I finally did it!!!!!!!!!!!

L Daxon · May 28, 2011, 01:40:45 PM

After keeping bees off and on for 10 years or so I finally got the nerve to inspect all 3 of my hives this morning WITHOUT gloves on! Of course had on my veil jacket and rubberbands around the legs of my pants (but no socks).

After watching so many of JP's videos and others on here I knew that just had to be my next big step this year.

And was I lucky. The girls could not have been calmer, even when the sprinkler system accidentally came on and started spraying my open hive with water (I quickly ran and shut it of).

As it turned out, it looks like two of my 3 hives are queenless (suspected that last week) --neither had a speck of brood or eggs that I could see though both had had queen cells last week (one was small with just one box and one had 3 boxes and a super). So to be sure I took 2 frames with eggs and small larva out of my third hive which had one whole 8-frame box with beautiful brood on nearly every frame and put one each in the hives wih no brood.
Boy did the girls in the broodless boxes start roaring when I put in the larva frames.

So did I get stung? Well, yes. But just once on the tip of one of the figures on my left hand when I was working the 3rd hive with all the brood (probably wasn't being as cautious by then). But last week I got stung THROUGH MY GLOVE on another finger on that same hand.

Boy, it sure is nicer to be able to work without gloves. I will certainly do it again, but keep my gloves close by if I sense the girls are not as calm as they were this morning. :yippiechick:

AliciaH · May 28, 2011, 02:25:36 PM

X:X

Congratulations, that is so awesome! I can only imagine the feeling of overcoming the fear and having a closer interaction with your bees. I am simply not that brave...yet. I hope you get a chance to do it again soon!

schawee · May 28, 2011, 03:02:10 PM

it's great to have the gloves off. you said that you had queen cells in those hives that you put frames in.it could be that you have virgin queens in the hives . they are alil bigger than the workers and its posible they were on their mating flight. ...schawee

JP · May 28, 2011, 03:11:12 PM

Congratulations! Always nicer to go gloveless if you can.

...JP

L Daxon · May 28, 2011, 03:57:53 PM

Yes, Schawee, I considered that I could have a virgin queen, especially in the bigger hive where I thought I saw the queen chewing out of her cell last Saturday. But I wasn't sure and thought it wouldn't hurt for the commoners to have a frame of larva/eggs just in case they need to make some royalty.

Yep, JP and Schawee are my idols. You boys inspire me. In fact, I think I will go get a vanilla shake this afternoon to celebrate conquering my fear of going gloveless.

Linda D

schawee · May 28, 2011, 04:30:07 PM

you will know in a week or two if you have a queen. i found a new place to get my shake :-D.... ...schawee

Larry Bees · May 28, 2011, 04:47:31 PM

I'm still not ready to work mine without gloves on. Maybe in a few months after I get more experience. Larry

Hemlock · May 28, 2011, 09:15:31 PM

Congrats to you Linda. Big step. I like gloveless but the inspections seem to take longer. I'm still working to fully relax around the bees. Some colonies are better than others of course.

Larry,
You may wish to try before then. The bees tend to be more passive during the flow (now). In a Dearth (a few months from now) they can be more defensive about their stores for Winter. Maybe not the best time to start going gloveless...

Larry Bees · May 28, 2011, 09:56:37 PM

OK, I will consider it. Thanks! Larry

hardwood · May 28, 2011, 09:59:01 PM

Congrats! Did you find that you (not wanting to sound sappy here) "bonded" a little more with your bees going gloveless? I feel much more connected without gloves and I think you'll find that you make fewer mistakes that might piss 'em off as well.

Scott

L Daxon · May 29, 2011, 12:56:23 AM

Being gloveless I, of course, moved a lot slower than with the gloves on and was more conscious about 1) not squishing bees and 2) more aware when a bee was actually walking on my hand. But moving slower I think kept the bees calmer and gave me more time to really look at the activity on the frames. The girls didn't seem as runny. At times it seemed like they didn't even know I was there, things were so calm.

I think I relied on my smoker a bit more, but being careful not to over smoke them. If a girl would spend what I thought was a bit too much time inspecting my hand, I would just blow a puff of smoke at her and she would usually fly off. Same if there seemed to be too many bees taking to the air, just smoke the air a bit.

Martin · May 29, 2011, 02:37:04 PM

I have only been keeping bees since late march but i tried to start gloveless. I still keep a pair handy just in case they are mean. One tip that i was given was to smoke your hands very well to mask any odors . My 9 year old won't try it yet , but at least he is still interested.

SerenaSYH · May 29, 2011, 08:52:32 PM

whoo-hoo, and congrats! That is exciting!!!!

Wits End · May 29, 2011, 09:10:58 PM

3rd year beekeeper here. I started this year with no gloves and now can't imagine using them. I where a watch with a cloth velcro band and I learned very early to take it off. Even if you smoke your hands it seems they can still smell the sweat in the band and that is where I got hit every time. Caught 4 swarms this year and used a little spritz of bee quick on the hands. What ever works right?

TwoHoneys · May 29, 2011, 09:22:38 PM

Third season for me, and I've just begun to work without gloves. A couple of my friends have been collecting swarms and inspecting hives with me, and they each felt that they'd like to work barehanded...they sort of shamed me into losing the gloves. I like it much better...no stings yet. I'm still a little uncomfortable picking up a hunk of comb with bees on it, but I guess that'll come in time, yes?

-Liz

annette · May 30, 2011, 02:53:27 AM

Gosh I'm not there yet!!

antaro · May 31, 2011, 12:38:16 AM

I have only kept bees for about two months, but whatever I read lead me in the direction of keeping without gloves. In fact, the only special clothing I wear is a long sleeve shirt and a veil. Regular pants, shoes, etc. No bands or ties. No gloves.

So far I work my hive and examine a buddy's. No stinging, no problems, no issues. I use a smoker, but certainly don't smoke my hands before working. Perhaps I am foolhardy, but so far I have been pleased.

Cheers to you for overcoming and ditching the gloves!

L Daxon · May 31, 2011, 12:47:24 AM

Wits End:

Thanks for the tip about Bee Quick. Think I will try a spritz of that on my hands next time. Besides, I like the smell of it!

Linda D

JP · May 31, 2011, 01:33:40 AM

Please use caution with the bee quick it is a pretty severe eye irritant.

...JP

jdesq · May 31, 2011, 10:35:05 AM

I have been keeping bees for about 10 years. Yesterday with full suit and gloves I got stung 7 times from 1 hive. That was the most I've ever been stung, but also reminded me why I wear full protection. You just never know when thing could go wrong.