Wearing comfortable protective clothing, including gloves, a bee suit or jacket, and beekeeping veil, is imperative for beekeeper safety.
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Because it is so important to wear well-fitted safety gear while tending your hives, we stock a variety of high-quality beekeeping jackets, full beekeeping suits, veils, helmets, gloves, boots, and safety accessories to suit a range of preferences. No protective beekeeping clothing is completely sting-proof, but we offer many excellent options for the beekeeper, the casual observer, and even for kids. Before you choose your safety gear, consider these five factors:
- Past Experience: Each hive has a unique personality — some are more aggressive than others. Let the past behavior of the hive influence your choice of protective clothing.
- Time of Year: Bees typically display more aggression in the fall than in the spring. This is a result of heightened robbing behavior by predators, owing to the lack of forage, the aging of the bees, and the approaching winter.
- Time of Day: There are fewer bees in the hive at the hottest part of a sunny day. Fewer bees mean fewer opportunities for stinging.
- Your Purpose: Why are you going into the hive? If you're simply going in to top off feed, you may not need as much protective clothing as you would to perform a sugar roll varroa test.
- Your Comfort Level: Experienced beekeepers may prefer to wear less safety gear, while newbies may feel more comfortable wearing a full beekeeping suit. Wear the protective beekeeping clothing and gear that makes you feel most comfortable.