a bed sheet cotton roll, which again would also come as white undyed

so if someone then starts to dye material then charge extra for it, you would stay with the white? right

also a victorian would love to show off how clean he was by wearing clean whites when ever posible