Wearing proper protective gear.

RHBee · March 24, 2014, 09:46:51 AM

We all learn our best lessons by the mistakes we make. I'm sharing one of mine so hopefully others might learn from it. Yesterday I was feeling pushed to open up my colonies and perform a quick check and swap some boxes around so I can retire my deep equipment. I didn't want to take the time to use smoke rationalizing that it would be a quick job with minimal disturbance. Everything went as planned until I started to work a particularly strong hive. Everything was stuck together pretty well. As I was prying and pulling suddenly I was under heavy attack.
My protective was doing its job until the girls found the weak spot. I've learned to use bands to keep angry bees from going up my pants but I wasn't wearing boots so my socks were showing. The results were 20 or so stings to the ankles. So, lesson learned was 1 always suit up because you never know what you will have to do. Lesson 2 always smoke.

iddee · March 24, 2014, 09:52:09 AM

#3... Read a few of Iddee's posts. I've posted at least 50 times, use smoke or prepare for an all out attack. It will come.

RHBee · March 24, 2014, 10:47:13 AM

Quote from: iddee on March 24, 2014, 09:52:09 AM
#3... Read a few of Iddee's posts. I've posted at least 50 times, use smoke or prepare for an all out attack. It will come.

Ok, What he said :-D. This was a first for me. Now I know what boiling out of the hive means. New respect for bears and honeybees.

T Beek · March 24, 2014, 12:14:10 PM

Did someone say BEAR!?! ...HONEY, get my shotgun.... :laugh: Actually with 8 below zero this AM and still plenty of snow I think we've got some time yet before the BEAR start waking.....phew... :)

I always wear 'at least' a veil and always 'bring' a smoker and have it lit....sometimes you need it....sometimes you don't. One of the reasons I really like TOP ENTRANCES is having the ability to check from 'above' without disturbing below by just smoking the top (to force bees down). Of course if a complete 'broodnest' investigation is required, then I'll smoke the bottom (to force them up).

It still amazes me how different two colonies disposition in the same yard can sometimes be....so IMO...its best to prepare for the worse while hoping for the best... :)

10framer · March 24, 2014, 12:29:07 PM

ray, i decided to feed one more time last week and went in with no smoker. it went well until about the third hive.
i have hives that i pop the top on with no smoke or veil all the time and i have hives that i might risk it on during a flow but i also have a couple that won't put up with it. i'm going to have to go back to long sleeves because i like the productivity but i'm tired of getting stung in the armpits.

greenbtree · March 24, 2014, 02:23:16 PM

Haven't had a day warm enough to really open up my hives yet (It was down in the upper teens last night AGAIN!) just barely warm enough to check stores. But when I do it will be full kit, with duct tape and smoke. Had a fair amount of hives die off this awful winter, and the girls that survived are, of course, the most aggresive in my bee yard.

JC

D Coates · March 24, 2014, 06:19:01 PM

A lack of smoke invites an attack and once it starts you've got to leave and get your smoker started. Hard learned lesson learned but I live by now. Haven't suited up or worn gloves in 3 years but I always have a veil on and the smoker lit. I get hit now and again but 90% of the time its my fault and the other 10% I'll take to stay comfortable and in shoes, shorts and a tucked in T-shirt.

RHBee · March 24, 2014, 10:38:00 PM

This was just a bad day. I wear my jacket and nitrel gloves. They aren't usually this hot. I had to separate the boxes with a wire. Everything was joined tightly with burr comb. That's what made them so defensive. I burnt a hole in my smokers bellows. Just a bad day. I'm looking forward to opening them up once I get a smoker going.
You guys dress however you want, I've learned my lesson. :-D

10framer · March 24, 2014, 10:55:32 PM

the real lesson is to have more than one smoker around.

RHBee · March 25, 2014, 07:57:19 AM

Quote from: 10framer on March 24, 2014, 10:55:32 PM
the real lesson is to have more than one smoker around.

Amen to that. I ordered two and a spare bellows.

sc-bee · March 25, 2014, 11:06:02 AM

I hit a hot one yesterday afternoon. My fault cause I knew they were a little hotter and waited last to work them. By then it was late afternoon and cooling off. Didn't take long to close them back up :shock:

10framer · March 25, 2014, 01:50:51 PM

sc, that's part of what i do wrong. i don't get to go through them before maybe 5:30 or 6:00 a lot of times and it's getting near dark by the time i get finished and the two end hives are the hottest no matter what order i go in so i just pick an end and start. usually the first isn't as bad as it's worst day but the last one is. there seems to be a mild flow on right now so they are probably all more agreeable these days.

jclark96 · March 26, 2014, 11:29:04 PM

If it is a nice sunny day, I might go without gear, but I have only opened an established hive without smok once. I was doing the suger water in a spray bottle experiment. I didn't even get the hive closed. Run away and fire up the smoker! For quick checks, it is usually shorts and a tee shirt for me.