Salutary Lesson !

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Its that split second of time, when you have a bee on your veil and your not 100% sure if their on the outside or inside, and your heart skips a beat and palms go a bit sweaty!!
 
The key in protection is to make sure that everything is tucked in properly and by that I mean wellies outside trousers, jacket tucked inside trousers (preferably with a belt). Gloves over the sleeves and then short gauntlet over glove and sleeve. Ensure everything zipped up and no gaps where the zips come together at the front of the neck. Remember bees crawl upwards so the overlap is important. I wear hiking trousers fawn in colour and not too thick, I am way too warm in a suit, The wellis are short and have a drawstring closure at the top with one of those slider things with a spring on it. Have to say I only get stung about 3 times a year when working the bees - preferably without smoke. Occasionally one will have a go when getting ready but generally they are OK.
 
Wellies outside of trousers always for me, velcro them tight around the ankles. I'm having no bee's fall off a frame in-between my bee suit and wellies.
 
Wellies outside of trousers always for me, velcro them tight around the ankles. I'm having no bee's fall off a frame in-between my bee suit and wellies.

My bee suit legs go inside my wellies. Any bee that's going to get down there needs a crowbar and a gas mask.

James
 
Inside wellies here. Suit legd overhang the tops anyway. Stan wears his wellies over the top of the suit. He has skinny legs. I did drop a frame of bees down them once but he remains undaunted.
 
Its that split second of time, when you have a bee on your veil and your not 100% sure if their on the outside or inside, and your heart skips a beat and palms go a bit sweaty!!
Agree...but the worst ever feeling is when you realise they are the wrong side of the veil, and their little bit of teasing pretending they want to get out....you become a captive audience, and you know its only a question of time before that familiar, searing pain will signal that they've zapped you. Of course that feeling gets worse when you then realise they've brought a friend(s) for tea !!
 
Once went to shake a swarm off a tree into a box. I didn't bother with wellies as swarms are calm, right? They were - until I dropped the box which suddenly became a lot heavier than I was expecting. So that ankle bracelet thing? Yes, I know about that...
 
Wellies outside of trousers always for me, velcro them tight around the ankles. I'm having no bee's fall off a frame in-between my bee suit and wellies.
My bee suit legs go inside my wellies. Any bee that's going to get down there needs a crowbar and a gas mask.

James
Inside wellies here. Suit legd overhang the tops anyway. Stan wears his wellies over the top of the suit. He has skinny legs. I did drop a frame of bees down them once but he remains undaunted.
Trousers inside wellies, bee suit legs outside wellies for me. I foresee an eternal debate akin to warm way/cold way.........
 
I have arguements for warm or cold way. Bees crawl upwards so trousers in wellies. But ......once had half a swarm on a branch in my right hand and the other half on another branch in my left hand . Held my right hand branch over the empty hive and shook them in the box. My brain made my left hand do the same action and shook the other half of the swarm into my left hand wellie. An interesting ten minutes followed......and yes, I have done most things wrong in my beekeeping career! 😃
 
I use two pairs of thick socks with my bee suit tucked between them and approach shoes rather than wellies.

A single pair of socks just wasn't enough.
 

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