Salutary Lesson !

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not sure what you’re all complaining about……. Wait till you get stung on the balls!

I did once - all three of them!

 

[fian]

I wear double pants (matt green cotton exterior) to avoid frights, the suit goes up to the waist and is inserted between the two. The gloves are folded so that the elastic is below the wrist.
Without velcro, zipper and firm elastics.
Finally a high boot so that the elastic of the pants fits without the possibility of holes.
And if someone asks, in Galicia we maintain that "what keeps the cold, keeps the heat"

 

[Redcap]

View attachment 35906

Great pic...glad to see I'm not the only one to use a cover...although didn't help the other day...it fell off ! Times like this test your 'fight and flight' response

 

[Ian123]

I wear double pants (matt green cotton exterior) to avoid frights,

Why does that not surprise me
Also leads to the question do you put the clean pair on the inside or out?

 

[JamezF]

View attachment 35906

Damn! That's bad when all you're inspecting is the dummy board!

James

 

[JamezF]

Not sure what you’re all complaining about……. Wait till you get stung on the balls!

You know that when you wear a smock for inspections that's not all you're supposed to wear, right?

James

 

[Ian123]

You know that when you wear a smock for inspections that's not all you're supposed to wear, right?

James

I’ll post a pic later in the season… it’s a little chilly atm!

 

[JamezF]

I’ll post a pic later in the season… it’s a little chilly atm!

At least the bees won't be able to find anything to sting...

James

 

[Ian123]

At least the bees won't be able to find anything to sting...

James

I wasn’t aware you’d met the wife?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Damn! That's bad when all you're inspecting is the dummy board!

James

That’s Stan. I wasn’t brave enough. Even the bees from the supers went into the air.

 

[fian]

Why does that not surprise me
Also leads to the question do you put the clean pair on the inside or out?

Below the newspaper and above the beekeeping pants. It depends on the daily temperatures, in summer I usually do the inspections in the morning while spring and autumn in the afternoon.

 

[blackcloud]

"Why does that not surprise me
Also leads to the question do you put the clean pair on the inside or out?"

Like you nanna says -Put a clean pair on in case you have an accident.

 

[Mabee]

Wow...I feel my experience was just a skirmish compared to that...this colony have shown signs of being a bit feisty previously...think I've been lucky; never really had a very grumpy colony, so keeping a close eye on these guys...any signs of nastiness will be met with a new queen !

I think you have already seen the signs. I don’t tolerate followers, especially ones like you described. Those bees won’t care if it’s you or a passer by/land owner they sting. I had colonies like that last year and took too long giving them chances, it makes for unpleasant beekeeping imo.

 

[enrico]

Old timers on here will be fed up of this one but for the newer ones
Stacked a load of supers next to a hive, The supers toppled into the hive which knocked over then next hive and the hive after that. Trust me, when you have three hives that are suddenly on their side you know what is going to hit you. There was a moments total silence then the air filled with the strongest scent of pheromones I have ever smelt, it was a sickly smell. And then they hit me. So many stings that I couldn't count. I had never had them in my suit until that day. I ran for it. put on extra clothes, stuffed paper down my wellies, used duck tape on every seam and joint and went back to sort them out. The worst day of my beekeeping career never to be repeated.!

 

[blackcloud]

Never,ever say "never"....

 

[enrico]

Never,ever say "never"....

It won't be a beekeeping career if it ever DOES happen again, it will be the end of one

 

[Ely]

I've had them up my trouser legs before. Not a nice sensation feeling them work their way upwards. Gives the family a laugh while watching me dance around the garden though.

 

[Amari]

Many years ago I needed to close up a hive prior to moving it next day. It was dark so I thought no need to dress up. A few bees came out and I became aware of a tickling and wriggling in my right nostril. What to do? I hurried 100m home and looked in the mirror and saw a bee headfirst up the nostril. Solution: closed mouth, pressed on left nostril and exhaled forcibly. Result: bee ejected and I escaped being stung!

 

[blackcloud]

I had one find a veil hole and the resultant thrashing and flailing resulted in broken specs.
I did a "only just a quick peek"inspection without wellies and they saw the gap between trousers and shoes as an opportunity for an ankle bracelet -could barely walk for a week.
I find once they give up on finding holes they start stapling the suit to my shoulders

 

[The Poot]

I’ve had them crawling across my stomach once, when moving hives in near darkness, I was so engrossed in what I was doing I hadn’t zipped up my suit! The stings hurt for four days.