Toughest Glove Material

[Hivemaker.]

As for welding gloves they are great for working with barbed wire but give about the manual dexterity of boxing gloves.

I agree with you,but in this instance it could be a matter of life and death perhaps,one more sting could be the OP's last,could be toast,dead,so maximum protection is needed.

 

[Dewin Dwl]

Thanks for everyone's input and not too much topic drift. It looks like welders gauntlets with tennis sweatbands may be the solution....LOL

Seriously, I'm considering the "thick marigold" route based on my observations yesterday after I'd posted. I went back to the nutters in the Q-less hive. I wore nitrile 'surgeon' gloves over my leathers. The canvas gauntlet bit was attacked (I was wearing sweatbands!!) but not the glove. The bees were on the glove. Then a bit of clumsy split one nitrile glove and the exposed leather got a few stings too. I tell you, no Q and these girls get so out of order.

Now then, has anyone studied the mechanics of stinging? Every action requires an equal but opposite reaction. If a bee can't adequately grip the surface it wishes to sting then it simply can't push the sting in, it simply heaves itself off the surface. Hence clean rubber/plastic being effective even though thinner than leather?

 

[RoseCottage]

I have always been told that sweat bands should be avoided, especially those of the fluffy kind.
Something about attracting attention and advertising to the bees what appears to be a weak spot. Once the first bee struggles, stings, and falls away others all go mad for the spot. It can be harder to remove stings and associated pheromone too.

I would only consider non fluffy wrist protection UNDER gauntlet and Nitrile gloves or similar. As your gauntlets go through the season they take the occasional sting and build up a lingering smell of a previous target. Wash them every now and then to reduce this

Wearing Nitrile gloves over them reduces the attractant and bees do seem to be calmer when handled in this configuration.

We started keeping without gloves (in our first year), then went all gauntlet, now use Nitrile over gauntlet. Occasionally have required remote vehicle a la bomb squad...

Sam

 

[The Apprentices]

I have developed an unwelcome reaction to bee stings. Not the full anaphalxys and not every time stung. I have developed a sting-proof clothing arrangement but the weakness is the gloves. The last reaction seemed due to stings getting through the stitching along the back of the hand, maybe through the leather near the stitching (thinned??) and through the cotton of the gauntlet/cuff into my wrist.

I know it sounds like my bees are a rough bunch but they aren't usually. Two unknown factors caught me out. The hive had gone queenless and I was in there on a day where I didn't realise rain was on its way in half an hour so the hive was packed tight with tetchy bees.

Anyway, the question I have is this:

Is there a glove material out there that is recognised to be super tough yet giving reasonable dexterity?

I'm wondering about the latex gauntlets I've seen advertised (by svienty??) as to date I've relied on leather complete with cotton-twill gauntlet

All advice welcome! (& no I won't give up)

Hit Google with Justworkgloves and look for needle resistant gloves, they are not cheap thougbut will stop the stings, failing those I have a pair of military NBC suit black gloves they are quite thick but less feeling.

The missus made my suit, its made from pure linen with triple layers at the wrists and none have got through yet and the inch wide elastic helps too.

I find that wearing gloves gets me more stings and slower methodical movements and a calmer constituion helps too alleviate the bees very sensitive nature who can feel your fear/tensions just like many other animals can.

 

[susbees]

I have always been told that sweat bands should be avoided, especially those of the fluffy kind.

Definately. My 19yo came to help with some grafting for our bee improvement group early summer. Going back to the car her terry towelling hair scrunchy was dive bombed and took several hits. It was black though.

I did look into needle-proof gloves as earlier in the year I couldn't risk stings for a while. The turtleskins I sent back as useless (one sided brittle protection). When I deal with bees I use thin clean room gloves with long cuffs except when I expect trouble. Then I use the blue thick ones with built in gauntlets. Not been stung through them and could use an extra pair of plain gauntlet cuffs over the top and nitriles under I expect.

 

[Arfermo]

I abandoned leather beekeeping gauntlets in favour of Sainbury's washing up gloves and over several years and 2 pairs of them I have NEVER been stung through them. I did get stings when the cuffs rode up but with a loop over one of my pinkies and gaffa tape where the gloves ovelap the suit, not more stings EVER. Quite sensitive enough for any beekeeeping function - hey man we are not making love to them anyway!!!

 

[madasafish]

I have just proved this morning that a really mean queenless hive can sting thorugh new unused Marigolds...and my fingers are swelling nicely...

(

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

I don't know if this worked very well or not, but back in the day they didn't wear glove, so they used to rub oil of wintergreen over their hands.
If you can find some, maybe you could rub it on to your gloves....
Just an idea...

Brian

 

[victor meldrew]

I don't know if this worked very well or not, but back in the day they didn't wear glove, so they used to rub oil of wintergreen over their hands.
If you can find some, maybe you could rub it on to your gloves....
Just an idea...

Brian

Washing the hands in carbolic soap is advocated in some the old bee books
VM

 

[buzz bee]

Washing the hands in carbolic soap is advocated in some the old bee books
VM

A 'senior' bee keeper I know swears by this and keeps a precious piece of carbolic soap in a tin just for this purpose. I must remember to buy him a new bar from the internet.

 

[gingerbees]

Well I was stung through my gloves quite badly, so I have resorted to:
1 pair Atlas nitrile garden gloves £7.00 ish with a pair of Wilkinson washing up/household rubber gloves (long) over the top £1.99
The nitrile garden gloves are very tactile but the rubber gloves over the top have given me 100% protection. I then use elastic hair bands round the wrists.
Good luck!

 

[Dewin Dwl]

Roll on Monday morning. I'll be raiding the works stores for the High voltage live working gloves. 6mm thick rubber and gauntleted up to your armpits

I think there are three avenues developing:

1. Thick enough to stop the sting reaching
2. Too slippery to grip so can't hang on to sting
3. Either smell too clean to be the enemy or too disgusting to sting by use of oils such as wintergreen or carbolic etc. (some of this may be a version of the slippery theory: too oily to grip)

I feel some experimentation coming on over the next few weeks............now where did I put my epipens & pills?