Gloves prevoke stings and a question

[gottabee]

Fellow beeks,
I noticed that whenever I work with gloves they seem to provoke more attack behaviors from the gals. My preference is to work without gloves but at times when I am in a hurry or on less than ideal days or if there is an emergency I use gloves because I know I'm gonna get nailed. As they became increasingly more aggressive, I began to question whether gloves indeed were the root cause. I supposed that the leather gloves absorbed and retained trace amounts of the attack pheromone. Again they were much calmer without gloves. (By now you veterans are thinking "this guy doesn't build rocket ships." Actually I do in my spare time. The gals and I plan to "colonize" the moon!) Anyway, I used several pairs of leather gloves including new gloves. Notably new gloves seemed to make them less aggressive even on those less than ideal days. After a while the newer gloves had the same affect as they contained stingers and traces of hive components. I realize the probability that this may not be news to some of you but I am curious if your experiences are similar. Please share your thoughts and comments.
My question is what is the most effective method for cleaning your leather gloves?

Many thanks.

[tillie]

I literally (when I wear the leather gloves) wash my hands gloves on with soap and water.  Then I dry them and take about a tablespoon of olive oil and rub it into the gloves as if I were putting hand lotion onto my hands. 

http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/09/cleaning-beekeepers-gloves.html

Mostly now I work with nitrile gloves, though, and don't seem to attract stings because I can feel the bees and squash fewer of them.

Linda T in Atlanta

[mudlakee]

I just point the smoker at my gloves a puff away. I wear thin leather gloves and they can nail me through the gloves. I start out by smoking my gloves first. Might work.  Tony

[Michael Bush]

I smoke them now and then and I wash them now and then and soak them in FGMO (mineral oil laxitive) to keep them soft.

[Moonshae]

I've heard that the bees are somewhat provoked by the animal smell of leather. I mostly only wear gloves for cutouts, and I wash them after each one. Since the bees are pretty upset anyway, I can't tell if they attack the gloves more frequently or not.

[Brian D. Bray]

I've heard that the bees are somewhat provoked by the animal smell of leather. I mostly only wear gloves for cutouts, and I wash them after each one. Since the bees are pretty upset anyway, I can't tell if they attack the gloves more frequently or not.

Plus the leather holds the stingers and the poison it contains.  New gloves soon become bee magnets as the odor (alarm scent) builds up in the gloves after a few uses.  Washing and kneeding  in saddle soap or oils helps.  The goal should be to inspect hives without the use of gloves.  Gloves are cumbersome and handling with bare hands actually makes your movements more sure which means the bees get less aggitated, whcih means they sting less. 

[DennisD]

I am not too in the know, but I have been using the plastic coated rubber beekeeping gloves. While I have only used them for a few weeks, I have got a LOT of use out of them. The bees have shown no interest in them and I have not been stung through the gloves (They prefer to sneak between the elastic and my shirt to get in my veil to nail me in the neck).
They are these:--> Dadant Plastic coated gloves Check if there is a local beek supply to save on the shipping costs which seem a little high. Otherwise the gloves are less cost than the leather.

CAVEAT: I have NEVER tried the leather gloves, I am so GREEN, it ain't funny. Mind you, this advice is from a total newbie. YMMV Just my $.02 :)

[poka-bee]

I got leather gloves when I first started, they are way too bulky so don't use em.  I either go barehanded if just checking quickly or use the nitrile garden type gloves.  They are close to barehanded, cheap, easy to wash & if they get too icky I just use em for working in the garden or pasture! J

[mick]

My experiences.

White cotton gloves, send them crazy, dozens of stings on each hand.

Dark red vinyl gloves, they like these, but when I get honey on them, that makes them attack.

Pink dishwashing gloves, not too bad, but useless against stings they go straight through them.

[gottabee]

Hey Mick,
I'd really like to see a photo of you working hives in pink dishwashing gloves!

[Cindi]

I think the question has been answered here.  If you wear gloves, wash them, or smoke them very deeply, disguise the build up scent of the alarm.  I do not wear gloves, period, ever.  I used to when I first began to beekeep, but found any kind of glove far too cumbersome and with my bare hands I can feel things that I certainly can't with gloves, like the bees wings or bodies.  I don't think I have ever harmed a bee to raise that alarm pheromone.  My girls barely even know that I am in their colony working, I am almost invisible, hee, hee.  In summertime I only wear a tank top out to work the bees, that way that have no dark sleeves to climb up, haven't received a sting yet on my torso or upper arms since I began beekeeping in 2005.  Well, I have had stings to the hands and face, but rarely and few.  Maybe my girls are just nice..... :-X ;) :) :) :)Have that most wonderful and awesome day.  Cindi

[JP]

I think the question has been answered here.  If you wear gloves, wash them, or smoke them very deeply, disguise the build up scent of the alarm.  I do not wear gloves, period, ever.  I used to when I first began to beekeep, but found any kind of glove far too cumbersome and with my bare hands I can feel things that I certainly can't with gloves, like the bees wings or bodies.  I don't think I have ever harmed a bee to raise that alarm pheromone.  My girls barely even know that I am in their colony working, I am almost invisible, hee, hee.  In summertime I only wear a tank top out to work the bees, that way that have no dark sleeves to climb up, haven't received a sting yet on my torso or upper arms since I began beekeeping in 2005.  Well, I have had stings to the hands and face, but rarely and few.  Maybe my girls are just nice..... :-X ;) :) :) :)Have that most wonderful and awesome day.  Cindi

Yeah, until they go on a Cindi rampage!!
 :-D

...JP

[WhipCityBeeMan]

Is it possible you have pheromones on our gloves from the bees that are causing them to be more aggressive? 

[gottabee]

Cindy,
This was my question

My question is what is the most effective method for cleaning your leather gloves?

I am still wanting details if people would be so kind.

Thanks

[gottabee]

WhipCityBeeMan,

Is it possible you have pheromones on our gloves from the bees that are causing them to be more aggressive?

Those are my thoughts. I was almost certain someone would have a well researched answer. Im sure that someone has done research about residual phermones present and how long they last, ect. If so this then would account for the agressive behavior.

My preference is to work without gloves whenever possible. Thats when I get the most enjoyment for sure.

[dhood]

I don't usually were gloves, but once I wore a pair of yellow cleaning gloves of my wifes, they were new. And I guess the smell, and/or color attracted the bees. I had a dozen or so on my hands in a few minutes of having the hive open. They were not stinging me, just hanging around. When i don't were gloves, they don't mess with my hands that much.

[Greywulff]

I've never imagined myself not wearing gloves as I've always perceived people that don't wear them as show-boating, You know someone who goes on like " I'm a great beekeeper look at me" sort of thing. Now don't jump on me for saying this . But I know some one who doen't like wearing gloves and one day while at his hives got 5 stings in the first few minutes and as he got nailled the first time he tried to conceal it until it got just to much and even smoking the stings wouldn't stop them attacking his hand. He had to walk away with his hand under his armpit. He did come back but with gloves on. And I've seen him other day working on them and they would.nt look at him. Now I'm not mentioning his name incase but hes at them over 34 years and he gets stung on the hands a few times a season but it doen't phase him. He does not mind getting stung :?

But we all get stung no matter how good a beekeeper we are? Right.

Where as I'm not taking that chance, some protection is better than none in my view as we all know were gonna get stung at some stage. Intresting the way different people view or weigh the odds of getting stung when it comes to handling with or without gloves. Maybe its a pain barrier thing.

As for cleaning them washing machine, cloths line, dip fingers in vasaline and rub all over glove. Helps stop them getting messed up but doen't stop them getting messed up!!!

[Michael Bush]

I buy thin leather driving gloves.  Usually advertised as "doeskin" or "buckskin".  The bees CAN and sometimes DO sting through them, but not often and the stinger usually doesn't get planted into you too well, but the dexterity is good.  I tuck these into the elastic sleeves of my bee jacket.  You do need to get a bee jacket that is oversized so the sleeves aren't too short otherwise the sleeves will pull off of the gloves when you reach out too far.

[Cindi]

Gottabee.  If I were to want to wash bee gloves, what I would do would to keep them on.  Pretend that I am washing my bare hands with soap and water, and then rub some mineral oil (after they have dried), extra virgin olive oil, neatsfoot oil, or any kind of preservative to keep them pliable.  There are probably a hundred different ways to wash gloves.  Have the most awesomely great day, Cindi

[ula ula]

hi
   i started out using gloves, found i couldn't feel properly ,i find I'm allot gently with out th am.Do get hit every now and than ,i put it down to being ruff.