Bee Fail, gloves

[Caribou]

Yesterday I went out to harvest my second hive.  I couldn't find my bee gloves, probably because I only use them for harvesting and hiving new packages.  I settled on a pair of my winter gloves. 

When I picked up the first frame the bees landed on the gloves and immediately became agitated and many more started attacking.  I had to quit harvesting and go find a different pair of gloves.  The first pair was a fuzzy synthetic material and looking back my guess is that the bees got tangled and started letting off distress pheromones which started a stinging attack which let off more pheromones and really got them stirred up.

I was able to find a pair of leather gloves to change into.  I smoked these gloves and had no further problems. 

One sting got through the right glove.  I barely felt it and the swelling is mostly gone.  Lesson learned.

[Oldbeavo]

Bees don't like any fuzzy material, black wooly socks, polarfleece jumpers. It would be interesting to see what fuzzy looks like through bee eyes.

[Hops Brewster]

Let that be a lesson to ya to keep yer bear-paws out of the hives! 

[divemaster1963]

That's why I love my thick nitrile gloves. Thickest mil I can find. They give you more dexterity and the bees can't sting thru them.


John

[tjc1]

John, what kind of gloves do you get and where do you find them? Are they hot to work in?

[divemaster1963]

Duraflock gloves  get size larger. If you wear med get large they  are flocked lined  so they don't sweat as bad.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0065R58AE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/152-0250755-6456420?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=889ENRZEQBRN43MKJP4R&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_i=B004QXS4MI


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[Oldbeavo]

Any gloves are hot when  the temp gets up.
With quiet bees you don't need gloves, most of the stings on your hands are usually your fault where you have touched or pressured a bee.
Very few bee keepers in Oz that I have met wear gloves.
If bees are attacking your hands then I would be looking to change queens for a quieter bee to work with.

[GSF]

I helped/oversaw a beek harvesting his first honey Saturday. He wore some yellow fuzzy looking gloves, I didn't wear any. They tore his hands up so bad he had to walk away.

[sc-bee]

Duraflock gloves  get size larger. If you wear med get large they  are flocked lined  so they don't sweat as bad.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0065R58AE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/152-0250755-6456420?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=889ENRZEQBRN43MKJP4R&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_i=B004QXS4MI


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I Purchased some of these after I saw your post on the cut out thread. I really don't see the flocking as a plus and I will look for some thin cloth liners to go inside. I know they make thin cloth liners the thickness of a t-shirt or thinner. After reading your post on size I found some XXL as I have large hands, XL may have been sufficient as the fingers on the xxl are a little long. And your tip on rinsing them and using them over again was spot on so it negates the initial cost.

The XXL came from tool topia:
http://www.tooltopia.com/microflex-dfk-608-xxl.aspx

Oh yeas thanks for the lead I do love the gloves. Folks if you are looking for good protection and dexterity try these gloves. I used to be gloveless because I hated bee gloves. Not any more..

[bwallace23350]

I could probably work my bees without gloves but have not got that brave yet. I still wear my leather gloves but the last couple of inspections I have done I am not even sure a bee has landed on me at all.

[GSF]

bwallace, use slow movement, don't crush bees, nor make loud noises like with the inner cover coming off.

[divemaster1963]

All my hives are feral genetics. I'm use to the genetics of bees from fourty years ago. Then they were defensive of hive . I prefer them . yes if I'm just pulling frames from top box I can do it with no gloves. But  having the nthick nitrile gloves on if I see something that makes me need to go deeper I don't have to stop and reset my self to do that. The flocking n the inside is great because it allows for removal and reapplying like regular gloves . it also allows a air space between hands and glove to cut down on sweating plus that little extra space helps in reducing the chance of stings.

John

[bwallace23350]

Where do you buy those gloves Divemaster?

[Dallasbeek]

bwallace, use slow movement, don't crush bees, nor make loud noises like with the inner cover coming off.

Do bees hear?  I wonder about the queens piping.  Does the other queen actually hear the piping, or just feel the vibration? 

[divemaster1963]

Check the site I linked to. They sold online everywhere. I get mine from my snap-on tool guy. Just because he keeps them in stock for me. I use them at work to. It cost me a little more but it's a convince charge.
Even Walmart sells them ( seen online but have not seen them at my local one).


John

[divemaster1963]

bwallace, use slow movement, don't crush bees, nor make loud noises like with the inner cover coming off.

Do bees hear?  I wonder about the queens piping.  Does the other queen actually hear the piping, or just feel the vibration?

Honeybees don't have ears. They can do something like hear though organs in legs. But I would determine that as felling the vibrations of the sounds as it bounces off of objects . so technically no but possibly yes. Open to all interpretation.

John

[Dallasbeek]

Kinda what I thought.

[paus]

I have written on this before and told about Harbor Freight 9mm gloves  they work but you will still get stung if the bee gets a good straight in sting,  I  like to use these gloves most of the time.  When I need more protection I use the heavy flocked gloves they are clumsy and develop a des"stincky" smell.  "Uline have 12mm unlined gloves I am going to try soon.  Unlined gloves are either disposable or easily turned inside out washed and dried. Paus

[sc-bee]

All my hives are feral genetics. I'm use to the genetics of bees from fourty years ago. Then they were defensive of hive . I prefer them . yes if I'm just pulling frames from top box I can do it with no gloves. But  having the nthick nitrile gloves on if I see something that makes me need to go deeper I don't have to stop and reset my self to do that. The flocking n the inside is great because it allows for removal and reapplying like regular gloves . it also allows a air space between hands and glove to cut down on sweating plus that little extra space helps in reducing the chance of stings.

John

I have gone gloveless for years. But I am the lucky beekeeper that bees love to chew on and stay in my face. Body chemical I guess. Also big hands and I take quite a few stings on the hands. Not that they hurt that much but occasionally I get one hotter than others. Worked hives with them about 4 times so far and have only received one sting through them.

Divemaster... I see your point on the flocking allowing them to come on and off for reuse now. Never thought of that. But still full of sweat after first use anyway. A light liner would help that. The kind some jewelry stores are gun shops use to handle items.
I have worn standard latex for 30 years but we always wear a liner to absorb sweat. Again thanks for the lead on the gloves they are worth the effort to run down and find.

[Oldbeavo]

If you aren't wearing gloves, when the bees start to get a bit upset you will feel them collide with you hands but not sting you.
When you feel this just give them a bit more smoke and they will settle down.
GSF is right, don't rush etc, I even talk to them, don't know if it makes any difference, but the first time or so you leave the gloves off you are nervous expecting a sting, the calmer you are, so are the bees.
I opened about 12 hives the other day, checking brood and queens, no gloves, no stings.