update on rude bees

[gkempf]

I don't think my bees like my dark jacket, i have noticed that if i wear my white coveralls they don't pay any attention to me or seem to care what i am doing.

[Understudy]

That tends to be true for many beekeepers. Most wear white not because it is a reat fashion statement but because bees don't focus on it as much.

I still wear dark pants.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[tillie]

There are all kinds of folksy guidelines about what not to wear - the worst sting I got was when I had done three things I had been told not to do:

1.  I had on all black (and obviously no beesuit or equipment) and the bees think you are a bear, I've been told
2.  I had drunk caffeine within the hour
3.  It was around 4 - 5 PM when the baby bees are orienting.

I also "have heard" not to eat bananas before going out to the hives because that mimics the bees' panic hormone smell.

Linda T in Atlanta

[reinbeau]

They don't like wool.  We were down at Fat Beeman's (I don't know why he uses that name, he isn't fat at all! in Lula  back in February.  It was the first warm day, but earlier on that morning it had been down in the low thirties.  Don told us he'd gone out into the beeyard with a wool hat on and they wouldn't leave him alone.  Then he realized why!  Wool is an animal product, again, they think it's a predator going to rob them (well, eventually, they're right, aren't they?!)  :-D

[Brian D. Bray]

I used to have 2 sets of coveralls, 1 tan and 1 blue.  I used the tan 1 for working the hives and the other for other projects.  One day I decided to go into the bees wearing the blue coveralls because the other was in the wash.  Boy, was I jumped, they must have thought I was a Black Bear.

[beekeeperookie]

I would think also if they see different color clothes that the beekeeper has one than what that person normally always wear, they would be defensive

[Sean Kelly]

That tends to be true for many beekeepers. Most wear white not because it is a reat fashion statement but because bees don't focus on it as much.

I still wear dark pants.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

I think it's a neat fashion statement!  I've only been stung when installing my package of bees and that was cause they crawled up my pant leg.  I'm not sure if I even need a suit, but I want one just cause it looks freakin sweet!  Plus I heard on a fashion show when flipping channels that white is in for the summer this year.  lol

Sean