Why are bee suits normally white?

[Finman]

,
I searched invisible cloth from internet.
I found something but when I look closer, it is only invisibel cups - something.

95% will be visible however

"Its soft and natural silicone cups are totally seamless and invisible under sheer clothing"

 

[tony350i]

do all the female beeks wear this sort of thing in your home land.

i might have to come and visit

 

[iombeeman]

oohhhh matron!!!!.....

 

[Bcrazy]

I have scoured quite a few books to try and find out why the majority of bee suits are white.

The best I came up with is in summer it reflects the heat and keeps the beekeeper cool. We know that's a load of rubbish because the sweat just runs down the back of the neck. I wear a sweat band to stop the sweat running into my eyes.

My wife has a red 'silky' material for her bee suit and I must admit I hardly see a bee on her when doing an inspection, and to add insult to injury she has never been stung.

I wear an all in one suit with a cap to ensure the front part of the hood stands away from my face. My ankles and cuffs have Velcro fasteners.

Now days there are green, grey, camouflage, and many more coloured suits, but as a personal preference I would stay away from dark colours.

Regards;

 

[Finman]

I the sweat just runs down the back of the neck.;

Have someone tried this.
Solar panel fanner

 

[BKF Admin]

I need that hat for the beach!

 

[grizzly]

I got one of these from Bee Basic, at the time it was half the price of Sheriff gear, mine was Olive green, and the bees dont tend to settle on the body.
Its made of micro-fibre but it still makes me sweat during summer, again i am part of the headband brigade.
For what i paid its been great, well worth the money.

 

[Hivemaker.]

looks very nice Sweetums.

 

[grizzly]

The jackets not bad either

 

[mikeyspikey]

Agree with Sweetums having tried various all in one suits have gone for a BEEBASIC Smock as in his pic. Much quicker to to get on and off and I wear it with an overall and wellies and two pairs of leather gloves, They will not get me. However I would like to move to a situation when all this was unnecessary like those German beeks with shorts and short sleeved t shirts!!!
My smock is made of thick heavyweight material and with some bees you need it as I have been stung through some of the thinner cotton ones so beware. Why had no-one invented a beeproof material?

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi mikeyspikey

two pairs of leather gloves,

How do you find the handling of the frames with two pairs of leather gloves on? Also is it not a bit cumbersome with the hive tool in the hand all the time?

Do you ever get bees crawling under te bottom of the smock, and climbing up to your face?

Regards;

 

[BKF Admin]

Is this the gauntlet gloves like Thornes sell?

 

[Polyanwood]

Re: two pairs of leather gloves

I thought we were all being encouraged to use throw away gloves, not leather ones???

"The beekeeper is the biggest vector of disease in the beehive"

I found my bees were nicer to me when i stopped using leather ones. (I think my bees would say that I was nicer to them when I stopped using them too)

 

[Hivemaker.]

No gloves are best if only going through a couple of hives,but i wear them more to stop fingers getting stuck up with propolis than anything,just use the black marigolds turned inside out,then they are white. Also handy because you can dip your hands and hive tool in some dissifectant between hives early in the season when inspecting,leather gloves would be finnished in ten minutes doing this.

 

[BKF Admin]

Thats a good tip Hiveman,add it to the tips thread.

Does anyone else turn the marigolds inside out?

 

[Polyanwood]

What disinfectant do you use?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Several you could use but generally i use a bit of bleach, or soda.

 

[Polyanwood]

I''ve been using washing soda to wash tools and gloves between hives. Didn't know you could use bleach.

As part of my greener crusade I have been trying to wash my marigolds by soaking them in soda to get all bad things off, scrubbing then drying. Turn them inside out so they are nice and dry when I go to use them again.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Kills all known germs....... DEAD.

 

[Mosquito]

Just thought I add, I have a yellow bee suits.
My brother keeps saying he going to put black lines on it one day.