Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Bee Safety - 7 Tips To Avoid Getting Stung When Beekeeping

Bee safety is an important issue for beekeepers
and non-beekeepers alike. Beekeeping has several
safety issues, but the biggest concern,
particularly for beginner beekeepers, is of
course bee stings.

Despite the popular misconception, fuelled by
media stories about 'killer bees', bees are not
aggressive creatures. They do not attack for no
reason, and only sting in self defence.

But if you work with bees you have to accept that
there are times when you will get stung. However,
sensible bee safety means avoiding bee stings as
much as possible. As a beekeeper you also have a
responsibility to make sure you are not putting
others in danger of being stung.

So here are a few basic bee safety tips to help
keep those stings to minimum.

1 Wear proper protective gear

Ideally wear a full bee suit, but at least a
veil, and gloves. More experienced beekeepers
sometimes do not wear protective clothing.
Experience makes your bee handling skills better,
and after multiple stings you'll find that you
hardly notice them anymore! But as a beginner,
always take full precautions.

2 Wear light colored clothing

Bees are much more likely to see you as a threat
if you are wearing black or dark clothes. You
should also avoid woollen type fabrics as the
bees can get caught in them which just makes them
angry. Of course, wearing a white bee suit will
solve both these problems.

3 No perfumes

Do not wear any perfumes, aftershaves or other
scents, as these can make the bees more
aggressive. Natural odors are fine!

4 Work your hives at the right times

Open your hive around midday when many of the
bees are out foraging. Late evening is not a good
time as the hive will be full of bees and you
will cause more disturbance and stress.

Do not open the hive when it is very cold or
raining. Especially when it has been raining for
a few days, the bees will be frustrated at being
stuck in the hive and can be a little bad
tempered.

5 Don't rush

When working your hive, take your time and avoid
sudden jolts - smooth gentle manipulation will
cause less stress.

6 Avoid sudden movements

When bees are buzzing around you, do not flail
your arms about - it just irritates them and
makes them more likely to sting. Let bees land on
you and then gently brush them off.

7 Let the bees win

Sometimes your bees will become too aggressive to
continue working with them. This can be because
of the weather, or some other stress beyond your
control. If this does happen, close the hive as
quickly as possible and turn and walk away. Do
not try to continue working with angry bees -
come back another day when the bees have calmed
down and try again.

Do not let the fear of stings spoil your
enjoyment of beekeeping. Keep the stings to a
minimum by following these 7 basic bee safety
tips.

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Val Wilson is passionate about all things
beekeeping! It is an incredibly rewarding hobby
in so many ways, so if you would like more
information about how to start beekeeping, go to
http://www.bestbeekeeping.com for your FREE 7 day
beekeeping ecourse.

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