Hello

[Bees&ducks]

Hi all, just joined....total novice...got two established Rose hives coming in April from a friendly neighbour..reading lots! My smoker arrives next week and will practise with getting it going. Need a smock top with veil....not budget or top of the range...any suggestions??

 

[enrico]

Yep, my advice as a novice is to get a full suit. When things go wrong as a novice or otherwise, things can get scary and you can lose confidence overnight. If you have the ability to be bomb proof then you can avoid tears and extra expense. Go for the best suit you can afford and it will give you confidence and years of life. If you are keeping bees then remember, it will probably be for the rest of your life!
Check out sherrif suits.
Good luck and stay in touch
E

 

[Bee Bumble]

Welcome. These are all good suppliers for mid-price range clothing:

Modern beekeeping for Swienty suits

https://www.beebasic.co.uk/

https://www.abelo.co.uk/beekeeping-category/protective-clothing/beekeeping-suit-mask/

I would also recommend a full suit rather than a smock, but some are happy with the latter.

 

[Kenson]

Welcome.

 

[B+.]

I would also recommend a full suit rather than a smock

Bees will ALWAYS find a way in if there is one. The last thing you want, as a novice, is an angry bee buzzing around inside your veil.

 

[madasafish]

I only use a jacket and veil -NOT a smock.. Reason : more pockets. A beekeeper NEEDS pockets. Preferably with velcro fastenings - an easy DIY addon. You need one for gloves (vinyl), another for gloves (marigold) and another for pen, notebook and W.H.Y.

I wear wellies and baggy trousers so am reasonably well protected but if unsure you may be better off with a suit. But remember an ill fitting and too small suit will be a pia - literally. You need to really try one on before buying. You can spend between £30 ish and £160 plus. Unless you are very sure about keeping bees - it IS addictive - then I suggest caution . (But then I was brought up in Aberdeen).

 

[Heather]

Suit every time.. enough pockets- if you have a box to one side for the big stuff. But nothing knocks the confidence of a new bee keeper than bees up your jacket.

And can I ask you get a few cloths to cover your bees when you open the hive and try not to use smoke unless they are being a nuisance. Cloths work well to subdue bees and get them back to work whilst you look through the frames. 2 cloths, - one to expose next 2 frames and another to follow up and cover those seen.. try it. Smoke sometimes annoys bees and if you smoke entrance initially they will go up to meet you when you open cover board.

 

[For want of a better word]

Get a Full suit... you will wish you had when bee bimble and the stingers decide to party around the happy sacks!

Sherriff are good... and do replacements for the zips and veils you will inevitably break.

Rose boxes are nice and easy to use but get annoying when you start to expand and get standard Nationals

( avoid 14x12 )

Good luck

 

[drex]

When I started the best advice I was given was to get the best suit I could afford. I bought a BB wear full suit ( good quality but considerably cheaper than sheriff) and it is still going strong. It came with free leather gauntlets, which I soon ditched as they made me too clumsy. I use marigolds / and/or nitriles , and made my own cloth gauntlet sleeves ( you can buy them). Marigolds give you more feel but they can still sting through them, but it does not fully penetrate. I have a bee jacket which I use for minor tasks like filling up feeders etc