Hello from Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, SE Louisiana, USA

[AletheaBee]

Hi, I'm a new bee, just learning, no bees yet, looking forward to Spring 2012 and gathering all the essential equipment to get started for real.
Thanks for beeing here!
PS,
Should I wash my bee jacket before wearing and what kind of detergent is best? All suggestions welcome :)
It gets pretty darn hot and humid in these parts.

[AllenF]

Welcome to the forum and this may sound bad, but I have never washed my bee jackets.   They look it, but they work.

[mikecva]

Welcome to the forum.    :cheer: 

I washed my first jacket so the bees would not get any unknown soap or smell. Then I realized they would not be eating my jacket and my sweat was worse then the smell of the new jacket.   :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau:

Enough of that. I needed my jacket for my piece of mind when I started. I wore my new gloves once and never again. There are thin gloves that you can ware, but I just use my hands. I have been stung on each hand (my dumb moves not the bees), I just grab some grass and rub the sting site.

I still use my jacket for long trips to the yard but not for just adding food to the hives. Stay calm, move slow, do what needs to be done and get out of the hive. The bees will reward you. But if you are not use to being around a full hive then use at least something to protect your face for your comfort.  My two cents   -Mike