Hi from Suffolk

[Chris-rougham]

Hi all!
I'm Chris, a new beebie, I've hosted a neighbour's hives for past 4 years in my garden, but now he's retiring from the hobby, I decided I should take them over. He's agreed to be my mentor, and I've joined the local Assoc, and enrolled on a course from mid-Feb. Still yet to decide on clothing etc, so any ideas from old beebies would be much appreciated!
Cheers

 

[Pete D]

Hi Chris and welcome. I have been to Rougham myself a few times to visit an engineering company whilst working at a food factory in Bury St Eds. Lots of Rape I imagine this spring.
Good luck
Pete D

 

[kathrynat]

Hi chris, welcome. I prefer a full suit with a fencing style hood. It's all personal preference really. I would avoid leather gloves. Go for marigolds and nitrile gloves. Much easier to keep clean.

 

[Luminos]

What a great introduction to the craft

 

[Chris-rougham]

So when choosing styles of clothing, do you have to take pot luck from online shopping or will the introduction course I've enrolled on provide examples to try? I think my wife intends to make my Feb birthday a Bee-keeping birthday!

 

[Chris-rougham]

Hi Chris and welcome. I have been to Rougham myself a few times to visit an engineering company whilst working at a food factory in Bury St Eds. Lots of Rape I imagine this spring.
Good luck
Pete D

yes, the first crop of honey was mainly from rape, plentiful but not much flavour!

 

[Chris-rougham]

Hi chris, welcome. I prefer a full suit with a fencing style hood. It's all personal preference really. I would avoid leather gloves. Go for marigolds and nitrile gloves. Much easier to keep clean.

Can the bees sting through marigolds?

 

[Luminos]

Can the bees sting through marigolds?

Yep.
And beesuits...

 

[kathrynat]

Yes, they can sting through marigolds, but I have been stung quite a few times through the leather gloves, never once through the marigolds. The bees really don't like the leather gloves and as soon as one has stung you, many more want to sting you in the same place because the leather retains the sting smell

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Quite a few previous psots on here with regards suits - here's one that's on the go now

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21917

 

[enrico]

Hoping not to bore anybody as I've said this before. I started off with the cheapest suit and veil that money could buy. By the time I had realised that most of the bees were inside my veil it was too late for anything other than my wife turning the garden hose on me to get rid of the stinging bees! I lost lots of confidence and inspecting bees became a nightmare of worry. That was thirty years ago and now I always advise people to buy bombproof gear from the start. Gain confidence and you can slowly dispense with gloves and even veils if you so wish but there is nothing worse than fear to put you off beekeeping. I was lucky I had a good mentor and he put me back on the straight and narrow and with a good suit I have enjoyed the latter 29 of the thirty years! Start bombproof and let experience tell you when to discard bits!
By the way.....thanks Admin for sorting out my problems getting on to the site!!
E

 

[BeeJayBee]

I've worn a second hand jacket with a pair of fabric, walking, overtrousers. They work.

Is the retiring beekeeper willing to let you have their gear too, or are they keeping it for the times you might need a helping hand?

Can the bees sting through marigolds?

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/04/elephants-have-an-alarm-call-for.html

 

[WoodenBeam]

Hi Chris. Can recommend BB Wear having had their suit myself. Whatever you buy would recommend a fully detachable hood. Speak to the manufacturers - some have an association discount, BB's is 10% and free postage although this is likely to change in the near future, give them a call.

Regards, Zac (WSBKA)

 

[beefaye]

welcome to the forum...you are so lucky to have the chance to take on the hives...your beginner course will get you addicted. I am only in my second year of beekeeping but making sure I attend weekly teaching activities at my local association and reading every book every written on beekeeping. I am still finding a lot of it very daunting and trying not to run before I can crawl but love every minute.

Getting kit and joining relevant associations is not cheap but you will get to know the sites/stores to visit for what you need.

your course will introduce you to other keepers who will help out & this forum is great for any help needed.

I am assuming your neighbour/mentor will provide you with his existing kit for the coming year but let me know if you need an exact list of what I needed for my first year

 

[Easy Beesy]

Your course will give you the opportunity to look at different bits of kit and you can then leave various catalogues open at the marked pages in the house, giving everyone a chance to fill Fathers Day, Valentines Day, birthdays, Christmas etc with lots of apt presents.
Look at what your trainer uses, ask for advice and be prepared for lots of it. It's not called an argument of beekeepers for nothing!

 

[Chris-rougham]

I've worn a second hand jacket with a pair of fabric, walking, overtrousers. They work.

Is the retiring beekeeper willing to let you have their gear too, or are they keeping it for the times you might need a helping hand?



http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/04/elephants-have-an-alarm-call-for.html

Exactly so! He'll need his suit to mentor me!

 

[Chris-rougham]

welcome to the forum...you are so lucky to have the chance to take on the hives...your beginner course will get you addicted. I am only in my second year of beekeeping but making sure I attend weekly teaching activities at my local association and reading every book every written on beekeeping. I am still finding a lot of it very daunting and trying not to run before I can crawl but love every minute.

Getting kit and joining relevant associations is not cheap but you will get to know the sites/stores to visit for what you need.

your course will introduce you to other keepers who will help out & this forum is great for any help needed.

I am assuming your neighbour/mentor will provide you with his existing kit for the coming year but let me know if you need an exact list of what I needed for my first year

My mentor is smaller than me, so I'll need to buy my own suit, and he'll prob want his suit to mentor me and check on the hives in my absence. A list would be really useful if you don't mind. Many thanks.

 

[busybee53]

Welcome. When you go on your course it should involve handling bees. My association provides beesuits for beginners to borrow while they are on the course.

If yours does too you might be able to try some on to see how you get on with them. Your association may be able to put in an order for all those new beeks who need protective clothing and be able to get a discount (ours did).

We were also told not to use leather gloves because they can make you clumsy and annoy the bees all the more. So I started with marigolds.

Yep they do get stung, mostly in the flappy bits at the fingertips (I have small hands) but marigolds can be washed every time they are used to get rid of the "come and sting" smell the bees put on them.

Washing is necessary anyway because of all the propolis. If I ever get really nasty bees which need leather gloves (which I hope does not happen) I would put marigolds over the top anyway.

Good Luck

 

[Cazza]

Hi Chris-Rougham

Good to here from another Suffolkian, I'm not very far away and "Drinkstone" is likely even closer.

I have 2 BB suits, they are fine and wash well.

Cazza.