Getting Ready for the Bees, Day 4

Now that we have selected a hive and ordered our bees, next on the checklist is finding the perfect outfit. And, maybe getting over the fear of looking foolish in that outfit. When it comes to protective wear, some beekeepers cover themselves from head to toe, while others are fine with just a hat and veil.

As a new beekeeper, I am leaning more toward wearing a full coverall with attached hat, veil, and gloves. The honeybees don’t care how silly I may look in a suit; but, they do care about how I feel when I am in the suit. They can sense tension. So, I will need something to instill confidence and help me think about something other than getting stung. The amount of protection needed varies with the activity being done and with the temperament of the bees.

According to the box, my beginning beekeeper hive kit came with everything we needed to get started, including gloves and veil. The box says to “just add bees.” As a rule of thumb, I have learned it’s a good idea to have all the protective gear needed on hand, even if we don’t use it regularly. So it looks like we will need to add bees, a beekeeper suit, and probably a lot more equipment.