Bee Suits: how to choose the best bee suit?

Bee suit is a kind of special clothing to protect beekeepers from bee stings. Beekeepers should always wear a hat and veil around the face and eyes to avoid stings, and to be well protected, they also wear special pants, plus a jacket and gloves. It’s very important to be well protected because bees may be defensive sometimes.

Why do beekeepers wear bee suits? Is a bee suit necessary?

It is hard to say whether a bee suit is necessary or not. Generally speaking, honey bees are docile creatures and they prefer not to sting. However, sometimes, honey bees might be aggressive due to the season or if the beekeepers are not familiar with them. It is better to have a bee suit than not to own one, especially for most beginners. Another reason is that wearing a bee suit can improve confidence and calmness. Thus, a calm beekeeper is less likely to get stung.

How to choose bee suits?

As with anything in beekeeping, there are several options when it comes to choosing a bee suit.

To choose the bee suit which is comfortable to you, since you might wear it for more than an hour at a time so it should feel comfortable in it.
Bee suits are designed to be worn slightly baggy over your normal clothing, so it’s best to choose a slightly larger size than you would normally wear.
Be sure to give yourself plenty of room to move around with additional length, in case of movement such as ankles and wrists should remain covered when you’re crouching, bending or stretching.
Choose light colors, because lighter colors are normally more calming to bees.

Beekeeping hat and veil

Beekeeping hats and veils are very important for beekeepers’ safety. The veil is an essential part of the beekeeping suit that hangs down past the shoulders to protect the beekeeper’s head, face, and neck. The veil is made of a breathable mesh material that allows the beekeeper to breathe and see what they are doing.

When selecting a protective hat and veil, there are two things you need to consider. The first thing is whether or not you choose a hat and veil that are attached or separated. And the second one is the shape of your headgear.

What are the differences between a separated and attached hat and veil?

The main disadvantage of a separated veil and hat is that it might leave a few gaps for bees to get into. And the main advantage of a separated veil is the ability to replace it.

With an attached hat and veil, the seal is a relief. There are fewer things to worry about, so an attached hat and veil is more suitable for beginners.

The shape of veils

There are many different shapes of veils, including round, square, fencing.

So, what are the differences between those veils? What should beekeepers keep in mind when they are trying to choose the best veil?

Round veil: it provides a wide field of view and has plenty of space between the mesh and the head. Its design and breathable mesh provides excellent ventilation and help the beekeeper stay cooler on hot summer days. However, a potential disadvantage is the hat’s fit. If it’s too loose, it could fall when looking up.

Square or folding veil: It’s great because it folds away easily. A square or folding veil consists of a hardhat and mesh veil which are sold separately. The front mesh is quite spacious for sufficient view, and the side mesh allows good ventilation.

Fencing veil: it minimizes contact between the veil and the head, and it offers great protection to the beekeeper’s head. However, it can hang too low and obstruct the view in certain angles occasionally.

Should beekeepers wear gloves?

The beekeeping gloves can protect beekeepers’ hands from being stung, since a sting on hand will cause swelling. It is important to keep our hands well functional and protected because hands are our most used tool in everyday life.

In addition, bees like to crawl into little openings and slits so you should check your suit and ensure there are no bee get into your suit. Beekeeping gloves are usually long and go over your suit so that bees cannot get in under your sleeves.

What to consider when purchasing a bee suit?

1. Temperature

In Australia, many areas are warm and hot. For this reason, you might want to consider buying an aerated suit or at least a lighter-weight suit.

2. Color

Bees do not like dark colors. So when purchasing a bee suit you’d better to choose white or light pastel colors than dark colors.

3. Quality

A bee suit with good quality can protect you from being stung for a long time.

4. Security

A bee suit with quality zippers and elastic around the wrist, ankles, and waist will ensure that bees flying around inside your suit.

No matter how gentle your bees are, they will still try to sting you at times. So, you need to prepare at least one bee suit to lower the risks of getting stung.

As a bee tool supplier, we understand that if you can be seriously injured if you are stung too many times. We provide top quality bee suits, bee jackets and bee veils to lower your risk of getting stung as much as possible. You can visit our store at 31/830-850 Princes Highway Springvale. Or order online and get your bee suit right now.