How often do you wash your bee suit and why do you wash it. I have not washed mine yet but that is because I have only worn it 4 times less than an hour total and have yet to sweat in it but summer is coming
I?m a newbie like you but have learned a few things? I?ve been wearing the disposable painter?s coveralls from Lowes, they were too hot even in April. After a month or so they sort of disintegrate anyway.
As of last week I no longer wear a veil, can?t see through the darned thing. I smoke my face and hands really well. No problems on my "problem" hive from aggression. I?m sure there will be occasions when I?m dealing with angry bees and the ability to see an egg isn?t important, on goes the veil!
I read some old posts that I thought contained really good ideas? Thick, white, cotton dress shirts from the Salvation Army store, and similar, lots of good ideas, think outside the box.
Bees release pheromones when they perceive a threat and sting that alerts other bees? how long that stays active on clothing? I?ve found no answer to that question. I wouldn?t want to open hives soaked in these pheromones, continually triggering attacks from my clothing. From my limited experience I'd say the pheromones are short lived.
My second concern is BO! I?m switching to cotton shirts as soon as I get to the SA store in town? Toss them in the laundry, I use scent free detergent anyway.
Like you I?d like to hear from the old timers? :smile:
I wash mine when it gets to dirty to be seen in. Or when it gets to much attention from the bees.
Speaking of pheromones,,,,,, Helping down south a few years ago, when we showed up at the bee yard in the morning, things would be pretty calm. We could walk around, drink a little coffee and talk a bit. But as soon as them bee suits came out from the previous days work, all those stings the suits took the day before would certainly change the mood of the bees in the area. You best put the suit on when it is that condition.
If I wear a suit the next day or the next week after an area was hit they will hit the same spot the next time if it is not been washed in between times. - even if the area was smoked.
I wash mine once a year whether it needs it or not...
Never wash mine - 'cause I ain't got one. If I ever NEED to wear a full suit (fairly rare - but it does happen from time to time), then I wear a disposable cover-all (zipped, hooded, with elasticated wrists and ankles).
Such paper-fibre suits from Kimberley-Clark are pretty-good, except where there are brambles around. Tyvek suits from DuPont are far more tear-resistant, but you'll sweat your whatsit's off inside one in full sun. Just like wearing a plastic bag. Great for losing weight, but that's about all. So - it's Kimberley-Clarke for me.
LJ
I wash mine on the "hand wash/gentle cycle". I also don't have a clue how long the pheromones stay with your suit. I'll wash mine after ever couple/three visits or when it starts stinking from my sweat.
Hey Peanut, go to you tube and search retina(?) surgery; removing a bee stinger from an eyeball. Very convincing to wear at least a veil to protect your eyeballs
I think it's best not to wash it in the washing machine. Traces of venom lead to family getting allergies to venom. Hang it up on the line and hose it off and let it dry...
Just to confirm. Traces of venom off a used beesuit, can get on future clothes that are washed in the family, leading the family to developing allergies to such?
>Just to confirm. Traces of venom off a used beesuit, can get on future clothes that are washed in the family, leading the family to developing allergies to such?
Yes. I would just hang it on the line and hose it off. Certainly washing it by itself would help Certainly doing a cycle afterwards in a washer would help clean the washer (like you would if you were using it to dye something). But it's just simpler to hang it on the line and hose it off. I suppose no one has a clothesline anymore though...
Quote from: omnimirage on May 10, 2016, 10:35:12 AM
Just to confirm. Traces of venom off a used beesuit, can get on future clothes that are washed in the family, leading the family to developing allergies to such?
That's the theory, along with the premise that being stung from time to time helps prevent family members from developing an allergy to bee venom. Exposure to small amounts of bee venom without actually being stung, according to the theory, builds up a sensitivity to the venom. So family members shoild either be stung occasionally or avoid any contact with venom-contaminated clothing, gear or beekeeper. Some relationships involve a degree of pain, I guess.
I have a friend that has depended on bee stings for the past 25 years, just to be able to get out of bed and function normally. She just bought bees in a jar and used them. Her husband became severely alergic to stings. I talked her into getting her own hive instead of buying them from me. I explained about the alergic reaction to dried venom and she started using stings to desensitize him. Now he takes care of her hive.
Jim
Is there any source for the theory that exposure to bee venom causes sensitivity? I leave my bee suite and stuff in a back room at work and change out of it before going back to work. I will h ose them off if need be but sometimes I do not even put on the suite and go outside in what I am wearing to work. I do not want to increase a chance of harm to my employees.
I remember reading an article on some research on the topic back in the 80s in ABJ. Don't remember the exact volume and number though.
Still it is good to know. I will just keep it in the box not bothering anyone and they shoudl be fine.
Quote from: bwallace23350 on May 10, 2016, 02:51:16 PM
Is there any source for the theory that exposure to bee venom causes sensitivity? I leave my bee suite and stuff in a back room at work and change out of it before going back to work. I will h ose them off if need be but sometimes I do not even put on the suite and go outside in what I am wearing to work. I do not want to increase a chance of harm to my employees.
Look at beesource.com or google Michael Palmer for the things he's written. Just google "beekeepers families need to be stung" and I think you'll get where you need to be.
Well, beesource.com failed to get me anything.
This was a discussion on Beesource Forum:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?274753-Incidence-of-sting-allergy-among-beekeeper-s-family-members (http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?274753-Incidence-of-sting-allergy-among-beekeeper-s-family-members)
This isn't exactly what we're discussing but related (study abstract):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9824397 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9824397)
Here is a 2009 article from Bee Culture magazine, but I don't know where the article got its facts from.
http://www.wicwas.com/sites/default/files/articles/Bee_Culture/BC2009-08.pdf (http://www.wicwas.com/sites/default/files/articles/Bee_Culture/BC2009-08.pdf)
Let me start by saying I am a Pharmacist with 50+ years of experience - retail, clinical and Manager of production of sterile injectables including antibiotics that resulted in at least one allergic reaction a month in of the workers. I currently work with 30 other pharmacists in a Government operated Pharmaceutical advisory call center answering queries from Medical Doctors. We had several data bases at our disposal and collections of research papers on all sorts of medical activities.
To develop a sensitivity to a protein then it has to be injected, absorbed through a mucus membrane or reacted with and damage the skin to allow triggering of Mast Cells that release histamine.
Bee venom is a protein - proteins are denatured (destroyed) above 41*C Household hot water systems are at least 70*C
Detergents chemical bond to the oil soluble molecules in an organic compound and allow them to be suspended in water.
Laundry detergents are alkaline - alkaline solutions also denature proteins
By the time a bee suit gets though a hot wash cycle with laundry detergent there would no active bee venom left to worry about let alone in any concentration to cause sensitivity by absorption through a mucus membrane or damaged skin of another family member by wearing clothes in the same wash.
If you are concerned about members of the family developing sensitivity the have a proper sensitivity test done and if necessary a desensitization program which will inject small doses of venom at a higher concentration than will wash out of a bee suit.
Are bee suits meant to be washed with warm/hot water?
If they not you won't get rid of the dirt, sweat and BO ! - mine are cotton and go in the general wash
Quote from: Michael Bush on May 08, 2016, 07:34:45 PM
I wash mine once a year whether it needs it or not...
Lol same here. My jacket and zip on zip off hood is made form the now popular three layer breathable type material
, not cotton, which is easy to keep and does not accept beestings which will save bees from the death of
'separated stinger syndrome' 😊 just in case one happens be in the mood to take the life threatening chance lol,
Even when not in use, when hung in an open area such as a screened porch, it is constantly and naturally being aired out while hanging. The material makes for an easy wash in the machine and the lack of stingers in the material all but eliminates the chance of the family getting allergies to venom.. 🤷🏻♂️
I tend to wash my suits when there are more flies hanging off the suit than bees. Honey on the suit speeds up the requirement for washing. I normally removed the veil and wash it by hand. Soaking the suit in water and laundry detergent for a couple of hours helps to dissolve sweat and honey. A simple scrub by hand followed by a hose down when it is hanging on the line is all that is required. I try to remove the veil from the line as soon as it is dry as the veil mesh tends to break down and become a little brittle over time with exposure to UV (and possibly detergent). Some of my best producing hives are quite passionate and tend to have a lower tolerance of a thief stealing some of their goodies. They are generally OK with the removal of honey but tend to get a little excited when the brood box is checked at the same time. For that reason, I always wear gloves when robbing the hives. Would be interested in hearing how you guys clean your gloves. I have a personal preference for leather gloves but when covered in wax, propolis and honey, they are a pain in the neck. I generally give them a rinse when I get the honey back to the shed but water and leather don?t mix well. Would be interested to hear your thoughts.
Les when I use gloves I use Black Nitrile gloves, the 9 ml type. They are disposable but I usually wash (in the washing machine) and reuse several times until they expire. I keep an extra pair in one of the jacket pockets.
Try saddle soap on the leather gloves, will do a fair job of washing out the dirt and leave some oils behind so as to not dry the leather out.
I used the 9mm black nitrile until I figured out that the bees did not like black and they stung through the 9mm gloves. I found some 12mm green gloves that the bees seem to0 ignore, I think it is the color, and they are much more easy to grip frames etc. They are throw away economical
Throw the gloves away and get some quieter bees. Once you ditch he glove beekeeping is a lot easier.
My partner uses gloves and everything gets sticky, hlve tool, smoker, paint pen. Without glove you wash your hands more often, and the smoker, and the hive tool.
My veil is never sticky and needs a wash because my hands are clean.
Better alround hive hygiene.
Quote from: paus on January 20, 2023, 06:55:24 PM
I used the 9mm black nitrile until I figured out that the bees did not like black and they stung through the 9mm gloves. I found some 12mm green gloves that the bees seem to0 ignore, I think it is the color, and they are much more easy to grip frames etc. They are throw away economical
I believe you measurement are way off on the thickness of the glove.. 12 mm is close to half in inch in USA 🇺🇸 and I believe that measurement you're talking about is mil
BEE HAPPY Jim134 😊
Quote from: Jim 134 on January 21, 2023, 08:15:45 AM
Quote from: paus on January 20, 2023, 06:55:24 PM
I used the 9mm black nitrile until I figured out that the bees did not like black and they stung through the 9mm gloves. I found some 12mm green gloves that the bees seem to0 ignore, I think it is the color, and they are much more easy to grip frames etc. They are throw away economical
I believe you measurement are way off on the thickness of the glove.. 12 mm is close to half in inch in USA 🇺🇸 and I believe that measurement you're talking about is mil
BEE HAPPY Jim134 😊
Oh my gosh! Thank you for clearing this up! I have been confused about this like my whole life, and I think many other Americans are too. I had no idea that mil was a unit of measure, much less a CUSTOMARY one; I just figured it was some incorrect abbreviation for mm. :shocked: I'm so happy that this finally makes sense. :happy:
Thats right Jim, Mil for thickness was Paus intention I am sure. It was certainly mine lol. I have not experienced what Paus describe with the black 9 mil, but my bees are pretty gently. I have however on occasion, entered a hive that was apparently having a temperamental day and I felt the bumps of bees on my hand as they hit my gloves, but rarely a 'sting through' in my experience. Otherwise I would ruled this glove as useless as I did with the lesser mil gloves that I have tried. The 9mil gloves work for me... But there again, I do not mind taking a sting every now and then. If absolutely no sting was my goal, I would try the 12 mil as paus described.
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The 9 Mil gloves are 9 /1000 of an inch in thickness. If a couple of my hives are having an off day I reckon that gloves with a thickness of 9mm would be more appropriate?? Oldbeavo, please don?t make comments about the temperament of my feral girls, they may hear you and get upset. 😂
Lesgold. If a mere comment is enough to get them upset then you definitely need bees with a better attitude.
Hand bumping and bees on your veil is enough to get a FIZZY tag on the lid, 2 fizzy tags and the queen is changed.
I know it is off-topic but quiet bees remove the need for gloves and veil washing.
As always, you are right. I have quite a few hives that have a lovely temperament and others that only their mother would love. The good ones are a pleasure to work without gloves and it is so much more enjoyable. I sweat a lot when working hard on a warm day. The suit does get a bit on the jammy side after about half a season. I can generally stand it in the corner of the shed without it falls over. The hood also ends up quite moist at the end of the day. Both parts get a wash even if the hood is in much better condition.
Oldbeavo
"Hand bumping and bees on your veil is enough to get a FIZZY tag on the lid, 2 fizzy tags and the queen is changed.
I know it is off-topic but quiet bees remove the need for gloves and veil washing."
Not so much off topic. If only the gentlest of bees were in our apiaries, then there would be no need for a bee suit, jacket, veil or wearing gloves. Therefore no washing required. Your post are always interesting Oldbeavo. Advise from you is always appreciated.
Phillip
Most suits are of quite heavy cotton, my partner Karen uses a suit that is very light, lighter than my shirt and does not get stung.
On hot days the lighter the better.
I use my work shirt and a hat/ veil that has 360 degrees mesh to allow air flow. Hoods on suits can be hot.
I haven't tried the mesh type suits.
Les, we have had some nasty hives that i will break out the gloves for, but they don't last long. We always open them last (they have "do last"written on the lids) as they tend to release an attack smell that will set off the whole group.
Oldbeavo
"I haven't tried the mesh type suits."
In that case please allow me to recommend this type to you and Karen. I wear only a dry-fit tee shirt under my jacket (when I choose to wear a jacket). Sometimes I even go shirtless as nothing else is needed for protection under the jacket! Any breeze what so ever feels sooo good and is absolutely a noticeable difference is my experience. The open mesh material is no comparison to even the thinest cotton on a hot sun blistering day! In my opinion..
If I felt the need for a complete bee suit, which I do not, I would only wear a pair of shorts for the rest to the suit in the heat!
Phillip
PS
My jacket veil which is attached by zipping to the jacket is the same material, allows the luxurious added comfort.
On my regular veil, I use the type that has the completed wrap around screen. This independent veil also seems to be of added comfort allowing open ventilation from a 360 degree standpoint.
Phillip
Quote from: Ben Framed on January 22, 2023, 05:03:55 PM
If I felt the need for a complete bee suit, which I do not, I would only wear a pair of shorts for the rest to the suit in the heat!
Phillip
I'll second that. All I use are mesh suits, virtually sting proof and beekeeping on a hot summers day in nothing but shorts is very welcome.
Nigel
Virtually, Nigel?
Are the mesh jackets not as good as a the standard kind? Do stings sometimes get through?
My biggest problem was bees getting past my jacket's old wrist elastic (worse than bees up a pants leg). My wife just finished sewing on some nice, new, tight elastic on mine.
Nothing is sting proof, but the mesh suits are as close as it gets. I really don't have any of the really cheap ones, but I have the Golden Bee Products and the Ultra Breeze ones. The regular ones are not at all sting proof. Anything they are tight against your skin, you can get stung. I once got about 20 stings in about 2 seconds when my canvas bee jacket was stuck to my sweaty skin and I was brushing some hunger bees down from a cluster in a tree. The part with the colony was on the ground but a lot of bees were on the top of the tree where it broke off. I tried to bush them into a box and they instantly attacked me. The bee jacket seemed to do nothing to slow them down. But that's the regular canvas ones. The nylon ones are better because the bees can't get a grip and that keeps them from being able to sting as well. But the triple mesh ones the stinger can't reach you. Of course, they may crawl up your pant leg or up your sleeve or you may forget to zip something up tight...
You are Blessed to have a seamstress in the family Bob! Your jacket will be as good as new!
I only have the cheaper Man Lake Breathable Jacket but I love it! I have had it for years now and the elastic has over time, failed. We don*t have a seamstress in the family so what I do is use a doubled over number 64 rubber band around the failed elastic area or the wrist which works surprisingly well for the wrist area (not to tight and not too loose, the same size I Use during cutouts), and a cheap elastic material type belt around the bottom of the failed elastic area of the jacket for the same good security when I feel that need might arise from time to time. Maybe this bit of proven dependable results will help someone.
Phillip
I will add that I agree with Michael *Nothing is sting proof, but the mesh suits are as close as it gets.*
Phillip
Quote from: Bob Wilson on January 27, 2023, 11:54:24 AM
Virtually, Nigel?
Are the mesh jackets not as good as a the standard kind? Do stings sometimes get through?
My biggest problem was bees getting past my jacket's old wrist elastic (worse than bees up a pants leg). My wife just finished sewing on some nice, new, tight elastic on mine.
I just strap my wrists tightly with velcro. That way I don't have to worry about weak elastic. My suit does have elastic, but it's for man-sized wrists, not my tiny ones. :grin: I agree with everyone else, I was surprised to find when I got my mesh suit, that I got stung way less through it than my fabric suit.
I do own some suits and never wear them except in extreme heat. I usually wear a just the jacket with the zip on veil. It's SO much easier to get on and off. When I think of it I put some rubber bands on my boots and when I go to the beeyard I put them on my pant legs. Bees up my pant legs are by far the most common way I get stung. I wear regular goatskin leather gloves and they are always pulling out of my sleeves but that never seems to matter much. The Ultra breeze has elastic, but also Velcro on the sleeves. I tighten the Velcro on the gloves but they pull out whenever I extend my arms too much.
Quote from: Michael Bush on January 27, 2023, 01:43:16 PM
I do own some suits and never wear them except in extreme heat. I usually wear a just the jacket with the zip on veil. It's SO much easier to get on and off. When I think of it I put some rubber bands on my boots and when I go to the beeyard I put them on my pant legs. Bees up my pant legs are by far the most common way I get stung. I wear regular goatskin leather gloves and they are always pulling out of my sleeves but that never seems to matter much. The Ultra breeze has elastic, but also Velcro on the sleeves. I tighten the Velcro on the gloves but they pull out whenever I extend my arms too much.
That's funny, because I've had the opposite experience with my bees. I just tuck the bottoms of my pants deep into my shoes (I wear knock-off Crocs), and sometimes they pop out but it's no big deal. I've never been stung on the leg or foot while working a hive. On the other hand, if one of my gloves pops out of my Velcro, I better get it secured again, or I'll invariably get a sting on the wrist. My bees always go for the wrist first. My suit takes the most stings there too.
Quote from: Bob Wilson on January 27, 2023, 11:54:24 AM
Virtually, Nigel?
Are the mesh jackets not as good as a the standard kind? Do stings sometimes get through?
My biggest problem was bees getting past my jacket's old wrist elastic (worse than bees up a pants leg). My wife just finished sewing on some nice, new, tight elastic on mine.
Yup....beekeeping in speedos :cool:
Nothing is perfect but they are nearly there...veil is most vunerable area.
I agree with all of the comments on the mesh suits. They are pretty good at keeping you cool and providing a thick physical barrier to bee stings. You do get caught out occasionally if you inspect bees on days that you shouldn?t and the bees are particularly friendly. When angry, the girls seem to be able to overcome obstacles and dig into every crease and corner to find you.
I have a triple layer mesh suit.
I have them made by a family in Pakistan.
They make them with an extended veil to keep the bees well from my nose. They will make any changes I ask them to make.
I wash the suit and veil seperately - the suit in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. The veil is washed by hand.
One of the main reasons I wash the suit fairly regularly is to make sure the zips work well . I rub some beeswax onto the zips too.
I wear shorts under the suit - no shirt. I live in a climate which allows me to wear shorts summer and winter.
The mesh on the veil is a weak point. I hang the suit, never fold it to make the veil last longer.
My granddaughter has put a new mesh into my old veil - like new.
She has replaced some of the elastic too.
Thinking back to the times - nearly 50 years - when I wore just a home made veil...remembering far too many stings...I'm convinced that this new beegear hass allowed a lot more people to share our hobby.
Keeping the bees off my nose is the weak point on my jacket Max. Depending on what position I am in, the veil will sometimes touch my noise and this allows a bee access to sting it in that case. So what I do is wear a base ball type cap under my jacket veil. The bill of the cap keeps the face of the veil a safe distance from my face (nose). This is the weakness of my three layer jacket.... I am glad you pointed this out...
Phillip
Quote from: Ben Framed on January 28, 2023, 09:34:23 AM
Keeping the bees off my nose is the weak point on my jacket Max. Depending on what position I am in, the veil will sometimes touch my noise and this allows a bee access to sting it in that case. So what I do is wear a base ball type cap under my jacket veil. The bill of the cap keeps the face of the veil a safe distance from my face (nose). This is the weakness of my three layer jacket.... I am glad you pointed this out...
Phillip
This is another reason why I love veils with wide-brimmed hats built in. Keeps the sun off your neck and the bees off your nose! :grin:
"This is another reason why I love veils with wide-brimmed hats built in. Keeps the sun off your neck and the bees off your nose! :grin:"
Me too, my regular veil is made with a 360 offset screen as I described earlier. When wearing this independent veil the screen itself is good for ventilation and even nose protection because it is as you described and what you prefer in a veil as do I.
The veil which is zipped on the jacket, made 'for' my jacket is another situation. The veil which is attached to my jacket is zipped on, incorporating the two into a single unit. Position by the constant moving and shifting of the beekeeper affects the position of the veil and the position is ever changing while working with bees. Sometimes the veil screen will be inches from your nose and sometimes the tip of you nose will be against the screen. And sometimes ouch! lol
:cheesy:
On the plus side, and in favor of the attached jacket veil, is the three layer protection material just as used in making the jacket. When working and shifting positions, the material will touch the back of your neck from time to time and is already touching your head in places. Even so that is no problem when it comes to stings. The neck and head areas are not only protected from stings, but have the added luxury of the best ventilation possible, instantly releasing all heat put out from our head and neck area for our comfort, and because it it zipped onto the jacket with the added Velcro covering to protect the zipper areas, 'guarantees' no bees will enter the veil from the zipped on incorporated area.
As I said, with my jacket, the only drawback is during the shifting around, the screen will sometimes touch your nose, and is why I were a baseball cap beneath. I wish my jacket veil had a little better design....I love the open top ventilation of the material in the jacket veil. Even wearing a baseball cap beneath will restrict a certain amount heat to the head. An incorporated bill, or offset in the design of the jacket veil itself would have made the outfit perfect. Perhaps their is now offered a different designed jacket veil with some manufacturers?
Phillip
I know this is a bit off- topic but what do you folks wear on your feet? For most of my beekeeping, I wear elastic sided work boots that do a good job. When performing a lot of major invasive work (especially in a dearth) I wear gum boots with special elastic gaiters that fit over the top of the boot to prevent bees entering the boots. Getting stung is a regular occurrence and doesn?t worry me but a sting to the ankles where joints and blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin is an annoying experience.
Quote from: Lesgold on January 29, 2023, 05:35:27 PM
I know this is a bit off- topic but what do you folks wear on your feet? For most of my beekeeping, I wear elastic sided work boots that do a good job. When performing a lot of major invasive work (especially in a dearth) I wear gum boots with special elastic gaiters that fit over the top of the boot to prevent bees entering the boots. Getting stung is a regular occurrence and doesn?t worry me but a sting to the ankles where joints and blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin is an annoying experience.
For normal inspection work, as I mentioned, I wear knock-off Crocs and just tuck my pants into them. If I have a hive that is nasty or if I have to go over into the brushy area on the next property to get a swarm, then I wear my rubber farm boots. I've got a pair of Sloggers brand boots that have bees printed all over them. :happy: I learned the hard way that it's easy for bees to fall into boots, so I either strap my pant legs outside my boots with Velcro, or I'll just make sure my pants are bloused out over the boot tops.
Les I do not have a full suit, but the jacket I described above. On hot days I will wear shorts and flip flops. I will many times take a power inverter, and an extention cord just as I would on a Oxalic Treatment day. But instead of my home built vaporizer, I bring a box type fan instead. I move it along from hive to hive as it serve a two part function. It keeps me cool on a breezeless day, and it helps keep bees away from my leg area. The breeze is so nice! And Reagan I have also worked my bees in Crocs!
:cheesy:
Sounds like I?m the odd one out with my girls being quite a bit more anti social to what you guys deal with. That?s a consequence of allowing the bees to make their own queens and not relying on commercial queens bred for particular traits.
Quote from: Lesgold on January 29, 2023, 06:50:43 PM
Sounds like I?m the odd one out with my girls being quite a bit more anti social to what you guys deal with. That?s a consequence of allowing the bees to make their own queens and not relying on commercial queens bred for particular traits.
My bees are (for the most part) very docile, and I haven't purchased a queen since I bought my first two packages. I always let my bees requeen themselves.
"My bees are (for the most part) very docile"
Mine are too Regan for the most part. To be fair, there are some days that the shorts will not do and some of the bees will be in a pesky mood as Beemaster2 described above. On a day like that I will change from shorts to loose fitting dry fit material pants. Even these are much better than jeans or some of the other type pants for cooler comfort. Their again the fan is a huge asset. But shorts are my presence when working 'my hives' when the weather gets HOT...
Phillip