Zips

[Stiffy]

Over the weekend I have had three bees find their way through the gap where the two zips on my hood close. This is dispite ensuring that I close this off with the velcro on hood.
I use two suits, one BBwear and the other Bee porof (my arse) for each day of use and wash them over the week when I am at work.
I am sure that this is a problem others have had and wondered if you have found a solution?
SWMBO suggests a blob of blue tack on ends of zips, any other suggestions welcome?
Thanks
S

PS the three bees that got through, one stung me below eye and the other two got my throat....quite unpleasant......bloody AMM

 

[plumber rob]

I think the bee proof suit fencing type hood is crap i used it twice and the mesh practically fell appart so i removed it .I still use the suit with a comercial type veil seems to be ok for me.
regards Rob

 

[Stiffy]

I think the bee proof suit fencing type hood is crap i used it twice and the mesh practically fell appart so i removed it .I still use the suit with a comercial type veil seems to be ok for me.
regards Rob

Mine fell apart too but had it replaced free of charge with a 'better' softer meshed hood, .
S

 

[666bees]

Seen people use the wide masking tape to cover the little hole. But I know how you feel having once been stung 3 times on the windpipe.

 

[warts]

Seen people use the wide masking tape to cover the little hole.

My boyfriend once had three bees get into his jacket. The only place I could see where they might have got in was at the back, where his jacket met his trousers ( he is pretty slim), there appeared to be a tiny gap below the small of his back. After that I gaffer taped that spot up with a small piece of tape and he has had no problems since. Me, I converted to an all in one suit, as I am not so sure I would have taken the uninvited visits quite so calmly as he did.

Sally

 

[Frisbee]

You could always try some more Velcro.......on the inside on spare fabric above the clutter of the zips. You can buy self stick Velcro.

Frisbee

 

[region2]

Are you sure they got through there? I use a boiler suit with a cheap fencing smock over the top and have never had intruders. Wife borrowed the smock once (she's a tad smaller than me!) and a bee got in through the waist and stung her by the ear - not seen her since!

R2

 

[newportbuzz]

my suit does this aswell. you can check if its acutally doing it by slightly `pulling the veil away from your face and looking down along the zips. if you see light they can get through mine. i fix it by using a small bit of cotton wool inbetween the zips under the velcro. works very well untill you forget it and then they remind you fairly fast.

 

[Stiffy]

You could always try some more Velcro.......on the inside on spare fabric above the clutter of the zips. You can buy self stick Velcro.

Frisbee

The BBwear suit has a strip of Velcro on inside which 'normally' works very well but there occasions when the little bleeders remind me that I have left a gap or not sealed it properly! The 'Bee proof’ suit has a strip on outside which I think is just there for the sake of putting Velcro on, as it doesn’t stop anything, you can even push a finger through it and zip! I have tried an extra strip of Velcro on insider of this suit but to be honest think I will stick with BBwear and try tape or a bit of blue tack, if nothing it will make me think about closing zip properly.
The other suit will be confined to painting hives, about all its fit for.
Cheers
S
PS what is even more worrying, the sting I thought I had just below eye on cheek was in fact on lower eye lid, a few centimetres higher and I could have been in real trouble........

 

[Stiffy]

Are you sure they got through there? I use a boiler suit with a cheap fencing smock over the top and have never had intruders. Wife borrowed the smock once (she's a tad smaller than me!) and a bee got in through the waist and stung her by the ear - not seen her since!

R2

Yep I saw the little lady crawl through and didnt have time to squish before she stung me. Up until a few years ago I used to just wear a smock until I was stung in builders bum when leaning over, flippin hurts I can tell you!
Cheers
S

 

[buzz bee]

I have the BB suit and find it completely bee proof as long as you remember to press the internal velcro strips together firmly after you have zipped the hood. I however have a friend who uses a bit of duct tape over the zip pulls on a cheaper suit just to make sure.

 

[Swarm]

Stiffy,
I have a BBwear too. The front part of mine seems to work fine but I've noticed a larger gap at the back of the hood, where the zips start. Just need to take care I suppose .... Like I didn't when going to collect supers. First time I've forgotten to zip up the veil ... hope it's the last.

 

[kazmcc]

We were lumbered with Frag Plan cheap bee smocks. The zips aren't even sewn on properly so there is a lot of bunching where the zips end. I use tons of masking tape, overlapping, to close off the holes. It's cheap and effective and stays stuck. I've just spent the weekend sewing up the veils where they've started splitting. So will have lines of black cotton in my field of view for the forseeable. They are crap.