# Why do the bees single me out?



## jwhiteker (Apr 1, 2013)

While attending an educational day at an apiary yesterday, I noticed that most bees seem to offer no more attention to me than they did to my fellow beekeepers. However, there are always three or four bees who seem to attack my face with a serious attitude. I haven't encountered any stings on my face yet, but while I will always weir a veil while doing major hive work, I would like to get to a point where I don't wear a veil while just hanging out in the bee yard. Has anyone else experienced this aspect of beekeeping? If so, have you found any remedy for this scenario?

I have done lots of research and I made sure that I showered the morning of the visit and put on a normal amount of lightly scented anti-perspirant and wore no cologne or hair products of any kind. I hadn't eaten bananas or done anything that I would consider to be a trigger. It just seemed odd to me that the bees were smacking me in the face/veil while the other beekeepers were able to stand in the same area mostly unprotected without any bees in their faces.

There was another beekeeper in attendance who was wearing a brand new hood/veil and he seemed to have 8-10 curious bees hovering around his face for long periods of time, but those bees seemed curious and non-aggressive, but the number of them really got the attention of the group.

- John


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## curios1 (Jul 2, 2012)

hard to tell why, I have a vail don't like it. a pain to put on and take off, so I can wipe my face or have a puff on my cigar while in my yard. so many times I have been nailed in the lips, eye brows, cheeks, neck, ears. sometimes I can be in my yard do a mild entry on a hive no problem, and some times, well you know. but this year I have a new English hive maintnance jacket hood on and off so easy what a difference. and I have still been nailed. O WELL !


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## JStinson (Mar 30, 2013)

Maybe it's your toothpaste. Maybe the bees don't like minty fresh breath?

:kn:


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## jwhiteker (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks curios1, that makes me feel a little better I suppose. It almost seems to me that some people are more naturally suited to beekeeping or doing outdoor activities. My stepson and I can go fishing in the same exact spot for hours and I will end up with 4-5 tick bites and tons of chigger bites and he never has any. Occasionaly he will have one crawling on his clothing, but they never bite him. My beekeeper educator seems to be able to drive through a swarm of hot bees and they won't sting him, even if they sting people who are riding along with him. I guess I just wish that I naturally tasted worse to bugs :lookout:

- John


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## jwhiteker (Apr 1, 2013)

JStinson said:


> Maybe it's your toothpaste. Maybe the bees don't like minty fresh breath?
> 
> :kn:


Yeah, JStinson, I figured I would get some comedic answers on here. :lpf: but I am in search of serious answers for the most part.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Do you have a beard, perhaps? Particularly if you have dark hair and a dark beard you may be considered to resemble a bear.


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## jwhiteker (Apr 1, 2013)

Nope, no beard. I'm even fair skinned. The only thing I can come up with is that I have pretty oily skin and maybe they pick up on some scent in the oil that I produce. I dunno. I did go out and check on a cut-out that I had performed and after three days of acclimation time, they lit me up as soon as I got near them. That day I had a hard day at work and was fairly smelly when I arrived. The smell of sweat seems to irritate them from what I have found.


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## BigDawg (Apr 21, 2013)

jwhiteker said:


> The smell of sweat seems to irritate them from what I have found.


I dunno, the girls will come and land on me when I'm working in the garden area and sweating, and they seem to like to drink the sweat off my arms....


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## Birdman (May 8, 2009)

I have about the same problem, but don't get stung. I will be working and doesn't matter where if there are honey bee's around there is always be one that well just buzz around me. I thought it might be because I have bee's and had some sent from the bee's on me.


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## TheBuzz (Feb 8, 2012)

Bees are annoyed by CO2 which is coming outta ur nose. I always have bees up in my face when working. Maybe you're breathing heavily or ur nervous too.


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

I have been told that if bees bother a certain person, you can put a sweaty t shirt on top of the hive for a while and the bees will get used to your scent and not bother you as much.


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## jwhiteker (Apr 1, 2013)

heaflaw said:


> I have been told that if bees bother a certain person, you can put a sweaty t shirt on top of the hive for a while and the bees will get used to your scent and not bother you as much.


Heaflaw, I love this idea. I would be willing to try that. It's pretty hard to work bees in KS in the summer time and not get all sweaty. I will try your idea! Thanks!


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

jwhiteker said:


> Heaflaw, I love this idea. I would be willing to try that. It's pretty hard to work bees in KS in the summer time and not get all sweaty. I will try your idea! Thanks!


Hope it works for you. Let us know.


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## dmpower (Nov 7, 2010)

Birdman said:


> I have about the same problem, but don't get stung. I will be working and doesn't matter where if there are honey bee's around there is always be one that well just buzz around me. I thought it might be because I have bee's and had some sent from the bee's on me.


That's just because you are so sweet!

Many people are more attractive to insects than others. When I was raising my family I was told that lactating women were not attractive to mosquitoes. I have no idea if it is true but I was never bothered then and have not been bothered since. I hadn't even been stung by a bee before I took up beekeeping in my mid 50's. 
I can work side by side with my husband and he will be completely suited up and I will be in shorts and a T-shirt. He will have bees inside his suit by the end of the inspection and I won't have been bothered a bit. Neither of us have ever worn perfumes or added scents.
I'd be curious to know if women and men attract bees differently. There is no doubt that in Indiana in the summer we both perspire a great deal while working on the hives.


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