bee suits

mastro · March 14, 2009, 11:26:10 PM

I do the opposite of most beeks, I wear a full suit (Walter Kelly) with boots (pants tucked inside) and don't use a smoker at all. I find messing with a smoker more time consuming than putting a suit on.

KingBeeApiary · March 18, 2009, 12:55:02 AM

Quote from: ArmucheeBee on March 03, 2009, 07:10:46 PM
The reason I grab the veil for quick inspections is because I'm in a t-shirt and it's hot. I don't have "hot" bees either. a quick inspection is not an invasion into the hive so the bees don't come out ready for action--oh, i don't use smoke either. I'd like to see the person who could put on a jacket, pull the hood over, zip the hood on, zip the jacket up--faster than I can put on that veil and tie that string!! That seems a little unrealistic at least using the present physics we are now under. :evil: I am not a veteran beek but the people who are don't seem to have jackets and veils, just a helmet and veil and short sleeves--could be wrong though. My two cents are worth exactly two cents!!! :-X

You may not have hot bees now but one they will surprise you and that day may be your last. Parts of Fl. do have African bees. But still all it takes is that one hive that gets ill and they will let you know about it.

Go for the Ultrabreeze jacket or suit,suit is your area has Africans..

SlickMick · April 09, 2009, 04:16:09 AM

I came into Beeking quite by accident over 15 years ago although I had been thinking of it for quite a while. At the time beeks here were using white overalls and a veil. I was pretty broke at the time trying to put 2 teenagers through school and uni, being eaten out of house and home and making ends meet, so I made do with what ever clothes I was wearing.

A few (quite a few) stings later I realised that it is a good idea to put 2 thicknesses of socks on and a rubber band to stop the ladies (?) from crawling up your leg. Long sleeves would have been good but in the sub tropics, long sleeves(?).

As things progressed and the $ seemed to go a bit further, I figured I would buy some white overalls like the other beeks but the $'s were too many so I bought some white fabric and made a top and trousers to fit... I am no seamstress so you can imagine what they looked like.. (no I am not posting pics).

Well my beeking improved and I found that gentleness with the ladies works well (now I know why I was a failure as a potential ladies man) and most of the time I open the hives with only a bit of smoke and sometimes if I am manipulating, a veil. If things are a little angst I also use my old home-made top.

A bee suit would have been nice in the early days, yes. Glad to have the top that I made at times but the duds are useless and have not been used for years. Don't even wear double socks or gloves any more.. just a pair of shorts and let the girls play with the hairs on my legs. Now that never happened in my younger days :roll:

Mick

challenger · April 12, 2009, 10:42:44 AM

This is going to sound like I am some sort of tough guy but I'm not making this claim.
I despise bee suits/veils. When it is cold I use a winter painter's jacket and whatever I have on for pants. The heavy white jacket is more for color than protection. I think the 4 hives I have are very gentle in nature or I would get lit up.
Typically in the summer I do basic inspections in shorts and shoes only-no shirt, gloves, veil etc.
The suits-w-reading glasses which I need are just so aggravating I can't deal with them unless the bees start getting ornery. I did a full hive of 2 deep boxes removing all the frames and powder sugar on each frame. I had on my jacket-w-no veil and about 75% through the bees started banging into me and then I got 2-3 stings. This is when I go and put on my veil.
I see no reason not to do whatever makes you feel protected and safe but, for me, I'll wait until the bees feel threatened enough to get aggressive before I put on these space suits that I can't see out of and as I said earlier I will use a veil when the bees are in alarm mode.
Along these lines I have had some other beeks over to look at my hives and they all came up-w-suits and veils. When I opened the hives I could see they were afraid of the bees. Even-w-the suits they made quick, jerky movements when bees went near their heads. I think this makes the bees angry off and makes them targets.
All the above being said I do know that when my apiary grows I will need to wear a suit most of the time because there is bound to be a hive that is not so well behaved. I also admit to the fact that I've been stung many times but at least half of the stings were my fault because of carelessly placing my arm or hand on a bee.
I will be looking at either making my own veil from light weight mosquito netting or looking for a comfortable store bought one.
Lastly I firmly believe that the more stings you get the less reaction you get PLUS I think bee stings are good for you if it is only a few at most. The stings cause the release of cortisone and have made my tennis and golf elbows much better. I also don't think the bee stings hurt very much-not nearly as bad as one from a wasp IMO. I think the fall bees have a little more kick in their venom though. Needless to say getting run out of the yard doing the bee dance and having 50 stingers in you is a bad day and not something I'd put myself through by any means.

preston39 · May 20, 2011, 11:05:51 AM

Old comments...
...are there any new ones available? Or are these still ...state of the art?

VolunteerK9 · May 20, 2011, 12:23:01 PM

I think the Ultra Breeze is still rated as the Cadillac of suits but way out of my price range. Im still using my Brushy full suit and havent had any problems with it at all.

Kathyp · May 20, 2011, 01:27:46 PM

jp has a jacket that i tried at bud3. it was nice. you could feel the breeze through it. kind of spendy for my weather, but if i live down south, i'd get one for sure. if you are into economy and it's not hot where you are, the jacket/veil from Mann Lake is a good buy. even in our summer i don't find it to be to hot. it washes well and seems to hold up well.

BrentX · May 20, 2011, 02:57:17 PM

Last year I got by fine with a viel and hat, used an old white shirt too. This year I have two hives that are much more agressive. I am usually calm and steady working the bees, but even then got stung about five times from one hive. I now have the Honey Lane jacket, which I like. It is easy to get into...easier than tying on the old veil. I also like the pockets. Just bought a second one for my bee keeping buddy.