Gloves or no gloves?

[Hebeegeebee]

I didn't use gloves a few days ago and my wife complained about the state of my sticky fingers. So back to the nitrile ones. I'd only use leather if I had to deal with some suicidal nutters.

 

[susbees]

Many of ours are quite keen on the propolis. I don't select against it as it has useful properties (and we have never had any chalkbrood...so who knows...).

So it's thin nitriles for everything except really arsey colonies when the weather's bad etc and something has to be done when I have been known to wear the blue plastochrome gloves with the attached gauntlets: too thick for any finesse though so don't like them.

However the current nitriles don't grip the wrists properly so have taken a few where bees have crawled down the glove. I don't react at all to stings on the arms but still not to be recommended.

 

[jackbee]

I have a colleague who has just started a beekeeping course and the teacher advocates that they don't wear gloves.

I really don't get this. I work with gloves and in the 3 years since I have been a beek I have been stung 3 times through the gloves. I know that it would have been many more if I worked without.

With newbies they are likely to be put off if they pick up too many stings too soon.

what type of gloves - gauntlet for prtection or rubber-latex/nitrile for hygiene?

as a newbie I use rubber/nitrile for hygiene - I know they won't stop stings. And as a newbie I accept the occasional sting as part and parcel of having bees.

Hopefully my handling skills will grow and I will get as few stings as possible.

 

[madasafish]

As far as stings go, I averaged 40 odd per year in my first two years and now in year 3 I am at 27 so about normal I guess.

That's only about 2 a keeping week so nothing to complain about. My carpentry is more painful than bee stings..

 

[busybee53]

Not had too many stings. I must be naturally slow moving. (Hope I didn't jinx myself now saying that). I wear marigolds and they can sting through them but it must be more difficult to do. Today I found that marigolds make it easier to get the stings out. Just pull away from the hand.

 

[victor meldrew]

I didn't use gloves a few days ago and my wife complained about the state of my sticky fingers. So back to the nitrile ones. I'd only use leather if I had to deal with some suicidal nutters.

Doc will have an answer to this post

VM

 

[Shabro]

I've started using the thin nitrile ones once I know the hive, but the thick ones come out for the unknowns.

 

[scuttlefish]

Wouldn't dream of opening any of my hives without full suit, marigolds and a lit smoker just in case.

 

[fincaazul]

Any thread that promotes minimum / no hand protection / non-suit wearing / naked bee-keeping needs taking outside, lining up against the wall and shooting dead.

Saw on a new zealand forum that you should learn to keep bees in a tee shorts and shorts. Hardy guys there I suppose or masochists ?

 

[Nellie]

Any thread that promotes minimum / no hand protection / non-suit wearing / naked bee-keeping needs taking outside, lining up against the wall and shooting dead.

Nitrile/Latex gloves are protection. That's a million miles removed from the guys with 100% guaranteed bee strain who can inspect wearing a handkerchief round their nadgers and nothing else.
Do you need chain mail and those god awful gauntlets? normally no you don't, but people wear them as matter of course... so you're clumsy, so bees sting, so you need protection...

 

[Into the lions den]

Saw on a new zealand forum that you should learn to keep bees in a tee shorts and shorts. Hardy guys there I suppose or masochists ?

Not at all. The hardy guy or the masochist would be the ones risking heatstroke doing a day of serious hard work fully kitted up. They can overheat and even pass out. Fancy stripping three deep boxes full of honey off 200 hives in a day, in 30C or more, all wrapped up in clothing, a beesuit, gloves, and boots? On the few hot days we get here, when having to work like that with the black stock, maybe 23 or 24C, doing about half that work, we can get dizzy and quite unwell.

They work with bees that you can do that with. They just dont sting unless you nip them or similar. Those who talk of their nice gentle stock in the UK, apart possibly from a handful of people like Hivemaker. actually have no concept of what TRULY gentle bees are. We normally do not work our NZ stock in shorts, but can get away with far less gear than normally the case. Its the bee stock that lets them do it, not that they are especially brave or crazy.

Its the same in almost all really serious beekeeping countries. They work with gentle stock only, hence the AHB became such a major issue in the area it is found (it does not establish at latitudes greater than 35deg N or S), as it brought a major change of mindset about how to do it in those zones.


ps............The idea of going at it so hard with the bees is also not a thing greatly understood by the average UK keeper. The average number of hives kept by a British beekeeper is 6, which includes all the big boys too. In New Zealand the same figure is 55. Huge difference in mindset. They just do not tolerate snotty bees there. There are feral colonies, relict stock from UK imports way way back, in the high country and the bush, and these cross into their nice stock and even a small reversion to the A.m.m. characteristics renders them deeply unpopular with the staff and such apiaries are regarded as having drawn the short straw if they turn up on YOUR days rota. They generally have to requeen to get rid of the traces of A.m.m. once those bees are away from those areas.

 

[susbees]

Do you need chain mail and those god awful gauntlets? normally no you don't, but people wear them as matter of course... so you're clumsy, so bees sting, so you need protection...

Exactly the case.

 

[MartinL]

Nitrile/Latex gloves are protection. ..............

? ? ? ? ? ? ? Not if the bees sting through them! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Protection;- "the action of protecting someone or something, or the state of being protected. . . . thing that prevents someone or something from suffering harm or injury. . . . immunity from harm to the person. . . . . .barrier, shield, screen, cushion, preventative, armor".

If they're in good spirits I dust my hands in baby powder to stop getting gummed up with propolis. However if they're pissed off then its proper gloves, - - - - - simples!

 

[nessieb]

I have to agree with the full protection brigade. Plan for the unexpected.
Even if its baking hot I still wear full suit, wellies and the sting proof thick blue gloves.
Who knows when you might drop your hive tool or sneeze or a frame sticks to the CB or QE and jarrs upsetting the little ladies. And once one bee is upset then the others usually start fussing too
As a newbee I didn't realise that bees could be that nasty until I had a fiesty hive of my own to deal with - they can.
Dont let peer pressure do something you aren't comfortable with.

 

[TOBY-3652]

the thicker the better

 

[Into the lions den]

the thicker the better

lol....sounds like one of the specifications to be used when hiring beekeepers. Less likely to grumble.

 

[madasafish]

Frankly I keep bees for an enjoyable hobby. Having to dress up in clothes which make me look a bigger ***** than I already am, with full gloves which render me incapable of any sensitivity at all and with wellies on a hot day is NOT my idea of fun.

(But then I am not a masochist )

 

[VEG]

Wear whatever you are comfortable with. But if minimally dressed dont moan about getting stung.

 

[alysonmaria]

Wear whatever you are comfortable with. But if minimally dressed dont moan about getting stung.

I wore latex gloves on the advice of an older experienced bee keeper, and have been stung twice on the hand in less than a week-once from my own bees and once at the local apiary. Wonder if it's more to do with the weather and irritable bees as have never been stung before?
Am now considering a pair of marigolds?

 

[madasafish]

Am now considering a pair of marigolds?

Marigolds work except when you have a lot of bees determined to sting you. Then some will get through:-(. Marigolds covered with nitrile work.

I do carry both nitrile and marigolds so if I find really aggressive bees, I have a Plan B or C.

(Plan D is to give up and go home - sometimes the only safe option)