Bee Suit – a Buying Guide

A few weeks short of giving birth to my son I went to help a friend in her apiary. With my beekeeping suit on and wellies in hand I met her husband, who looked me up and down. His facial expression lingering somewhere between disgust and amusement. And then he said:

‘Hanna, you don’t look pregnant in that. Just fat!’

Like that. Straight to the point and no feelings spared. He was right of course. Bee suits do that. They were not designed to be worn on the red carpet, and they definitely don’t do most of us any favours. Despite the widely known fact that beekeepers are an enormously handsome bunch!

But they are a useful piece of kit and every beekeeper should have at least one. Trust me, you are guaranteed not to win any beauty competitions in it. But you most certainly will need it. 

The Bee Suit

A bee suit offers good protection against bee stings. It is generally worn over another layer of clothing. Although bees can sometimes sting through the suit it does not happen very often. If you get stung despite wearing a beekeeping suit, it is not seldom down to human error. It could be the result of a hole in the suit or veil, or a bee getting in through the openings at either the wrists, ankles, waist (if wearing a jacket), or the small space that can appear where the veil is zipped onto the suit.

Nearly as important as the physical protection afforded by a good bee suit, is for the beekeeper to feel safe, comfortable, and calm while working with the bees. For a beginner who has not yet become accustomed to handling bees, and for those with a fear of or allergy to bee stings, the bee suit offers just that. Peace of mind and a safe space to work.

Full or Half Bee Suit

Beekeeping suits come as full suits and as separate jacket and trousers. Many beekeepers who opt for a jacket do not bother wearing an extra pair of trousers. They go for jeans or work-trousers in a heavy fabric instead.

There are pros and cons to both styles, but it is generally recommended that beginners get the full suit. This is because the full suit offers better protection as there are less places where bees can get in. On the other hand, wearing a full suit is often more restrictive than a jacket and trousers combination. While working in the suit, you will be doing a fair amount of reaching, carrying, squatting and bending. It is therefore imperative that the suit is comfortable and not too tight or restrictive. Also neither the body, sleeves nor legs of the suit should be too short. Too loose is not great either as it is not comfortable. Also, bees can get trapped very easily in the folds of a baggy suit.

Size of Beekeeping Suits

Sizing is important, and when choosing, make sure that you keep all this in mind. Don’t feel embarrassed doing a few manoeuvres or a bit of stretching and bending while trying it on in the shop. You may look a little silly, but it will help you to make a better decision.

Bee Suit Colours – Does it Matter?

The colour of the suit is of little importance, although there is a school of thought that holds that black and other dark colours are not favoured by bees, and that they make them more aggressive and likely to defend the hive and sting. While there are lots and lots of anecdotes to support this claim, many others do not believe in it. So: each to their own. Most bee suits are either white or light in colour anyway. Sadly, they tend not to stay looking pristine or even half-way decent for very long as they get smudged with propolis, soot from the smoker, the odd leaky marking pen and grass stains. Moreover, regardless of how often or how well you clean them, they tend to end up on the grey side.

Ventilated Bee Suits & Natural Urges

Most bee suits are made of a single layer of cotton, or a cotton and polyester blend. There are also ventilated bee suits made with multiple layers of mesh. These are very popular in warmer climates and a favourite among beekeepers who are either spending long hours in their apiaries, have difficulties controlling their body temperature, as well as pregnant women and women going through menopause. They do come with a sizeable prize-tag though, so make sure beekeeping is really your thing before investing in one of those suits.

And while we are on the subject of bodily functions, I cannot let the opportunity pass without talking about peeing. Yes, you read it correctly the first time. Peeing. It is a well-known, although seldom acknowledged phenomenon that as soon as you have your suit on, boots on, smoker lit, gloves on and searching for your missing hive tool, you suddenly feel the need to go to the toilet.

So, if you haven’t already made this a part of your preparatory routine, make sure you go before you get suited up. While the following may not be applicable to a large contingent of beekeepers, for many a female beekeeper with a good few hives, a full suit can be a bit of a nuisance rather than a blessing. I won’t trouble you with too much detail, but for those long hot summer days in the out apiary, a jacket is a much handier option than a full suit.

Hoods and Veils

There are several different types of hoods or veils available on the market. The most commonly available are the fencing hood and the round hood. If you buy a full suit or a jacket, the hood is often attached by a zip for easy removal for cleaning. To prevent a bee from sitting on your forehead, nose or ears and stinging you through the veil, the hood is supposed to sit away from your face. If your hood or veil is liable to sit back, then you could try wearing a baseball hat underneath the hood as this will push the veil out from your face. You can purchase hoods and veils separately. Some beekeepers do not wear bee suits or other protective clothing like gloves but will often wear a hat and veil or a hood.

Round Hood vs Fencing Veil

The round hood offers very good all-round vision, and stays off the face and neck. However, some beekeepers feel that it is just too large. Also, the round hood can feel a little restrictive when moving if the veil isn’t long enough. The fencing hood on the other hand sits in much closer to the face and offers quite poor peripheral vision. Although the bees may come up closer to your face, it does not feel restrictive. The hood will have mesh either to the front and sides or the whole way around.

Mesh

If you have a chance to try on the suit or hood you are thinking of buying, then do, to make sure that you can see well through the mesh. Do this especially if you are wearing glasses as some makes of mesh are easier to see through than others. Don’t forget that when you are inspecting your colonies, you will need to be able to easily spot things. For example a miniscule egg at the bottom of a cell, a larva, varroa or deformed wing. A sunny day this may not be a problem as you can stand with the sun at your back and just tilt the comb to let the light into the cell. If however, the comb is on the darker side and it is an overcast day, then you could be in trouble. Particularly if your veil isn’t agreeing with you.

Pockets

Bee suits often have lots of pockets. Sometimes confusingly many and in the wrong places. I like mine to have a breast pocket. This is where I keep queens in their cages, and queen cells. Nice and handy, and close to the heart. A pocket on either side on the top of the leg is also handy, for the marking pen, a spare queen cage or two, and a queen catcher if using.

Scissors and Crown of thorns are not welcome in my pockets as they are a bit too spikey for comfort. Having said that, they often make their way in there all the same. If I am to do a lot of cutting out of queen cells, marking, clipping or other jobs that require a lot of tools, I either bring a toolbox or wear a toolbelt, with pockets for cages, tools etc.

One thing that does make its way into my trouser pocket is a magnet. With a magnet in my pocket, I have a very good way of keeping track of my hive tool. It just hangs there on the outside of the pocket until I need it, and I reattach it when moving between hives.

Using the Bee Suit Properly

We’ve all been there. Halfway through inspecting a colony we realize that we forgot to zip the hood and wonder how on earth not a single bee got in there. Other days, all zips closed, and Velcro tightened, and a couple of ladies have managed to gain entry and are buzzing around inside the veil, itching to get out.

When this happens, whatever you do, do not panic. Remove yourself from the hive you are inspecting, open the veil and let the bee out. Some people prefer not to do this, but to squish the bee through the veil instead. Do whichever you feel comfortable with but know that the bee isn’t there to sting you.

Bees Walk Up

In putting on your suit, boots and gloves it is important to note that bees mostly walk up. If they are on the ground, they might walk up your boot, into the opening of your bee suit at the ankle and continue upwards until it can go no further. Once there, it won’t turn around and go back down the leg to get out. It will most likely sting.

To prevent this, we stick the trouser legs into the boots or wellies and the sleeves into the gloves. Unless there are gaps, there is absolutely no reason to wear tape or elastic bands, just tuck it in. For this reason, it is advisable to use high boots or wellies that allow the trouser legs to be tucked in securely. Also check to make sure that there are no bee size gaps and that the zips are done up right ahead of an apiary visit .

Tears and Damages

Regularly check your suit for damage such as holes, tears, rips, and loose stitching. Not all suits are made very well. The stitching can deteriorate if they are washed frequently. The stitching on the velcro is notorious for coming undone. Repair any damage that you can, any way that you can. It does not matter if it looks good, it just has to do the job.

Beekeeping Gloves

Many beekeepers wear gloves, but you will see plenty of pictures of beekeepers working their colonies without them as well. This is perfectly fine for some, provided that the bees are docile, the beekeeper calm and confident and not prone to bee sting allergy.

If you choose to wear gloves, then select a pair that are quite tight fitting. Hence, you still have the dexterity to pick up your queens and handle your tools and equipment. The bulkier the gloves are, the less control you will have. It is more likely that you will then squish a queen or fumble with a pair of scissors or a marking pen.

Usually, beekeeping gloves are either leather, latex or nitrile. I use all but prefer a combination of a very thin cotton glove inside a thin nitrile surgical glove. I find that the cotton soaks up any sweat and moisture from the hands, while still being thin enough to allow me to confidently pick up a queen.        

Washing Bee Suits

It is important to wash your bee suit regularly and frequently. This is not only because it becomes dirty. It is important because pathogens can easily be transferred between hives and apiaries by the beekeeper, their tools, equipment, and protective clothing. If, by diligently washing our suits, we can limit the chances of spread of disease, that is something that should be done.

If you are visiting the apiary of another beekeeper or an Association apiary, make sure to wash your suit both before and after. For such visits, also use disposable gloves.

To wash the suit, first unzip the veil or hood. Hand-wash these and then hung to dry. I occasionally wash my veils and hoods in the dishwasher which works well. Just take care to dry them quickly if there is a metal rim inside the hood or it may begin to rust. Do not tumble dry or use undiluted bleach on the veil.

The bee suit itself can usually be machine washed in up to 40 degrees Celsius. Follow the care instructions if there are any. You can also tumble dry some suits. However, they should preferably be hung to dry, especially if there are Velcro fastenings on it. Read more about cleaning bee suits here.

Washing Gloves & Cleaning Hive Tool

Hand wash textile gloves in cold water. Hang to dry in shade. Do not tumble dry or use bleach. Wash leather gloves with saddle soap or a solution of chlorine and water. Make sure to stretch or shape the gloves when still wet and apply oil if required to soften when dry. There is little use in washing your suit and gloves if your hive tool does not also get a good once over. So, wash it in a strong chlorine and water solution after each apiary visit.

Thank you for reading and please leave your comments below. / Hanna

For more beekeeping tips and tutorials, read my blogs on feeding bees and cleaning beehive frames and equipment or check out the beekeeping section of my blog.

This article was written for and first published in An Beachaire, The Irish Beekeeper, in 2020.

Hanna Bäckmo

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