Understanding the beekeeping suit and how it works is very important for an apiarist. It is his uniform, his personal protection suit that helps him to avoid harm. A beekeeping suit is composed of either a single or combination of the following: full suit, jacket, gloves, hat, veil, leather work boots and other miscellaneous items. Understanding the beekeeping suit requires description of each accessory and on how it will protect the wearer.
A beekeeping suit must be sting resistant, made from polyester-cotton in white color so that it is less sting-attractive for the bees. Understanding the beekeeping suit requires proper fitting. In beekeeping, loose-fit protective suits are more effective. So it is better to buy or order a bee suit next size up and make sure it is baggy and not too tight.
A beekeeping suit must be effective to stop the bees from entering inside it. In beekeeping, exposure to swarm is normal. Understanding the suit needs a keen eye to check the suit’s elastic cuffs at the wrists and ankles, zipper at the collar, torso and ankles, and the Velcro seals at the frontal area and back area of the integrated hood.
Instead of using a suit, visitors of an apiary can use a cheap observer smock. It is a jacket intended to worn by guests when they are being offered a glimpse of beekeeping. Understanding the suit is not only confined to adult sizes but for children as well. Children’s protective clothing is identical to an adult full suit that provides the same protective function.
A beekeeping suit often called full suit is well-designed clothing that protects the wearer from top to bottom. It must sustain various beekeeping chores like colony removal, killer bee extermination, commercial pest control and other utility maintenance. It must not be heavy and not too tight. The same is true with the jacket it must not require the use of straps, rubber bands or strings. The wearer’s wrists and ankles must be sealed with elastic cuffs.
The suit is not complete without a leather gloves. It prevents bees from stinging the hands or forearms extending up to the biceps. It must overlap with the full suit or jacket. It is made of thick leather enough to repel bee sting. Some beekeeping gloves are made of canvas and cotton. Some gloves manufacturer offers “guaranteed” sting protection. There are some disputed reasons for this:
1. Sting can sometimes penetrate even leather materials, and
2. only expensive Kevlar and aluminum fabric can guarantee full protection.
Proper beekeeping suit is also include a beekeeper’s hat to protect eyes from the sun. Sometimes it is used in combination of a ring veil with 360 degrees screen protection that extends the loop up to arm’s length. A veil must be integrated into the suit that is fully detachable and collapsible. It eliminates the use of hat. It is also recommended the use of high-top leather work to protect your ankles and feet.
Suits can be machine washable and dryable under normal weather condition. Beekeeping hoods and veils must be hand washed with soaps. The use of bleach is prohibited for bees dislike the bleach’s residual odor. If you are allergic to bee sting that can cause anaphylactic shock, understanding the beekeeping suit and how it works will save you from serious harm.