How are they getting in?

[BeeKeyPlayer]

In the past, if I had a bee inside my Sherriff suit, it was because I was chatting while zipping up and didn't do the job properly. This season, a couple of times, I've had a couple of bees inside my suit - and I can't figure out how they got in. After the first time, I taped over where the zips meet at the back of the veil. Next day there were three or four inside. Admittedly, there were a LOT of bees around. That meant there was no question of moving away to release them. I guess I was lucky to get off with a tickling.

Maybe they're coming up my leg. My thick trousers, suit and wellies have protected me in the past but I can't think of anything left to do other than tuck my suit into my socks, or tie a band (tourniquet!) round my ankles.

 

[Antipodes]

In the past, if I had a bee inside my Sherriff suit, it was because I was chatting while zipping up and didn't do the job properly. This season, a couple of times, I've had a couple of bees inside my suit - and I can't figure out how they got in. After the first time, I taped over where the zips meet at the back of the veil. Next day there were three or four inside. Admittedly, there were a LOT of bees around. That meant there was no question of moving away to release them. I guess I was lucky to get off with a tickling.

Maybe they're coming up my leg. My thick trousers, suit and wellies have protected me in the past but I can't think of anything left to do other than tuck my suit into my socks, or tie a band (tourniquet!) round my ankles.

I had trouble with my suit and added excellent velcro extras where the zips join, but ruined my wife's sewing machine in the process. Those velcro areas have been excellent. Nothing gets in there anymore. However, your story reminded me that just the other day we were doing some late season harvesting and it was too late in the day and it was almost dark when we got to the apiary. There we got a large number of crawlers, particularly around the wrists and ankles. Some definitely got in around my glove gauntlets, which has never happened before, and one got up my leg past the elastic. My wife copped a couple of stings in the inner tricep area through the Oz Armour ventilated suit.

You could try something like this, although my guess in your case is that they are finding a way in through the zip closure area. They seem to need an infinitesimally small gap at times to get through.

https://www.hornsby-beekeeping.com/ankle-protector-with-velcro-protect-your-ankles-fr#:~:text=Our ankle protectors sit flush,velcro attachment keeps it secure.

 

[Sutty]

Have you checked for holes in your veil?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

it pays in circumstances like this to examine every seam of the suit closely - sometimes the stitching on a seam can fail over a just a few millimetres so at a cursory glance looks fine, but bees will spot the gap and push themselves in. So you need to go over each seam and pull the material each side to see if it parts anywhere. It happened to me a few years ago, and I couldn't understand where the odd bee was appearing it was only when I was helping someone at another apiary and someone was standing behind me and saw a bee pushing itself into the small gap that I found out.

 

[Antipodes]

After the first time, I taped over where the zips meet at the back of the veil.

Are you able to perhaps post a photo of this area and perhaps one also showing how the tape is placed over it?

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

it pays in circumstances like this to examine every seam of the suit closely - sometimes the stitching on a seam can fail over a just a few millimetres so at a cursory glance looks fine, but bees will spot the gap and push themselves in. So you need to go over each seam and pull the material each side to see if it parts anywhere. It happened to me a few years ago, and I couldn't understand where the odd bee was appearing it was only when I was helping someone at another apiary and someone was standing behind me and saw a bee pushing itself into the small gap that I found out.

Bingo! I found a gap in the seam in the crotch - so the bees have the option to go down or up

 

[enrico]

Bingo! I found a gap in the seam in the crotch - so the bees have the option to go down or up

That is certainly not where you want a hole

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

That is certainly not where you want a hole

I know! In warmer weather I'd be wearing less under my suit... Not nice.

 

[JamezF]

I know! In warmer weather I'd be wearing less under my suit... Not nice.

The jokes write themselves. And none are even remotely printable...

James