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Author Topic: What kind of bee veil to buy?  (Read 3414 times)

Offline Bob Wilson

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What kind of bee veil to buy?
« on: June 24, 2019, 05:58:12 pm »
Guys, it is almost July in Georgia, and the heat and humidity are already something fierce. My bee jacket is like a sauna. I have yet to be stung, except when I had to mess with their entrance, so I am interested in a bee veil for quick inspections, like changing out beetle traps. HOWEVER, I want a good sealing one around the neck.
What do kind do you use, or more importantly, what would you choose if you were buying one?

Offline iddee

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2019, 06:13:48 pm »
I would recommend a ventilated jacket, like this one.......

https://beezneedz.com/product/ventilated-jacket/
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2019, 08:51:54 pm »
I have a pullover shoulder veil from Betterbee.  I really love it. It?s very protective for quick inspections, and I also don?t have to worry about it coming untucked from my coveralls. I also like the built-in all fabric hat which is easy to clean. Shipping from Betterbee is kind of expensive though, and I?m not sure if any other company sells a veil like this.
https://www.betterbee.com/veils-and-helmets/shv1-shoulder-veil.asp
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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2019, 10:16:04 pm »
Thanks guys. Good advice. Do you have any recommendations for just a veil for quick inspections? I have seen some that are brimmed hats, with the veil connected to the rim, and two simple straps that go under each arm. No body suit at all.

Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2019, 11:38:24 pm »
I already have a good jacket and attached veil. With some heavy jeans, I feel very confident about dealing with a little aggressiveness. I was just thinking about a simple veil for small jobs. I found this hat/veil combo at Rossman apiaries. www.gabees.com/product/se01-woven-hat-and-vale-combo/

Offline jimineycricket

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2019, 09:54:59 am »
I have used nothing but a veil similar to this one for the last four years.  https://www.dadant.com/catalog/clothing/veils/v01093-dadant-folding-veil      I think every supply house offers their own particular veil very much like this.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2019, 11:51:38 am »
Bobil,
I recommend you try out which ever one you want to buy before buying it.
Get one with the strings attached in the back with a D ring in the front so that the netting is firmly seated in your chest, back and shoulders.
Get one that you can easily see through so that you can see eggs in a frame. A lot of them are hard to see through especially if it allows the netting to fold up in front of your face.
Maybe you could ask other club members to try theirs.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2019, 03:32:57 am »
Bobil,
I recommend you try out which ever one you want to buy before buying it.
Get one with the strings attached in the back with a D ring in the front so that the netting is firmly seated in your chest, back and shoulders.
Get one that you can easily see through so that you can see eggs in a frame. A lot of them are hard to see through especially if it allows the netting to fold up in front of your face.
Maybe you could ask other club members to try theirs.
Jim Altmiller

I second that, I have a good ventilated jacket hood combination which is great, but still to hot for me and unnecessary if you do not mind taking a sting from time to time on the arm by simply using a vile. I bought one of the more expensive veils form Mann Lake hat and veil combination, Cotton hat (adjustable)?  not! Size adjuster is worthless and of poor design, of this hat and veil combination. It looked good in the catalogue. And it is good, with good vision to boot, baring the previous mentioned hat adjustment and another problem is the back netting which rest over the back of your neck is way to short! If the front netting which lays on your chest area, had been the same length as the back, I could not have been happier. The front is fine. But the back is far to short. I am stuck with it and it is still better than nothing. at least the bees cant sting my face.

PS . Mine looks like you PM03 except my screen is 360  allowing more ventilation and peripheral vision. That part I like. Mine was $45
« Last Edit: June 27, 2019, 01:57:28 am by Ben Framed »
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Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2019, 03:14:42 am »
I / we use the classic round -Alexander Veil- style.  It is lightweight but tough. Super simple.  Provides for great vision.  And when properly put on and tied, it keeps out the meanest crawliest masses of bees.  I suggest staying away from anything that requires a hat or has hinge folding lines.
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline paus

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2019, 10:30:29 am »
I got the pocket veil from ML but it was flimsy and rubbed on my neck,  so I sewed a pieces of 1/4 inch plastic tubing all around the veil about 8 " below  my ventilated hat brim.  I loved this much better than "store boughten" veils, but there is one problem.  A friend that helps me with bees took it over so now I'm going back to Mann Lake for a couple more veils and tractor supply for two more hats.
"

Offline Live Oak

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2019, 07:26:56 pm »
I got tired of being stung on the nose & chin as well as extremely obstructed view with hood type veil especially when operating the tractor so I use the Mannlake MV-110 veils. https://www.mannlakeltd.com/shop-all-categories/protective-gear/hats-and-veils/veil-w-cloth-hat-zipper  These work very well for me.  Very comfortable, no more stings, and I can see 360 degrees around me. 

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2019, 10:27:59 pm »
I use the square nylon veil with elastic from Mann Lake. Don't get any veil with metal screening, they rust out from all the sweat and humidity, learned that the hard way when bees began getting in. I use an old straw safari hat and stitch the veil onto it with four or five stitches. Instead of a jacket I just picked up a white dress shirt at Good Will for a few dollars and flip the collar up to keep the veil off my neck.
  For heavy bee yard work like pulling honey I have a cotton moon suit but that gets way too hot for just inspections. 

Offline BAHBEEs

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Re: What kind of bee veil to buy?
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2019, 05:41:17 pm »
Note...a full ventilated suit is not terribly hot when you wear nothing but shorts under it...if not less (it IS pretty opaque)

 :shocked:

Mine was made by guardian.  It is kind of like two layers of screen door with a separator between the layers.

Wind moves right through it.  I call it my wearable screen door!


 

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