Bee helmet/ hood

[SkwerI]

I'm hoping No Bivy or one of our other bee guys might be able to help me out here. I want to buy a bee hood to keep on the truck so I can protect myself when I encounter a tree with bees in it. The only one I've ever used belongs to one of the guys I work for on occasion and it isn't a very good one. I'd like one of my own, preferably not too hot.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've used a wide brimed hardhat with a couple fine mesh laundry bags over it. It worked just fine.

 

[rumination]

Here are a couple you can look at Brian. The first one is a cheapy, I haven't used it but it looks decent, and will probably serve for occasional use. The second is the one I own. It's definitely NOT cheap but is very nice. If you have a full brimmed helmet already than you can just get a cheap veil to slip over it that would work just fine as well.

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34_66&products_id=836

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34_66&products_id=593

 

[SkwerI]

I think I'm looking more for a hooded jacket type deal. Cool website, these look a little more like what I was thinking of.
https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34_64&products_id=584

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34_64&products_id=723

 

[rumination]

Oh, I see. Go for the first one. Better visibility. John might have some good suggestions too.

 

[stig]

Make sure you get some long shafted gloves to go with it, otherwise the bees or wasps will get to your hands by crawling into the gloves.
I have the widebrim model bee suit from back when my wife kept bees, it works great for taking out wasps nest and such.

 

[rumination]

I don't usually wear gloves when working bees, but if I was dealing with hornets/yellow jackets I definitely would.

Something to remember is that every time a bee stings you or every time you squish a bee it releases an "angry bee" smell that gets the other bees riled up. Getting stung once can mark you as a target for further stings.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Over here they say that wasps and bees will be attracted to black color in an aggressive way. I've heard that possibly it is an inherent reaction, resulting from the fact that predators, bears and such that attacked the hives, were usually black.

Once a buddy and myself were attacked by wasps, being in close proximity to a nest and not knowing it. When he took off his cap and exposed his black air, they came after him and he was severely stung on his head. We called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. I was wearing a cap but never removed it, got off very light, with only a few stings on my arm.

 

[rumination]

Yup, wearing light colors when working around bees/wasps/hornets is a wise practice.

 

[Cobleskill]

Beekeepers wear white for that reason. I don't have a white suit. A smoker seems to be enough protetection. If I am just taking a quick look I usually don't put on a veil.

 

[rumination]

The smoker is a most excellent tool. What do you use for smoker fuel? I'm using dried cow/horse poop which works really well and is plentiful and free in these parts.

 

[Cobleskill]

I use sisal baler trine. My neighbor used to have a few hundred hives. He would come to our farm and bag up baler trine for his smoker.

I should try horse poop. Cow dung burning is kinda strong. The twine has kerosene or some light petrol coating to keep it from rotting so it fires up well.

 

[rumination]

Yeah the cow poop is kinda strong smelling but it burns for quite a while. Horse poop is cleaner but burns faster.

I've heard tell that throwing some juniper bark in your smoker will repel varroa mite to an extent. Creosote bush kills the mites outright!

 

[stig]

Guys, there is a world of difference between domesticated bees and wild ones.
I didn't wear gloves when tending to the nice and friendly bees, we had at home, either.
But you never know what kind of temper, you'll find in a wild bee family. Some of the brown bees, we have here, are as ornery as wasps.
Even in domesticated bees, you can get a strain that is agressive, one of my former apprentices had some hives at my place, and we called those "Asgers african killer bees" because of their temper!

 

[Cobleskill]

Cool. I hadn't heard that. Might become a market for creosote bush.

 

[Cobleskill]

Stig,

It does seem as though each hive has its own personality. I have had some nasty bees.

 

[rumination]

I have met wild bees that are as docile as can be, and "domesticated" bees that are as ornery as all get out. And vice versa. And each hive's mood can be variable depending on weather, honey flow, time of year, time of day, etc.

Although, I disagree that there is a "world of difference" between wild and domesticated honeybees. The line is very thin, at least around here. After all, unless you are buying every single one of your queens from thoroughbred queen breeders, than most of your queens are potentially mating with wild drones. Which is a good thing. Inbreeding is very damaging to bees. I suppose it might be different where you are Stig.

 

[stig]

Yep, exactly why I though someone who is not used to bees, should wear long gloves!!


One year I had to do the honey harvest alone, because my wife was laid up with a torn achilles tendon. So I asked my 80 year old mother to lend a hand. We'd had a summer with a lot of rain, so the bees hadn't been flying much. Therefore the worker bees hadn't been used up, so there were LOTS of bees in the hives. Worst I've ever seen.
Since it was my mothers first time in bees, she thought that was the way it was supposed to be, so she stayed completely calm, as we were taking out honey with about 60000000000000000000000 bees swarming around us.
I got stung a lot, but they never touched her.
If you can just maintain a zen-like attitude around bees, they won't sting you.
At least that is what I have experienced.

 

[Cobleskill]

Requeening is in order for nasty bees.

 

[rumination]

Yeah, working with cranky bees is no fun at all.

 

[Frans]

Last time I took out a wasp nest wearing a hood, it was real scary having those wasps hit the screen as hard as they could. Sure glad there was no holes in the screen because those wasps were real angry and flying about a million miles an hour

 

[stehansen]

We always have plenty of bees around with my neighbor raising queens. He said that if any of them were acting aggressive to let him know. The ones that get left behind when they move the hives during the day are pretty aggressive.

 

[rumination]

Just tell him you'll overlook the aggressive bees in return for some honey.

 

[Hobby Climber]

Did somebody say ..."HONEY"???

 

[sotc]

Yup, wearing light colors when working around bees/wasps/hornets is a wise practice.

Hmmm, I guess my wife saved that wedding dress for a reason after all, Maybe i'll call her next time we run into bees!