# Do you wear gloves during your inspection?



## sistone (Feb 20, 2007)

Someone mentioned somewhere that they wear surgical gloves under their regular gloves. Slows down stingers.


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## Ruben (Feb 11, 2006)

I don't add anything, most times I don't wear gloves but sometimes I will if I think they are not in the best of moods or I have to get into them when it looks like it is going to rain or when I am in a hurry and working faster than I think they will want me to.


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## Gary L (Jan 24, 2007)

*gloves*

I cut my shirt sleeves off at the shoulder so the bees don't get up my sleeves and sting when they get crushed.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I do wear gloves but would like not to someday. When I was in Cali at Sue Cobeys class, she worked the hives out there and they were sooo docile but mine have an attitude. not sure if it is the weather difference or the order on the gloves. 

I do notice that when my hive tool or my gloves first come into the hive, they are always attacketed.


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## mac (May 1, 2005)

I wear gloves with no fingers. Ya know like the Artful Dodger in Oliver. I smoke myself real well to mask any human smell, ya know like beer or nachos


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## mistergil (May 24, 2007)

No gloves. They become saturated with alarm pheromone after only a few stings and I find they seriously agitate the bees. They usually look to sting higher up on the arms anyway. I rarely get stung now but in my early days I found that after five stings in one session the situation rapidly deteriorated and it was better just to shut up shop for that day. Always a veil though, stings around the eyes.... ouch!


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

No Gloves, most of the time in a light colored t-shirt and long pants. However, sometimes I wear a long sleeve light colored shirt, if it is cold out.


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## denny (Aug 2, 2006)

No gloves. I found when I used them that propolis stuck the fingers together and I would fumble more and not have that sensitivity that bare hands give. Besides, the occassional sting on the fingers/hands is good for my arthritis. I wear a light colored short sleeved shirt, and a long sleeved one when I'm working an ornery hive.


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

I bought some gloves 30 years ago. Threw them away after a couple of months. As noted above, they cause more stings than they prevent, they can spread disease, they get gummed up with propolis, they are not sensitive enough, etc.

Darrel Jones


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## kc in wv (Feb 1, 2006)

No gloves for me, unless I know the hive is a stinger. I have helped 5 other beeks this spring and I haven't used gloves in their hives also. I just smoke my hands and exposed skin and I also smoke an accidental sting to mask the sting odor left by the bee.

I have noticed there are a few things we do that causes most stings. Loud talking, rough handling of the frames, equipment, etc, sudden movements especially reaching across the open top quickly, squashing a bee under my fingers or hand.

So far I have one beekeeper who is a convert to the no gloves.


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## bleta12 (Feb 28, 2007)

*No Gloves, smoke your hands*

I do not use gloves on my daily operations. Rare occasions on fall or bad days when I do have to operate and the bees are really upset.
Smoking the hands and your clothes reduces stinging incidents.
You can operate better with no gloves.

Gilman


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## wbell (Mar 5, 2005)

My good friend and mentor told me to lose the gloves. I did.


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## mdotson (Jun 18, 2005)

I don't wear gloves. I wear a short sleeve shirt. I won't tolerate aggressive bees.


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## beegee (Jun 3, 2003)

You'll learn to move carefully and decisively with no gloves. Unless a hive is really hot, I don't wear gloves or coveralls. I used to wear a nylon inspector jacket, but it's too hot. Just a veil for me. I have some friends who wear the blue nitrile gloves, but I don't like rubber gloves because they get wet with sweat too soon. One of our beekeepers read that Old Spice aftershave applied to the hands would prevent stings. I don't think so....at least it didn't for me.


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## Gene Weitzel (Dec 6, 2005)

I don't wear gloves any more. I work in a tee shirt and just a veil. I smoke my hands and arms, this seems to help pretty well.


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## paulnewbee1 (Jan 27, 2007)

I,m new to all this bee stuff I wear gloves very little my bees are new this April and seem to be nice to me when I open up the frames and take a peek. I have only be stung once she got stuck in my hair now I wear a Baseball hat. 
I have only put the vail on about four times, no stings yet but if out there to do some real work I put it on. 

this is fun stuff keeping bees some hive do good other are weak at least for me

Paul


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

Way too much testosterone in this 'no glove' thread for me.


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

Gloves are for sissys.


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

OK, I'll admit I'll change my tune in about 2-3 weeks when the summer dearth hits.


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## Troutsqueezer (May 17, 2005)

Methinks folks who don't wear gloves have more of a tendency to reply to this thread than those that do. I'm guessing there are more keepers who do wear gloves than those who don't but you would never know from the responses.


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## Gene Weitzel (Dec 6, 2005)

Dee Bee said:


> Methinks folks who don't wear gloves have more of a tendency to reply to this thread than those that do. I'm guessing there are more keepers who do wear gloves than those who don't but you would never know from the responses.


I don't know about that, Dee Bee. As it stands the yes's have it 41 to 32 over the no's. If you count the sometimes, its more like 58 to 32.


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## kensfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I wear dishwashing gloves.. bright yellow.. thicker then surgical gloves.. the bees don't even try to sting them.


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## Apuuli (May 17, 2006)

I used to wear leather gloves, but they're clumsy so I switched to wearing no gloves. 

Then I learned how irritating it is to have a swollen finger joint for a week (and I don't have enough hives to get stung enough to lose that reaction). 

So I started wearing reusable laboratory gloves. 

However my hands end up swimming in their own sweat in those so recently I changed back to my leather gloves. Now I'm much less clumsy myself, so the extra clumsiness of the gloves doesn't bother me so much anymore. And when my friends comment on how gentle my bees are, I don't have to brace myself for the inevitable answering sting.


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

I never use them and hope that it stays that way. They seem unnecessary for the hobbiest unless you have some defensive bees.


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

Last week I got stung THROUGH my leather glove, right at the seam, clever girl. Seems to me if I had no gloves I'd have more stings on my hands. If you want to wear gloves, you need a good pair of well-fitting gloves so they don't get stuck between frames, supers, etc, when you are putting them back.


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## Farmerboy2 (Mar 29, 2007)

I always take them with me but i don't ware them very much.


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## deantn (Jan 3, 2007)

*Gloves*

Never wear them but have them in pocket just in case they might be needed.
Only use with an aggressive hive and they are easily spotted while working on other in yard.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

*Every time*

I wear gloves every time I go out and inspect my bees: After I am DONE inspecting; so I won't gum-up the steering wheel of my truck. I was really happy when I "graduated" myself from wearing gloves; a nice experience!! I "feel" that I don't need to have such a tight grip on the frames for fear of dropping. I can also "feel" if I am about to squeeze a bee, etc. I checked my bees today [2.5 colonies] with no smoke, no veil, NO gloves, and NO! stings. Admittedly, the .5 hive was a nuc [but growing] and I only lifted a few frames from all the hives. I noticed that when I moved my hands faster then "normal", 5 to 8 bees would "ZIP" on to my hands, but not sting. I think it depends on how MANY HIVES you have to check on and the amount of inspection you need to do. With 1-3 hives for me that is not a problem but if you have more than 6,8, 10 or more colonies and you need to get things done, maybe gloves are "mandatory". You can't always be moving s l o w l y. Though I voted NO, I will be wearing my "trusty" gloves when removing supers of honey, [hopefully] later this summer.


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## dickm (May 19, 2002)

OK. I wear gloves with the fingers cut off. I'm a sissy. BUT, though I've lit the smoker a few times this year, I've never used it. I expect to later but not yet and the 20 hives are growing. How many of you don't use smoke?

dickm


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I have not had leather gloves on in a few years now. I do go through a box of surgical gloves every so often. They do cuase my hands to sweat to the point that taking them off unleashes a good amount of liquid.

The surgical latex gloves will not prevent all stings. But they allow you to feel the frames and bees. They also provide a stepping stone for those who have never gone without gloves. Once you use surgical gloves or none at all, you will never go back to leather again.

I sometimes work all day with no gloves. Other times, I get stung enough that I'll use them as my hands get sore being stung numerous times per day while working a yard for 8, 10 or 12 hours.

I do like them for the ease of throwing them away after an inspection and I have no propolis residue. Just clean hands.

Harbor Frieght sells them for 6 or 7 bucks per box of 100 gloves. If you keep your eye open, sometimes they are on sale for 3.99


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

I use smoke when I know I am going to do a major inspection and when removing supers full of honey. You know what I dislike a lot more than honey bee stings?? Those D.............MN ugly, flat ass ticks!! They are the most secretive, sneaky little excuse for an insect. Two days after being out with bees they have to be [still] crawling around my apartment.


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## livetrappingbymatt (Jan 13, 2006)

*gloves most of the time*

goat skin w/long cuffs.sensitive and they protect my soft hands from sharpe things. i wear kevlar for animal handleing,no bites!
bob


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

*OK, sometimes I don't*



dickm said:


> OK. I wear gloves with the fingers cut off. I'm a sissy. BUT, though I've lit the smoker a few times this year, I've never used it. I expect to later but not yet and the 20 hives are growing. How many of you don't use smoke?
> 
> dickm


I haven't lit my smoker for about three years now. I use Bee Quick when harvesting.

I don't use gloves when collecting swarms. Proof-> 

http://ww2.kake.com/global/video/po....com/news/headlines/7753392.html&rnd=13588040

But I do wear gloves most of the time, I wear the lined chemical resistant gloves from Lowes or Homie Despot. They are great for doing cutouts when you are getting soaking wet with honey and dealing with thousands of angry bees.

If I am going to wear them all day I will put on a light jersey glove inside the chem glove, it makes wearing them very comfortable. I haven't used leather gloves for years.


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## shawnwri (Jul 31, 2006)

Oldbee said:


> You know what I dislike a lot more than honey bee stings?? Those D.............MN ugly, flat ass ticks!! They are the most secretive, sneaky little excuse for an insect.


and the only thing I dislike more than ticks are snakes.


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## Gregg (Dec 22, 2003)

Ha, made me laugh Oldbee (in a sick, twisted sort of way I suppose). Isn't that a wonderful feeling when you're in a bee yard and you can feel the ticks crawling up your leg and there's not a @#$#%^# thing you can do about it (not until much later at least).

Anyway, I voted "sometimes". Depends on what I'm doing (i.e., marking queens, obviously no gloves). Working hard & fast (which is most of the time) I will wear gloves. I never used to wear gloves but the bees seem to get a little more aggressive each year. I used to put supers on with just a short sleeved shirt and veil. I'd get killed if I tried to do that now. But like I believe someone mentioned earlier, working several hundred hives in a day is very different from working just a few. Most commercial beeks I know wear gloves all the time.

P.S. By the way Oldbee, I still have ticks crawling around my house also .


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Sorry! I shouldn't get so carried away with "descriptive" words. I had forgotten also that ticks and MITES belong to the same family. At least if you get stung by a honey bee you get some "apitherapy" while ticks can give you diseases.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

I think the more hives you have the less time you have to worry about "zen" with the bees. Being O SO GENTLE doesn't quite lend itself to those trying to manage many colonies. They need to get in, do what they need to do and get out. It is more about efficiency of time and effort and less about being slow and deliberate.

I imagine that a hobbiest will be more inclined to use no gloves although this one uses his leather gloves at all times even when marking. They are liberally coated with mineral oil multiple times and are pretty soft. 

The only exception to wearing gloves is when I am caging queens for sale.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

BjornBee said:


> Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.


Bjorn,

What about during official Apiary Inspection for PA? Do you and other PA Apiary Inspectors wear gloves?


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## RonS (Dec 28, 2004)

I have read about fellow Beeks working their hives naked, figuratively speaking, but not me. Other than simple hive observation, at a small distance, I would not even consider it without full protection. I learned that the hard way. I just bought one of Magnet-man's breeze suits, and boy is the name true. Heavy in weight from the tyvek suit I had before, but I spent two hours in it and was only mildly moist. I could actually fell the breeze through the fabric. Wonderful! Five minutes in my Dadant Tyvek and I needed a hydration tranfusion. I wear boots and full gauntlet gloves. I do have one hot hive that needs re-queening. That hive has almost all black bees and has a long memory. I watered my garden, about 100 feet away, and had to keep on that new suit/gloves as about four or five vigilantes buzzed me the whole time looking for a way in. With my new suit, I knew that they were wasting their time. So, I glove up at all times as I don't much like pumpkin hands.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Mark,
When I was inspecting  you had to be able to work bees with no gloves. Which sometimes really presented some long painful days when a hive had been glued shut for two years, or a hive was nasty.

There was always a box of latex gloves given to us every year in our intitial box at the start of the season. Nobody actually said what it was for. I know there was talk of pesticide contact in hives. Its hard not to think of what your getting on your skin when you are inspecting hives bare skinned with pure mavrik pured into the hives and your working around panty liners and soaked cardboard. I always though the box of latex was a cover your butt thing in case anyone ever tried to make a claim down the road. 

The job description says your to be able to work bees with no gloves. I worked many times until I had two or three stings. Then I would put on a pair of latex surgical type gloves. Most beekeepers understood.

I have official resigned from the state inspectors position. This is to provide others with a better improved product and service from Bjorn Apiaries. (I may need to wait on the service part till next year...  )


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## Soilman (Apr 30, 2007)

BULLSEYE BILL - That was a cool video, although the reporters sounded like there was a bear on the loose.. 

As a new beekeeper with 4 hives now, 3 buckfast and one itallian hive, I tried my gloves on but havent used them in the hive yet. I have only been stung once in the hand by a squished bee I set my finger on.... but let me walk out in a bee-yard without a veil and BAM right in my right ear, this has happened twice, and wow what a experience.. My wife has been hit in the eye.. also no gloves for her and no hand stings. I always smoke lightly, and will untill I dispatch my buckfast daughter queens.


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## jimg (Feb 3, 2007)

gloves with a little baby powder -- no stings


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Back in 1966 when I got my first beehive, I tried to wear gloves, but soon abandoned them, they were just too clumsy and I found that it was very difficult to avoid mashing bees, which just seemed wrong.

I usually get several stings on my hands while checking my hives, but so what, only hurts for a few seconds.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I wear gloves all the time. I guess it gives me a since of secrurity. But I do like what Dan said that it does depend on how many hives you have. With 26 hives and only a half a day to look at them, sometimes speed is key. 

I would like to try the mineral oil and alcolhol trick.


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## kbee (Mar 6, 2005)

I use the non latex thin gloves that come in the box. They are not sting proof but the girls don't bother them. The only time a sting came through was during extracting when I pinched a bee on a honey frame. Your hands sweat in them but you have pretty good dexterity. I only use leather gloves in high risk situations like moving hives.


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## papar (Apr 10, 2007)

I use pvc gloves that are used for household cleaning, your hand sweat in them pretty good but they can't penitrate them or even attempt to. I keep some rubbing alcohol around and rinse my gloved hands with it after I'm done and that keeps them clean. They seem indifferent to the gloves. As for smells; I use a one piece bee suite most times. Haven't washed it in two years and I don't go into my hives smelling pretty.


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## Steve C (Jun 25, 2006)

I do not where gloves..... but I'v only been doing this for a year as of Jun.....????
sometimes I don't smoke the hive.....I do where a vail......just to keep that one or 2 head butting bee out of my black hair....
I did not where gloves when my swarm was in the tree.... I was in shorts and short sleave shirt - only 1 sting on the side of finger...


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## Tia (Nov 19, 2003)

Okay, I'll admit it. I wear gloves all the time. I used to work bare handed and I never had a problem, but: (1) I'm just more comfortable wearing gloves. (2) Without my gloves I worry about the girls crawling up my sleeves. (3) As I get older, I'm having more and more trouble hefting the boxes so I can look in the box underneath. I fear that in my clumsiness in doing so I might squish somebody. Haven't so far, but just in case.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

We wear leather gloves when doing "production" work, which is most of the time. Most (all?) commercial beeks that need to go through large numbers of colonies in a given day wear gloves. If you even got one sting every 2 colonies that could add up to over 50 stings in a _short_ day, lol.
There is just no time for the mmooooovingggg slooowwwly thing.  Much of the time no smoke either.
Last month for instance, John was working in our home holding yard, wearing full gear with gloves. I was picking queens a couple acres away without gloves. He saw a monster swarm http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2621079820048587895dHoCdP and called me over to see, so we caught that swarm with him in gloves and me without.
I either don't wear gloves with the "finesse" work, such as swarm gathering, queen rearing, etc. or wear lightly powdered vinyl gloves, especially if the weather is nasty. I usually don't wear gloves picking queens, no smoke either, or if they are in larger mating colonies (we do some in 5 frame nucs) I will wear vinyl gloves with the "pickin" fingers cut out. Again, if you need to pick a couple hundred queens in a day that can add up to a lot of stings just from the occasional overdefensive individual guard bees. The vinyl gloves are not stingproof but they must feel funny to the bees little feet because they don't usually even cling to them.
Sheri


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

BjornBee said:


> Mark,
> When I was inspecting  you had to be able to work bees with no gloves.
> 
> I have official resigned from the state inspectors position. This is to provide others with a better improved product and service from Bjorn Apiaries. (I may need to wait on the service part till next year...  )


PA's loss. But probably PA's gain too. You can probably do more for yourself and in some cases more for your fellow beekeepers too.

I never had bees in PA, but thanks for your service anyway.


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## Mimi's Bees (Jul 16, 2006)

*No gloves*

Hey everyone,

I made the decision not to wear gloves when I got my first hive. I've watched people work hives with gloves and they seem awkward. I have gotten very few stings on my hands.

Mimi's Bees


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## beecron (Nov 7, 2004)

I always wear latex gloves, not as much for the sting protection, but as somebody previously said, to keep the steering wheel clean on the way home. I've been told they have a harder time stinging through the latex also since they can't get a good grip on the latex to drive the stinger. I have gotten a couple though.


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## LET (May 24, 2005)

*Gloves - All the time*

I wear a hooded jacket and gloves every time I open my hives. I get a pretty good allergic reaction to a sting, so the risk/reward equation is way out of balance to go without. I frequently wash my gloves while wearing them to get rid of any unwanted pheremones/odors and have found that the bees really don't seem to mind them. I also use a molded frame grabber to handle frames. - So, put me on the "wimp list" but I don't get stung and I enjoy the experience.


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## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

My mentor introduced me to beekeeping by going through one of his hives without wearing gloves. When I got my hives and did my first inspection I wore gloves and that was the last time. Although the last time I got stung in the hand it was swelled up for two days. Maybe I will try gloves with the fingers cut out if I keep swelling up.

Ski


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## kokopelli (May 14, 2006)

I'm a "sometimer" depends on the tasks of the day. Light weight, sensitivity and agility are all important so I will go gloveless in the srping or summer, or I use a light weight, close-fitting gardening glove that is rubberized on the fingers and palm side but is open weave cotton on the back side. This keeps my hands free of propolis and the open weave helps reduce the sweating, a big issue in New Mexico. 

If I am going to have to open a hive at night for some reason I will go to leather gloves because they WILL be defensive! I will often use leather for manipulating hives after harvest as well, since the girls remember what happened when I showed up last time and take objection to it. . ;-)


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## John F (Dec 9, 2005)

paulnewbee1 said:


> I have only put the vail on about four times, no stings yet but if out there to do some real work I put it on.


Sort of a "do as I say and not as I do" moment.

Last year I was showing my daughter a brood comb. She had asked what one looked like in the house so we walked right out to the hive, I pulled one out, said, see this is what it looks like and can you please brush off the bee that is stinging my lower eyelid. (She quickly brushed and ran off screaming...)

I swore to always wear the vail when opening the hives for any manipulation.

Ok, so last week my cousin brings his daughter over to watch the bees. Will I open the hive? No. Will I show her a comb? No. Really? Yes. But I am curious what they look like?... Well, anyway I eventually told her that I would show her one if she stood at the garden fence. I'll bring one to her and then we'll put it right back in the hive.

Kazam in the eyebrow. I told those watching to just slowly move themselves to the patio (across the yard) and I would be right with them. Kazam to the cheek. I put the hive back together and walked across the garden towards my guests, swatting and brushing as I now had angry bees in my hair and shirt.

I got to include a little talk about how stinging is the death of the bee and swatting those in the process of stinging me just gets them there faster. Also a little bit about how bees use scent as a means of communications and that now that I have been "marked" by a few bees I could probably invoke another attack by just getting in front of the hive. (And no, we aren't going to do that experiment )

This happened Wed. night. The eye swelling was gone Sunday morning.

I hate face stings. I swear I will wear the vail...


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Gloves are about the only thing I don't wear. Once in a GREAT while, anymore, I may pop open a new package or a small hive with no armour. But otherwise I just smoke my hands ahead of time then go into the hive. If they get hot due to my clumsiness they get upset but still stay pretty mellow and calm right back down.


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## beehoppers (Jun 16, 2005)

I wear leather gloves whenever I work bees. Also a veiled jacket and long pants. I don't smoke them till late in the year for harvest.


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## hummingberd (Aug 26, 2006)

ALWAYS! I just don't enjoy being stung...I avoid it at all costs!


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## JP (Jul 10, 2005)

*wear or not to wear, gloves.*

I never use gloves when handling swarms.

I wear them (stripping or playtex, anything latex) when doing cut-outs. When I get the queen during a cut-out, I remove the gloves to cage her, at that point I am away from the hive and what bees are around me are more interested in tending to the queen.

I always wear them when in my bee yard, I have 3 Russian hives and 10 Feral ones. Most of the ferals like to sting.

I don't mind getting stung it comes with the territory, but if I can minimize the amount of stings I get, I will.

I guess I am a sissy...and proud of it, now where is that pink dress!


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

I often wear gloves, but not always. I think I wear them now more than I used to. I don't seem to have the time that I used to have and typically move through the boxes more quickly now. Faster working speed; more need for gloves.

I also ALWAYS wear a veil. I even keep a mosquito net around in case I just want a quick peek without putting on the suit.


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## jamiev (Sep 14, 2005)

*latex...good security and you can work more efficiently*

I got the idea from Bjorn and I like it a lot. Sometimes, I actually wear two on each hand if the bees seem fiesty. I get stung even through two occasionally but they do not seem to penetrate very far through two layers of latex. You can work very efficiently with latex gloves . You have a sense of touch as opposed to the lambs leather which are clumsy and not gentle with the bees. 
thanks for the tip Bjorn
that's why I like this site so much.

One time i closed up the hive and as I went to remove the latex glove I realized that i had torn it and the whole inside of my palm and fingers were exposed to the bees with no protection. Yikes!!! good thing i did not realize it while bees were all over my hands... i probably would have freaked out


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## djuniorfan8 (Jun 15, 2004)

*Your not the Duke!*

After years of being stung without any problems, i recently developed a hypersensitivity to the stings. I was stung 3 times by some nasty SMR Harbo bees, my arm was as big as my thigh for a week. Now i wear a full suit and gloves, and carry an epi-pen. My years in the Fire Dept. I've seen alot of guys John Wayne it on scene with out the proper protective equipment and they always end up hurt at some point. It's just not worth it!
-Tim


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## TX Ashurst (May 31, 2005)

I have taken to wearing nitrile gloves these days, mostly to keep my hands clean. However, a few weeks ago when I was cutting out some errant comb and harvesting a couple frames of honey from my TBHs, I got quite a lot of honey on the gloves. Then bees would stick to it. Funny, it never occurred to me to rinse them off. But, back to the story. I worked for awhile with no problems, then started getting stings right through the nitrile, which is hard for the bees to do. Then I realized I had been shaking sticky bees off my gloves right over the hive and drawing hordes of defenders. I stopped and took off the gloves. I put new ones on, though, because the bees were still upset and I still had a ways to go.

Overall I prefer to work with a veil as my only protective device. AHB fears have led me to buy a tyvek suit, but I hope I don't have to wear it. AHB haven't been ID'd in the county where my bees are, but they have been occasionally ID'd in every county around it, so they will be there sooner or later.


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## beaglady (Jun 15, 2004)

I'm a fan of plastic dish gloves, and I wear an inspectors jacket with the zip on hood. I seldom get stung, but I sure feel calmer knowing I probably won't. Even though I've occasionally worn this outfit with shorts & flipflops. I'm brave enough to fill a feeder or add pollen patties with no gloves or veil, but not much else.


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

I wear gloves. IF I get stung on a knuckle that will be the day Mr. Murphy reports to work and I will have to scrub multiple times. Scrubbing over bee stings is not pleasent.

Keith


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## Cyndi (Apr 26, 2005)

I do wear gloves - all the time. I like having self confidence which makes me more efficient. Although...I'm kinda interested in doing the latex glove thing cause I'd really like to be able to be like you guys and not wear gloves at all....one of these days.

Last month I attended Don, the Fatbeeman's bee school. That was the first time I ever hung around a bee yard without a bee suit, a veil, no gloves...nothing. I didn't handle any frames that day and was so glad that was not a requirement - yikes!!! Thank goodness we weren't like tested or anything,


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## Soilman (Apr 30, 2007)

I have already voted and posted but wanted to report a observation today. I was rehiving a feral collony today onto foundation and caught a beesting right in the end of my index finger. this are is very calloused and I just decided to watch her.. she first looked to be trying to force her stinger deeper and couldn't, then she twisted and turned I guess trying to unscrew herself from my finger and the she just ripped off.. but the strange thing was no pain, nothing my calloused finger tip beat here stinger lol. no venom injected. So hard work helps you in many ways, one being a bee sting shield.


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## Chris (Jun 18, 2007)

*Gloves*

Hi we're very new to this.
We bought 4 frames of bees from a Greek bee keeper (we live in Crete). He wore a t shirt no gloves and no veil and his smoker kept going out. He had to saw a little off the ends of his frames so they would fit in our hive body and still he got no stings!

We don't use gloves but stick to long sleeves and a veil............. no stings yet ! (tempting fate now) but still a small colony and very easy going.


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

*gloves*

Yes, all the time. I have been stung 8 times this year, 7 on the hands, once on the jaw while on my porch. The bees always seem to go for my face or hands, never anywhere else


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## Benton2569 (Feb 26, 2007)

*see "reaction to bee sting"*

This year I stopped using gloves and once getting over the initial fear liked it much better however....I have gotten stung more often. This is mostly due to me not watching where I grab and pinching a bee.

Sunday the bees were more agressive than usual. I was stung between the thumb and the index finger. My hand has been swollen for the last 1.5 days. Going forward I will bring my gloves and use them based on how the bees are reacting to me.


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## papar (Apr 10, 2007)

I use disposable kitchen gloves. They go up to about 4 inches above the wrist and bees usually can't sting through them. When they get gummed up, like my hive tool, I wash them down with rubbing alcohol. Also prevents the spread of disease


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## John Gesner (Dec 17, 2005)

*I don't like getting stung on the hands, but...*

I've learned to go without gloves most of the time. I have a pair of Brushy Mountain ventilated leathers that I keep in the truck - always.

I had a particularly nasty hive that I couldn't work without gloves. They'd go for me every time and seemed to like stinging the meaty part of the back of my hand between the thumb and index finger. Couldn't figure out what their problem was until one day after a rainy spell, I saw mud smeared all around the entrance. Skunks! I put up tack strips and the bees temperament changed within a week. Haven't had to wear gloves with them since.

Others have mentioned dishwashing gloves. That's what I started with. They're cheap and you can scrub the propolis off them with household ammonia and water.

Do what I tell the new beeks in our spring beeschool... If you feel more at ease working your bees in gloves, do it. The object is to enjoy the experience and WANT to work your bees.


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

i don't use gloves, but like most people, i keep a pair handy. i smoke the hive a little, and my hands a lot. when i first started keeping bees, i thought i'd be smart and use that instant hand sanitizer before going in. i don't think i've ever gotten stung by so many bees at once on my hands. i think it was purell. i wouldn't recommend the hand sanitizer even as cruel practical joke.


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## aidah (May 29, 2007)

LOL. You guys are great!! I ware all my gear. Gloves, Suit,Vail, boots, even Velcro the openings of my sleeves closed. I'm working on just looking without worrying. Lets have this poll again next year OK.


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## beekeeperookie (Apr 9, 2007)

When first starting out I wore the leather gloves but they kept getting stuck between the frames and such, so I been without now. I do keep them in my hive box


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