I keep getting my fingers stung!

[sainfoin]

Not in my first youth so I use a small slim hive tool and often find I'm stung on the inside of my hand where my fingers curl round the tool when lifting the frames. Well the other hand gets stung too in the same place, (finger next to little finger) holding the other end of the frame.
Any hints as to how I can do better or adapt to avoid the pain, 4th hive got me with me with 3 stings at the same time as bees crawl into the space and find they are being pressed as the digits move.
I use marigold gloves by the way.

 

[Travelator]

If you're using the same pair of gloves every time, there may be residual pheromones left on the gloves from previous stings, which might be upsetting the bees.

Are you able to try using a brand new, never-before-used-for-beekeeping pair of gloves and see whether that makes a difference?

 

[oliver90owner]

Are you able to try using a brand new, never-before-used-for-beekeeping pair of gloves

Yes, but. Probably not before the swelling goes down.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've never used one but might one of this frame lifting gizmos help?
Change gloves between hives

 

[alldigging]

With thinner gloves on your can feel the bees is there and stop squishing it.
Long cuff nitriles aren't hugely dear.

 

[user 6228]

use bare hands ... but beware bees tickle..

you are getting stung anyway so there is little to lose by trying

 

[Ben90]

What I found very quickly was that, ironically, the gloves were making it more likely that I'd get stung, not less. You're less sensitive to the movements of the bees around your hands and so a wrong move = squashed bees and a ton of alarm pheromone released. With bare hands I can feel a bee under my hand or fingers before I apply too much pressure and move aside. With particularly thick gloves like marigolds I can imagine that being even more of a problem.

I haven't worn gloves since about 6 weeks after starting beekeeping.

 

[itma]

I've recently moved from washing-up gloves to disposables - not flashy blue long-cuff nitriles, just Lidl's disposables. Kleenex-like box of 100 cost £4 last time. Short cuff, but long enough to wrap over my jackets elasticated cuffs.
Excellent sensitivity.
When they appear in Lidl's the large size disappears very quickly indeed. Car mechanics?

 

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I was told by another beekeeping lady that if you do get stung whilst wearing gloves a squirt of soda cleaning stuff on the glove masks the sting pheromone. It also keeps the gloves clean. A bottle of soda cleaning stuff is £1 in Wilkinsons, brilliant for cleaning hive tools too. I have tried this and it works, I tried this on Mr W when he got stung and it worked on his gloves too.

 

[sussexbaker]

I've been told that the importance of wearing disposable gloves is to prevent you spreading viruses between hives rather then stopping the bees from stinging you.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Changing gloves twixt hives affects the transmission of any nasties, yes, but also prevents you inspecting with the remains of stings left in the gloves.
One of the effects is that you get stung less in the next hive

 

[itma]

I've been told that the importance of wearing disposable gloves is to prevent you spreading viruses between hives rather then stopping the bees from stinging you.

You should routinely wash your hive tool(s) and gloves (or hands) in your washing soda bucket between hives. (Though its actually bacteria that you should be more scared of than viruses!)
It doesn't make sense to take used (even washed) gloves to a different apiary.
And if you have a confirmed disease problem, you will be taking even more care with biosecurity.

The more sensitive you can be in your handling, the less you will be stung.

The difficulty of proper cleaning is just one of many good reasons for not wearing leather gloves!

 

[madasafish]

With bare hands I can feel a bee under my hand or fingers before I apply too much pressure and move aside. With particularly thick gloves like marigolds I can imagine that being even more of a problem.

.

+1

Feel a bee- don't crush a bee.

Feel nothing crush a lot.

Plus the advantage of bare hands you quickly discover if you are sensitive to stings, If you are not, you develop an immunity to bee venom..

(44 stings to date this year-)

 

[REDWOOD]

If you get stung just smoke your hand or glove to mask pheromones. Basics, you will never stop some colonies stinging your hands, it's part of beekeeping and bees always go for the dark place and in your case your fist, try holding your hive tool with a lesser grip

 

[sainfoin]

Lidls proved to be completely gloveless! Don't know why, considering the stings happen anyway, but I am just too wimpy for no gloves indeed with one of the hives would really prefer total armour. I do already use washing soda to clean my hive tool between hives and should have thought to do the gloves as well not just when they are sticky. I will now remember alarm pheromones which should have come to mind before.

 

[ellypatt]

Give the bees a little puff of smoke to move them away from the lugs before you pick the frame up - less likely to get bees in your hand then.

 

[madasafish]

ECP have half price vinyl gloves and free delivery...

http://tinyurl.com/nok76yy

 

[sail819]

I don't personally use gloves in my own apiary. I just smoke my hands well and do not carry my hive tool whilst inspecting a frame, I find I have more sensitivity with bare fingers and don't suffer generally with stings. I clean my tools between inspections using a well known baby bottle stelaizer

 

[sail819]

PS forgot how to spell sterilsier

 

[thorn]

Ignore the naysayers. Wear leather gloves.