what to wash suit with

[dpearce4]

hiya

i have been washing my suit with daz lately and have wondered if the washing powder maybe one of the reasons why the bees are going for me when ever i go near them.

on sunday i had to suit up in the car as as soon as i got ot they went for me.wasnt stung but when i started moving some stuff into the apiary i was stung about 20times in the gloves i was wearing. i hadnt even been near the hives.

could it be what im washing the suit with?

 

[VEG]

was it the gloves not the suit?

 

[dpearce4]

was the gloves and they had been washed at the same time. they do also try and sting through the suit aswell. i had 3 direct hits the week before and tonight i had over 30 stings from a different hive, lucklly i had a jumper on under so they didnt get through.

 

[VEG]

Have you changed washing powder recently?

 

[dpearce4]

yep used to use persil non bio now using daz

was wondering if it would be worth washing with just washing soda as i wash it on its own.

 

[VEG]

the washing powder could be your answer then

 

[dpearce4]

any recomendations as to what would be a better one to use?

 

[VEG]

go back to your old powder for your suit.

 

[dpearce4]

can do that. cheers

 

[Suzi Q]

Ecover is a good non-bio washing powder.

 

[Silly Bee]

Try old fashioned washing soda, the same stuff you use to sterilise your hive tools.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I always use Persil non bio - no problems

 

[Skyhook]

I always use soda. A lot of washing powders have optical brighteners, which really glares to the bees.

 

[Polyanwood]

I always use soda. A lot of washing powders have optical brighteners, which really glares to the bees.

Yes better to use washing soda, bleach or even washing up liquid than washing powder for reasons stated. Gloves should be completely free of sting pheromone before you use them again. Leather gloves can't be properly cleaned and wind up bees.

 

[psafloyd]

Ecover is a good non-bio washing powder.

I agree and it doesn't smell strong. We've also been using Aldi's non bio lately as they've been winning awards for their stuff and it is coming up quite like the Ecover. So I'll be washing my suits in that next.

 

[itma]

was the gloves and they had been washed at the same time. they do also try and sting through the suit aswell. ...

Sounds like leather gloves!

I'd suggest several washes and then wearing disposables over the top of them.

But strategically, leather gloves have to be a wrong direction.
If the bees are so nasty that they are really needed, then what's really needed is a requeening job.
And leather gloves might make you feel more secure, but if they make you clumsy, and then the bees sting at them, and then other bees get wound up by the sting pheromones, you are going to think the bees are much nastier than they really are.

I'd suggest that, with a clean suit, you give the marigold option a try. You could even wear disposables inside the marigolds if your trust in your bees is low.

Beyond that, maybe try some Oil of Cloves? (I'm going to start a thread on that...)


/ My suit gets washed in soda plus a little Surcare, but I'm not sure that the detergent actually helps much.

 

[flemage]

I use fairy as its good for my skin...erme, I have children and they are very sensitive........

 

[psafloyd]

Sounds like leather gloves!

I'd suggest several washes and then wearing disposables over the top of them.

But strategically, leather gloves have to be a wrong direction.
If the bees are so nasty that they are really needed, then what's really needed is a requeening job.
And leather gloves might make you feel more secure, but if they make you clumsy, and then the bees sting at them, and then other bees get wound up by the sting pheromones, you are going to think the bees are much nastier than they really are.

I'd suggest that, with a clean suit, you give the marigold option a try. You could even wear disposables inside the marigolds if your trust in your bees is low.

Beyond that, maybe try some Oil of Cloves? (I'm going to start a thread on that...)


/ My suit gets washed in soda plus a little Surcare, but I'm not sure that the detergent actually helps much.

I wonder if oil of cloves could be used to 'revive' old hide gloves?

 

[peteinwilts]

i was wondering about washing powder myself on sunday.

On saturday i visited a hive which is on my requeening list and my suit and gloves got stung dozens of times.
every hive i visited after that was savage... even the normally gentile bees.

saturday night i ran the suit through the washing machine.

on Sunday I had hundreds of stings from a normally passive hive.. so many, I was concerned it would run out of flyers! it is the first time i have ever retreted from a hive.

on sunday night i rewashed my suit. Monday evening, I went back and they were still pretty savage.

i thought it might be just silly season due to the weather...

 

[dpearce4]

Sounds like leather gloves!

I'd suggest several washes and then wearing disposables over the top of them.

But strategically, leather gloves have to be a wrong direction.
If the bees are so nasty that they are really needed, then what's really needed is a requeening job.
And leather gloves might make you feel more secure, but if they make you clumsy, and then the bees sting at them, and then other bees get wound up by the sting pheromones, you are going to think the bees are much nastier than they really are.

I'd suggest that, with a clean suit, you give the marigold option a try. You could even wear disposables inside the marigolds if your trust in your bees is low.

Beyond that, maybe try some Oil of Cloves? (I'm going to start a thread on that...)


/ My suit gets washed in soda plus a little Surcare, but I'm not sure that the detergent actually helps much.

nope not leather gloves but the thick blue rubber gloves with gauntlets i bought from Paynes. i was using marigold type but was having issues with sting reactions. so went back to these as they were my original ones and much thicker.