What protection do you wear?

[domino]

I wear a jacket(not full suit), welly boots, hat, and always a long sleeved shirt.

I also wear marigold gloves, I've tried bare hands but to be honest it's just cleaner for me to wear gloves.

 

[Ben90]

For a full inspection, a veil and smock, usually with gloves.

If I'm just putting a super on or something, then so far I've gotten away with wearing nothing at all. Stings don't really bother me at all unless they're on my hands or face/head.

 

[madasafish]

For a full inspection, a veil and smock, usually with gloves.

If I'm just putting a super on or something, then so far I've gotten away with wearing nothing at all. Stings don't really bother me at all unless they're on my hands or face/head.

Hmm I used to be like that until the day I opened a warre hive top to replace a feeder. and the bees decided they would all explode out of the feeder hole together. I ran from the stinging mob with stings to face arms and legs (in shorts at the time).

Now I always wear full trousers and a veil as a minimum.

I happily cut under the hives and strim round them in shorts but opening them up I take precautions.

 

[Ely]

I would be very worried about trapping my man member between boxes if I wore nothing at all!

 

[Suzi Q]

Jacket with fencing hood, dyed green, nitrile gloves, boots. I don't like the smock type jackets, feel claustrophobic in them.

 

[eleanor20]

My dad used to tuck his trousers into his socks to stop visitors up the leg, roll up his shirt sleeves and light a ***. He swore that the smoke from the ciggy kept the bees off his face. Only on rare occasions maybe a Q- hive he would put on a veil but I don't remember him ever wearing gloves!
Me on the other hand, it depends what I am doing but if I am inspecting I normally wear full suit, gloves and boots. I tend to get stung more often when I am doing something else in the garden somewhere near the hives and forget to be cautious because I am not thinking 'bees' at the time!

 

[simonrp]

Full suit with boots and marigolds. Just don't see the point of getting stung if I can avoid it.

 

[alldigging]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7F5u7Uqt1U&feature=share&list=PLw11sOYPRLozN-wNmwDPSw6uIwC7zqBmP[/ame]
These videos are fab to watch - apparently a hat and tie were pretty essential during the 1930s

 

[simonrp]

That was standard kit for anything hazardous back in the day.

 

[beekim]

Hair net to stop hair getting trapped in zip,baseball cape to keep net away from nose full suit wellies and marigolds,my hubby sure likes his woman glamorous!

 

[Bucks_Boy]

Smock, marigolds and wellies for me

Marigolds to keep propolis off me

Smock just in case they are on the turn

Wellies because with my selective breeding I have a lovely set of bees but each year I always get one that discovers that "down" is as interesting as "up" - just happened again two weeks ago -- i think its hive bees that have fallen off a super frame onto me and are headign south looking for the brood box -- I think the smell from the wellies stops them in their tracks.......

 

[whoosling]

After having a quick look a my nuc (poly with clear plastic crown board) thinking I could just see what was happening without suit or veil and knocking the crown board very slightly to one side (bees streamed out) I got at least 4 bees caught in my hair and a sting on the cheek, luckily I had on glasses so my eyes were ok. The stings on my head were really painful - suited up for me from now on no matter what!

 

[Dishmop]

I had my first sting for 2 years on Sunday.


Not even inspecting or in the same garden.

It was on my trailer and I put my hand on it. Thought it was a splinter at first.

 

[John M]

Either smock or full suit, with wellies. Thin disposable gloves or bare hands.

 

[lebouche]

Jacket and veil with trousers tucked into wellies and marigolds.

Haven't been stung yet but only started beekeeping again last August.
I was told I was allergic when I was little, I had my first hive at about 10/11 years old. I thought it was younger but my mom told me that was my age the other day.

I became interested at about 6 years old and went to local BBKA meets with my long suffering mom.
I swell up badly when stung (as far as I remember). The last time I was stung it was multiple times when I was feeding my bees without protection and the feeder slipped. Apparently my mom was up all night mopping my sweating brow.