Getting back on the bike..

[Beagle23]

A couple of weeks ago I decided to carry out my first full inspections of the year. First Hive no drama, but during the second inspection I noticed too late that I had a rip in my veil and a hood full of angry bees.
It all happened fairly quickly, I received 14 stings to the face and neck and it hurt a lot. With swarm season fast approaching I need to get back on the bike and carry out some more inspections, but I'm finding my nerves have been shot and I'm having to walk away from the hives.
The suit's repaired and I know I'm mostly safe from more stings, but the irrational fear is ahead of calm common sense at the moment and I'm not sure how to proceed.

Have you faced something similar? What did you do?

 

[ShinySideUp]

Do you have someone else who could do an inspection or two with you. Into my fourth year of keeping bees I still sometimes go in to the apiary with some trepidation but I've always found that if there is someone there with me I don't worry at all even if they know nothing about bees or beekeeping; if it's the SBI with me it's even better but that's not possible more than once every couple of years. Try to find someone to be with you, I think it will help.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A couple of weeks ago I decided to carry out my first full inspections of the year. First Hive no drama, but during the second inspection I noticed too late that I had a rip in my veil and a hood full of angry bees.
It all happened fairly quickly, I received 14 stings to the face and neck and it hurt a lot. With swarm season fast approaching I need to get back on the bike and carry out some more inspections, but I'm finding my nerves have been shot and I'm having to walk away from the hives.
The suit's repaired and I know I'm mostly safe from more stings, but the irrational fear is ahead of calm common sense at the moment and I'm not sure how to proceed.

Have you faced something similar? What did you do?

I lost confidence with my bees after the treatment for a nasty illness left me quite weak in body and mind. My husband, bless him, took over inspection duties for a good part of last season while I watched and directed over his shoulder. Getting somebody else to do it a few times while you watch might help. Is there any chance a mentor might help? Bit difficult social distancing but at least maybe they can keep your hives together while you recover a little.
I too have had a veil full of angry bees. I sympathise

 

[Anduril]

You might consider buying a vented suit, giving you more protection against stings and keeping you cool. Or do you have one already? I always check my suit for tears, especially the veil before I go to the apiary. I have found with the cheaper suits, the veils have a tendency of ripping due to the UV, just my opinion. Getting stung in the face is never pleasant, you may be self conscious about your repair and this is playing on your mind.

 

[Cherry111]

Hello Beagle23, yes, I had a similar experience last year. I had a very nasty hive which I had isolated at the bottom of a field, ready to re-queen. They were truly vile! As I was trying to check them, I caught my veil with my hive tool and within seconds, it was full of angry bees. I closed my eyes to protect them and ran, stumbling away, tripping over the long grass as I went. I realised that the only way to get the bees out of my veil was to undo the hood because they couldn't find their way out even if they wanted too! This caused an even greater flurry of bees Chasing me, now bare headed. I was on my own away from anywhere. I ran to my car, took two antihistamine tablets, face swollen like a football and phoned my husband who brought me a fresh suit, enabling me to close the bees up. When I had recovered, I checked my suit thoroughly stitching up every little hole I could find. What helped me to go back to my bees was making sure that I felt absolutely sure that I could trust my suit again. I felt like giving up. Take a big breath and reassure yourself that your suit is safe now and keep that in mind when you next go back. Best of luck - I know how you feel!

 

[deemann1]

Get yourself some ausarmor

 

[enrico]

Most of us have been through it. When I knocked all my hives over I was in tears with the stings and the fact that I knew I had to go back up to the hives which were in my garden and reassemble them. For months I got that pit in the stomach feeling, butterflies, when inspection came round. I looked for any excuse to put it off. The only way I could get rid of it was knowing that I was 100% bomb proof against stings. Read my blog on this site. There is no shame in being covered up and wearing three layers! After I wrote one of my pieces on beginners and beekeeping for the BBKA magazine I got flack from one reader who said I should not be encouraging people to wear gloves and that they were banned from their meetings. In fact he was trying not to wear a veil. My reply was a little unsavoury. I symathise wth you. Feel safe and your confidence will come back. The other thing that helped me was becoming a mentor. You would be surprised how brave you suddenly get when you are teaching others. That is half the problem with apiary meetings. The teachers feel so confident and the learners feel so inadequate.
The main thing is not to give up. Take small steps. It doesn't matter if your bees swarm this year, just do what you can when you feel you can. Work slowly and carefully and close up when you feel the panic setting in. Don't patch your veil up. Ditch it and buy the best suit you can afford.
Good luck
E

 

[Beagle23]

Thank you all for the replies and the gentle manner in which you delivered them. It's not an easy problem to own up to, especially given my rugged good looks and my 40 year Indiana Jones wannabe demeanour

I have a really good ventilated suit but it's getting on a bit. The tear occurred at the join between the veil and the main fabric and I didn't notice it until far too late.

Beekeeping has been a solo endeavour for me so I don't have a mentor, I don't go to a BKA, but I do have the finances to buy a new suit so that's the way forward I think. Maybe a stiff whiskey before the next inspection too

 

[gmonag]

It would be helpful if we all checked our suit/veil carefully before donning. Imagine its a spacesuit and you are going on a space-walk. My background is in aviation and you learn to check everything before flight.
My own confidence levels have soared since I got a new suit (Sentinel Pro II) to replace my original cheapy, which the bees could sting through on the arms.

 

[pargyle]

I've seen people give up for less. It is very scary when you face a colony that is intent on trying to kill you.

A new suit will add to your confidence levels - I've been very pleased with my Old Castle Farm suit (Sentinel Pro 2) - Marigolds with a pair of disposables on top will make your hands sting proof (not the welding gauntlets please !). I wear sweat bands at the wrist and the new suit has Velcro cuff adjusters so no bees creeping up your arm.

Perhaps rather than full insspections start with just lifting the crown board and a bit of smoke or water spray to control them then shut them back up.

Next time take a couple of frames out and see how you get on - if it gets interesting close them up - there's no shame in walking away. A peice of cloth over the frames you are not inspecting helps. Get yourself back on the bike gently and your confidence will recover.

 

[Popparand]

Thank you all for the replies and the gentle manner in which you delivered them. It's not an easy problem to own up to, especially given my rugged good looks and my 40 year Indiana Jones wannabe demeanour

I have a really good ventilated suit but it's getting on a bit. The tear occurred at the join between the veil and the main fabric and I didn't notice it until far too late.

Beekeeping has been a solo endeavour for me so I don't have a mentor, I don't go to a BKA, but I do have the finances to buy a new suit so that's the way forward I think. Maybe a stiff whiskey before the next inspection too

I had the same problem. The veil got ripped rescuing a hive from under an overgrown tree. I couldn't buy a replacement veil to fit so I ended up buying a veil attached to a mesh that goes down to your chest(aka hooded fencing vest). These are so, so much more convenient than a suit with veil attached.

I don't like lighting the smoker wearing a veil (They are highly inflammable). But it only takes a moment to slip the veil and gloves on once it gets going. Also no problem in driving between apiaries in just the coveralls.

I also started wearing leather gloves with canvas sleeves as I got fed up with stings on my arms. All they need is a good scrub from time to time. There are too many pundits in this game looking for a drum to beat.

 

[pargyle]

I also started wearing leather gloves with canvas sleeves as I got fed up with stings on my arms. All they need is a good scrub from time to time. There are too many pundits in this game looking for a drum to beat.

I'm not pious about leather gloves but I found that there is so much more 'feel' from marigolds and nitriles than there is in leather that you can manipulate your colonies with a more delicate touch. The gentler you are with the bees the less they seem to react. The key to confidence is being comfortable with what you are doing and knowing you are protected from stings releases that anticipation and tension that you may get stung... I'm sure, like many animals, bees pick up the pheremones we humans give off when under stress or in fear and they react accordingly.

And .. nitriles go in the bin .. no washing needed apart from a quick rinse in the washing soda bucket for the marogolds.

Those long cuffs are a good idea as well if you have bees that like crawling up sleeves although with the Sentinel Pro cuff adjusters and wrist bands I have the same security.

 

[bingevader]

Loads of good advice, so I'd just echo the softly softly approach.
I know it's difficult to get out often, but if you can, then go a couple of times, suited up, and just sit and watch and listen, without opening up any hives, to remind yourself of why you love keeping bees.
Then, when you come to open one up, lots of smoke!
One swarm we caught last summer is turning out to be a little stroppy, but with plenty of smoke, there are definitely fewer bees flying when you open up.
On that point, if you can go midday, or near enough, when it is hottest and warmest, more bees will be out foraging and so fewer around anyway.
Best of luck.

 

[Hachi]

Hello Beagle long time no speak. Glad you're doing ok. Fix the suit problem, Take your time, plan what you are going to do and pick a perfect day to go in and take a peek. You'll be fine.

Keep us posted.

H

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I also started wearing leather gloves with canvas sleeves as I got fed up with stings on my arms.

Those long cuffs are a good idea as well if you have bees that like crawling up sleeves

Just buy a pair of gauntlets, they have elastic top and bottom so they cover the whole of your arm from elbow to wrist, you just slip them on after donning your gloves - plenty do them - Maisie's BBwear and Sherriff (they do double thickness ones) are ones I recommend, you have to be careful with the fleabay cheapos as some tend to be a bit short.

 

[bingevader]

Bait Hives?
I know there's mixed opinion as to their efficacy, but if you are going to be holding back for a while, or not visiting so often, it might be worth putting a few out in case of swarms.

 

[xgeordie]

14 stings! good grief - just one to the face and my eye closes up. As per other responses you need to feel bullet proof at the next inspection - extra layers and gauntlets. I use an old leather jacket under the bee suit when dealing with angry bees.

If they really are a problem you need to deal with them sooner rather than later. I've found that over smoking an angry colony only makes them worse. Good luck!

 

[Poly Hive]

I find it interesting that no one has suggested changing to a known gentle strain.

Quiet bees are a joy to work with.

PH

 

[Anduril]

14 stings! good grief - just one to the face and my eye closes up. As per other responses you need to feel bullet proof at the next inspection - extra layers and gauntlets. I use an old leather jacket under the bee suit when dealing with angry bees.

If they really are a problem you need to deal with them sooner rather than later. I've found that over smoking an angry colony only makes them worse. Good luck!

Depends what you use in your smoker, on the odd occasion I use Condor tobacco in my smoker, certainly confuses them and you can do your manipulations, if the bees are very feisty. Then I change the queen

 

[xgeordie]

Depends what you use in your smoker, on the odd occasion I use Condor tobacco in my smoker, certainly confuses them and you can do your manipulations, if the bees are very feisty. Then I change the queen

That Condor moment?