Beekeeping suit

bozbee · April 23, 2007, 11:52:39 AM

O.k, how can I ask this without sounding so cheap? I have a veil,hat,thick gloves,rubber boots. After recently buying 2 stands of bees w/all the essentials it would be fairly hard to convince the wife to allow me to spend another $100 on a beesuit at this specific time.
Can I just use a old pait of coveralls with several layers inside for now? Probably best to use coveralls with a zipper front instead of buttons. Does it have to be white? Thanks!!

~the frugile one~

bozbee · April 23, 2007, 12:44:50 PM

Update:
Called our local Virginia Extension office and posed the same question. The Agent told me that he had been using a "Tyvek" desposable suit for the past 2 years and hadn't been stung the first time(used for spraying chemicals and painting). Went to the local feed store and bought 2 of them at $4.99 a piece. Might be something you all know but here is a pic

bozbee · April 23, 2007, 12:47:40 PM

thegolfpsycho · April 23, 2007, 01:05:57 PM

you can get by with less, but confidence is a big part of beekeeping. Some people get those painter coveralls.. Tyvek? Not sure of the name. With only 2 hives, if things get so out of hand that you feel you are taking too many stings, walk away. If you do walk away with the hive broke down, keep people and critters away. Once they reach that level of agitation, they will look for someone or something to punish. Come back much later with a well lit smoker, a plan of what and how you are going to do things, then do it and move away. White is a good color for working bees. Cooler, not a color associated with predator by bees. DONT WEAR SUNGLASSES UNDER YOUR VEIL. Maybe it's just me, but if I have sunglasses on, it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Regardless of the suit, protection you decide to go with, you eventually will take some stings. Unless you are having a severe reaction, a couple stings isn't the end of the world. Calmly finish your work, then walk away.

SteveSC · April 23, 2007, 01:16:42 PM

"DONT WEAR SUNGLASSES UNDER YOUR VEIL. Maybe it's just me, but if I have sunglasses on, it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull."

Man, that's the truth if I ever heard it. I believe the bees think you're a big eyed predator when the sunglasses are on - - like a bear or a 6' 2" 210# bee. I learned my lesson last yr.. They'll stay after you with glasses on where without they'll get bored and go back to the hive...

I thought I was the only one with bees that don't like RayBans.....

bluegrass · April 23, 2007, 10:25:45 PM

The suit I am wearing in the avitar picture is a 6.00 tyvek painters suit....I haven't ever been stung through it either. They make two types, one is poly and the other is tyvek, both work well.

tillie · April 23, 2007, 10:52:05 PM

thegolfpsycho said:

Quote"DONT WEAR SUNGLASSES UNDER YOUR VEIL. Maybe it's just me, but if I have sunglasses on, it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull."

Really? I wear sunglasses under mine all the time that have magnifiers in the bottom half of the lens so that I can see what I'm doing instead of regular reading glasses that slide all the way down my nose in the hot sweat of the suit.

I've not been stung or head butted or anything like that with the sunglasses on - maybe my bees didn't get the memo :evil:

Linda T in Atlanta

thegolfpsycho · April 24, 2007, 03:02:35 AM

Of course really. I'm just throwing out some suggestions and relating what has happened to me. I didn't make it up, or proclaim it as a law of all bees everywhere. Seems it has been observed by SteveSC as well, and I'm sure many people work their bees with no such problem. All beekeeping is local, and each colony or group of colonys may have a dfferent attitude. The memo has been in the inbox all this time.

sandhya · April 24, 2007, 03:11:38 AM

when I first started I did the usual pain in the butt set up and then I found the bug baffler bugbaffler.com
its hot where I live in the summer and it works perfect...I stumbleed across it, it has a few holes in it now that I keep duct tape over.... :lol:

bozbee · April 24, 2007, 01:39:13 PM

Hey bluegrass, broke my bee virginity yesterday with my tyvek painters suit. It worked great!

bluegrass · April 24, 2007, 02:00:57 PM

Good deal....I have been using them for awhile now. I like them because you can just throw them out when they get dirty or rip. If you ever get the poly one I have been told that you can't get the smoker near it as it basicly melts away into nothing.

sandhya · April 26, 2007, 01:21:52 AM

yea, my bug baffler is made of poly not natural fibers, so of course, if you get the smoker touching it, it melts like pantyhose...thats probably how I got the holes it it, that I did... :roll:
but I wouldnt trade it for anything, it slips on too easily on top of my regular clothes, and slips off readily...
no tying string down and around and anchoring anything...it has an elastic waste, and cloth ankles and wrists...
love my bug baffler!!! :lol:

Sean Kelly · April 26, 2007, 06:17:01 AM

Besides the internet, where can you find Tyvek suits? I checked the local Fred Meyers and Home Depot here but all they had were generic versions only in "Large" or "Small" size. The large is WAAAY to small, but I hear that the Dupont Tyvek suits go up to 5xl. I bought a 3xl tyvek suit from Brushy Mountain and they sent me a "Large". I put my little sister in it and she had no stings. Worked great for her.
I'm still using just a vale and bee-gloves and only got stung when installing the bees. My bees seem pretty chill and dont care that I'm even there. Guess I'm lucky.
I still want a suit though. Think I'm gunna order one from Betterbee next month. For now I still think the tyvek thing would be a good subsitute.

Sean