Cleaning gloves?

[Cindi]

Jerry, all the time cranky girls?  Maybe you should think about requeening with some gentler genes.  That would be a bummer to have to be fully suited up all the time.  When I work the colonies in the summertime, the only thing that I wear is a veil.  I have bare arms, I like to wear tank tops in the hot summer (and of course jeans).  So there is ample skin that the bees could sting if they wanted to, but they don't want to.  This is the kind of bees that beekeepers should have, don't tolerate any bees that are cranky all the time.  Cranky around a dearth or honey harvesting is natural, that would be OK with me.  Have a wonderful day, beautiful life.  Cindi

[KONASDAD]

Understudy said the same about my bees being docile compared to his Florida bees, and bigger, Jerry. I think you guys in the south have more AHB than you might imagine. Would love to find out. My bees only get testy in fall or when I screw-up while inspecting by banging something accidentally. I usually dont wear gloves, but will if I forget to take off wedding band. Getting stung w/ rings on is bad news

[Jerrymac]

After I wrote that about my bees I went out and messed with one of my hives. This hive was vicious awhile back. Every time I got around it there would be many bees from there head butting me and when I opened it up they would be all over the place. This time it was almost like there were no bees there. Yes the hive is full of bees but they didn't seem to care one bit about me disturbing them. And yes there are times when they are very calm. There are times when only a few seem to want me gone. And then the other times I wouldn't dare think about not being suited up. So why take the chance..... and one never knows when one might do something wrong and make them mad.

I washed the honey off my gloves last night with warm water (I was wearing the gloves) and then rubbed olive oil on as described by Tillie. Seems to be working. No where near as stiff as they were.

[Cindi]

Jerry, hey, OK, that is cool.  I thought that you had nasty, zesty bees, with no reprieve.  Ha, have a wonderful day, take care.  Cindi  Did your canary creeper grow this summer, by the way? :)

[Jerrymac]

You should have seen it yesterday. I always say you never know what might happen. The super slipped out of my hands and slid down to the ground. All the bees were really mad at me for that..... well they shouldn't have propolized everything so much.... If I had not had the full protection on I would probably gotten a few hundred stings. But didn't get a single one even though I had to close up the hive.

[beekeeperookie]

Well, this being my first year.  When I got my first package and after the next couple of weeks, i would wear everything taping up my long sleeves and pants as well as putting gloves on.  Now I am like Cindi... I will check my hives with shorts on, t-shirt, no socks, I do wear my veil though, I dont like the bees getting near my face.  The girls have been getting a little more aggressive each time i go in but that is to be expected.  I believe though they let me do alot of stuff to there hives cause they know i will leave them alone and always put everything back the way i found it  :mrgreen:

[Cindi]

I have a somewhat different approach to the propolizing.  Each time I work the hives, I take the time to scrape off the gooey, sticky propolis, as much as I can remove.  I think it helps with working the hives the next time.  I have the most beautiful jar of propolis, each in a roundish shape, several blobs in the jar.  I really believe removing the excess propolis really helps with manueverability of pieces of the hive.  I keep a gallon bucket of cold water at hand when I work the hives, I plunge the hive tool after each propolis removal, into this cold water, and I diligently remove the stuff, which is not gooey any more, but rather hardened, and put it into a container.  Works for me.  Have a wonderful day, and this beautiful life to boot.  Cindi