# Bee suit or jacket w/veil?



## pgg (Jun 19, 2005)

As a beginning beekeeper I am trying to decide between a full bee suit or a jacket veil combo. It gets pretty hot here in the summer so I'm guessing a jacket w/veil would be cooler. But I'd like some advise.
Thanks
Pat


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## beaglady (Jun 15, 2004)

Get a jacket with the veil that zips on. I started with a tie down veil & got bees inside it during my first year. After that, I bought a one piece jacket veil combo and feel much more secure when working my bees. I usually just wear my regular jeans, so I don't see any real need for a one piece suit. Maybe if I were doing something disruptive, like moving migratory bees, I might want a one piece suit but not as a hobbyist with a few hives.

Diane W


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

I would reccommend the full suit and tie veil if you can't afford both. This way when you are pulling honey in the fall or working in early spring when the bees are more defensive, if you have a hot hive or one you need to move you have a full suit which will protect your legs and ankles. You can use the tie veil with about any long sleeve shirt in the summer time for plenty of protection.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I suggest a full suit with zipper veil. You need to think about being comftrable with the bees... not staying nice a cool body temp wise..at least in my opinion.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

I used to use full body armor. I now just use jeans and a jacket with zipper veil found in the For Sale section. It's a great jacket/veil and easy to pull on / take off. 

I haven't been stung on the legs yet this year but I'm sure my time is coming. It is just easier than having to deal with a whole suit. I would say no matter what route you go get a veil with a zipper. 

Dan


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## gds (May 18, 2004)

(http://www.glorybeefoods.com/gbf/Shop_ProductDetail.cfm?PC=3&PSC=21&P=15119&Product_Name=brazilian%20halfsuit%20size%20large(50)&Token=67.89.71.74:{ts_2005-06-20_12:17:14}-417808) 
(http://www.glorybeefoods.com/gbf/Shop_ProductDetail.cfm?PC=3&PSC=21&P=15105&Product_Name=brazilian%20beesuit%20size%20%20large(50)&Token=67.89.71.74:{ts_2005-06-20_12:17:14}-41780 8)

try these. Kind of interested how they work. I usually wear jeans so I just have a jacket w/veil. I have a full suit, but I only wear it if I go get a swarm or feral hive - simply because I don't know what I'll be getting in to. Normally, my bees don't even leave the hive when I do an inspection. But suse as I don't wear anything, they'll be in a bad mood. Therefore, I wear a jacket and can concentrate on what I'm doing.


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## John Russell (Aug 8, 2003)

Suit. Full suit.

I think the chief skill to develop when handling bees as a novice is confidence. The more protection you have, the better you will feel, the calmer you will be, the less errors you will make, the less bees you piss off and the less stings you get.
You can always sell or trade your old suit, or let your spouse or friends or kids use it, and buy the jacket versions next year.

First time I hived a package, I wore only a veil with a denim jacket, foolishly believing the literature that stated the packages would be docile and non-defensive. I stopped counting at 22, and had the heebeejeebee's for the rest of my first season.

Armour up, son.

J.R.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

I use and recommend the english style jacket with built in hood/veil. It requires no helmet.

This in combination with painters pants or sweats gives more ease of movement. Also fast to put on for quick checks.

A jacket with pants is just as sting proof as any suit.

The mesh suits and jackets by Glory Bee or Golden Bee are the bomb and I am saving for one.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I wear the English (no helmet) style jacket with the zip on veil 90% of the time. When I know I'm in for a long hot day of beekeeping I wear the Golden Products bee suit with shorts and NO shirt underneath. It's like an air conditioned suit.


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## pgg (Jun 19, 2005)

Thanks for all the info.


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

Sundance, I use a jacket and veil most of the time as you describe. If you think they are as bee proof as a suit and zipper veil(Which I always use for our yealy migrations) I am extending a personal invitation to our next trip. I think your opinion of bees crawling on you by the hundreds after dark in a jacket would clear that idea up in hurry!


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## Drifter (May 1, 2004)

Got that right Joel . I moved some and found they don't fly but crawl at night. The elastic around the waiste didn't slow down about 5 of them getting in my viel . My next bee suit will be that a suit with zippered veil .

Where do you get the suit you have Michael ?

Drifter


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

"Armour up, son."

Hehehe... or as I prefer to put it, "Get a Helmet."

I wear a full suit with zipper veil except when I'm just poking around when I might wear just a tie down veil, or veil and gloves, or nothing at all. Open hive surgery is another matter and is pretty much guaranteed to annoy some percentage of bees in even the most docile hive.

Furthermore, my bees have so far not shown any propensity for stinging my top-half over my bottom-half, they're opportunistic and will sting whatever part of me they can get to- even stinging me THROUGH my suit where it's been stretched tight. I've gotten stung on the back of my neck where the netting of my zipper veil rested against my skin! The stings I've gotten this year are pretty evenly distributed all over my body with the most being on my ankles. Because of that, I just invested in a pair of rubber boots. It's not that I am afraid of getting stung, I'd just prefer not to.

It gets plenty hot here too (Maine) and I must admit that a full suit can be uncomfortable. Unless you just can't afford both a tie down veil and suit-combo, get both! Beekeeping has not so far turned out to be a good way to save money, at least for me. It's also always handy to have a spare veil anyways in case a visitor wants to take a look. I've also picked up a bunch of used gear and almost batch of stuff has included at least one veil and smoker, in one case advertised as "Only used once"







I've pretty much got 2 or more of everything- tie down veils (3), full suits with zippered veils (3- 2 I bought for me and my wife, one given to me), smokers (4), hive tools (3). I keep a spare set of stuff in my car and truck- you never know when it'll come in handy.

George-


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I use a "Bug Baffler" from (Mid-Con) most of the time but when the girls get testy I have the "Honey Maker" full suit from (Mann Lake) and it gets hot inside.
The Bugbaffler is quick and easy and you can buy them at a Hunting supply store cheaper than from BKing store.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Joel/Drifter........ 

The jacket I was refering to is the same one Michael decribed. It is zippered front and a zippered hood/veil. I take it the invitation is open to Michael as well? 

On pants I use canvas painters that are plenty baggy in conjuntion with elastic straps at the ankles. It is as heavy as any bee suit I have seen.

My outfit costs $60.00 (english bee jacket is from the gentleman who has an ad in the for sale section).

As I said........ If you have the $$$$$$ get a mesh suit.


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## davlanders (Jun 20, 2004)

You can't even talk about hot unless you are beekeeping in Texas!!









As hot as it gets, I'd recommend a full suit if you can only afford one. There will be times when you need it and a jacket just won't be good enough. I have to say, having a jacket is nice for quick super inspections or putting out feed, or checking nucs or things like this, but if you are going to remove feral colonies or have to open up hives that aren't the gentlest bees on the planet, you'll need the full suit.


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

All I've ever worn is a Sherriff veil.
http://www.bjsherriff.com/clothing.asp
(The "S21 Bee Farmer" is the current
model of what I like.)

I've been telling myself that I will buy
a "real bee suit" for myself, but I keep
buying them for the somewhat large teenage
boys who assist me, and never get around
to getting one for me.

A long-sleeved shirt and pant cuffs tucked into
socks is all I've done when confronted with
nasty situations. Most times, I wear
tee-shirts.

Smoker technique makes a big difference. If
you buy a BIG smoker, and practice with it,
you will find that you can utilize smoke to
keep the bees "suppressed".


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## nhbeekeeper (Oct 1, 2004)

same as mentioned above...

i got a few jacket veil combo's (they require a helmet) from dandelion who has info on them in the "For Sale" section of the site. very nice quality







easy slip on slip off with a nice front pocket. 

no special pants, i usually have jeans on to go with the jacket. regarding stings? sure here and there with the jeans but they dont hurt much. the few times i got stung i wasnt even sure?

i have read here lots of praise regarding the Golden Products bee suit but have not had the funds to order one yet. maybe next year?


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

Hey Sundance, there is no way Michael can go, someone has to be here if we are gone to keep everybody honest! We actually sell the same type of suit your talking about. It is my "best piece of new equipment for 2005! I love it. I'm just yanking your chain about saying it is as secure as any suit. The fact is it is not and for me that becomes apparrent when we are loading hives at night. As you bend over again and again the jacket waist will ride up and give you exposure!. It is also much easier in a hot hive encounter to get stung through one layer of denim or cotton than a full bee suit with velcro/zipper ankles and normal clothers. I will concede though that I wear nothing else for field work than the suit you describe. With newbees though it is often important for them to gain confidence and not have too many stings the 1st. year or so. My offer still stands!


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## redhawknc1 (Jun 16, 2005)

Sundance, I ordered one of the Apollo English style Jackets from the gentlemen in the sale section yesterday. Looking forward to getting it! Reviews have been all good! 
Reading your last post, I went today and bought a pair of the Dickies White Painter pants to go with it! Will use velcro around the legs! Have you found that the painter pants are heavy enough to be somewhat sting resistant?
This gives me some alternatives to donning the Beemaster Suit every time! Sometimes, I need nothing, sometimes a veil, sometimes the jacket veil como, etc. Don't know much about the mesh suits that people are talking about, but I have already spent too much on protective clothing already!


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