BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS

Coveralls?

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Bee Boy:
I was wondering, is it a neccesity to have coveralls? From everybody's personal experience could you tell me if you have to have them or not? I'm using just a veil right now.

Robo:
I usually only wear a veil also.  I do however find covers useful when doing any major manipulations like removing honey or preparing for winter.  Getting wax and propolis on your clothes can be a pain to get out.  I usually just buy a cheap disposable paint suit from Lowes for less than $10.  When it gets too dirty or starts to rip, I just replace it.

mark:
having worn both the tyvek and the cotton coveralls heres what i have found.  while the tyvek are inexpensive and stingproof (the bees can't hold onto the smooth surface to sting) they are extremely hot.  much more so than the cotton.  they don't breathe so you are soaked (literally) when you are finished working the hives.  cotton coveralls will evaporate the moisture and cool you somewhat especially if there is a slight breeze.  the tyvek seams are NOT very strong and before you know it you're wondering if any bees will find their way to the hole in the crotch :lol: ....always the first place to rip.
   the coveralls i have aren't sheriff's and they aren't thick or padded they are just a very dense weave and not very expensive.  they keep my clothes clean, i don't feel stings if i've ever taken any in them (i really don't know) and they give me the confidance to work the bees comfortably.  
  i have the cuffs long enough to drag on the ground so i don't need to tape and i bought two zippers to attach the veil.
  in my opinion if you need coveralls as i do the tyvek are a waste of money in the long term.  for quickies they are fine.

Beth Kirkley:
I had started out buying only a veil, and then I used a white sweatshirt and garden gloves. The only thing that "worked" was the sweatshirt. The veil drove me nuts because every time I bent over the hood part would slide down over my face and completely expose my neck. Then the garden gloves didn't work because they were just too big and clumsy - like wearing baseball mitts.

I now own a full bee suit with the zipper hood, and gloves that go up to the elbows. I like it. It gets hot, and I end up having sweat drip in my eyes because I can't really wipe my face....... but I'm confident in it.

Beth

B DOG:
I have a coveralls and a vail and it is great. i have never been stung because i am completely covered. i also went to lowes and bought a nice pair of leather gloves that are realy tight, but not unconfortable. i also wear a nice pair of hiking leather boots. i am always protected because you never know what you are going to find once you get in there. first they could be in a really bad mood and this might be the only time that you can get in there, so work has to be done. second nothing could ruin a fun trip to the bee yard than being stung a bunch to times. and finaly, have you seen that comerical where the two guys are trying to get rid of that hornets nest in there front yard. one guy is standing on this latter and is about to cut the branch where the hornets are on but loses his footing falls into the nest pulling it down and landing on top of it. Wile bees are not hornets you are more than likely going to do something stupid like drop a frame or lose your balance and fall into your bee hive or yet tip you hive over. then you not only half to deal with, oh i don't know 20,000 bees or more but you would half to deal with puting the hive back together if you want to save it. alway go out there expecting the worst thing to happen that way whe it does you are fully prepaired. plus if you are new there is even a bigger reason.

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