Author Topic: Sex and the bee suit (Read 16867 times)

amymcg · « **Reply #20 on:** May 01, 2006, 07:24:07 am »

I use a jacket. I've never had the bees get in the drawstring bottom or the gathers at the sleeves. I am 5'5" and I bought a small. I think it's a good size.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #21 on:** May 01, 2006, 09:09:47 am »

>I'm amazed, Michael - is there anything about beekeeping that you don't know?

There is SO much I want to know yet. Yes, there is MUCH about beekeeping I don't know. :)

As far as swimming your your suit, I don't think you quite understand the alternatives. Too big is nice. To small is bad. Anywhere the suit is tight on you is a potential for a sting. If you do like me and wear regular gloves tucked into the elastic sleeves and then you reach too far with a tight suit the sleeves pull up and your wrists are exposed. If it's a jacket and it's not too big then every time you reach or bend your lower back gets exposed. With bee suits, bigger is better.

Robo · « **Reply #22 on:** May 01, 2006, 11:01:53 am »

Go to Lowe's/Home Depot and buy a cheap paint suit for $10 that fits your midsection and then just cut off the arms and legs to fit. Wala, a custom suit that fits and is cheap. At the end of the season just throw it out and buy a new one in Spring. Actually, if you just have a couple of hives, it will last for years

TwT · « **Reply #23 on:** May 01, 2006, 11:12:27 am »

Quote from: Robo

Go to Lowe's/Home Depot and buy a cheap paint suit for $10 that fits your midsection and then just cut off the arms and legs to fit. Wala, a custom suit that fits and is cheap. At the end of the season just throw it out and buy a new one in Spring. Actually, if you just have a couple of hives, it will last for years

there it is, good idea Robo........

thomashton · « **Reply #24 on:** May 01, 2006, 12:35:36 pm »

That was Robo's suggestion to me a couple weeks ago and it works brilliantly. I have two. One each for my wife and son along with two veils and they work great. My wife is a bit antsy around the bees and likes the suit. My 5 year old came out on Saturday with only a veil and shorts and a tee shirt. He just laughed at me when I got stung twice and he not at all. He says the bees, "like me."

Denise · « **Reply #25 on:** May 01, 2006, 01:22:59 pm »

My husband uses his German flight suit. It's comfortable and keeps him bee-tight when he adds the veil and gloves. It works great.
I'm still not brave enough yet to go without gloves. Even though our bees seem to be really sweet and docile. They don't get agitated when we open the hives. I'll get there....:)

Michael Bush · « **Reply #26 on:** May 01, 2006, 02:41:45 pm »

Another thing no one seems to mention, the bees cling to cotton a lot. You'll have a lot of bees on you. They don't cling to nylon much, and you won't have nearly as many bees on you.

Summerbee · « **Reply #27 on:** May 02, 2006, 12:20:06 pm »

I have a men's small from dadants. Heightwise it fits me ok, I am 5'10, but I think having it all loose and too big makes it more airy and cool, especially in Florida. Plus you have more mobility than with a suit that is more fitted. The cuffs are much too wide though; I always have to tie something around the cuffs on my ankles, wrists, etc.

I regret buying a full suit, at first when I started w/ bees I thought it was a necessity. It is cotton and the bees tend to hang on to it more and try to crawl up the pantlegs if I don't tie them up. I wish I had just gotten a tiedown veil and gloves; you really don't need a suit; jeans and a sweatshirt will suffice. I wore the suit twice( in 95 degree weather) and that was the end of that. But I'm keeping it just in case, you never know.

Jerrymac · « **Reply #28 on:** May 02, 2006, 02:02:09 pm »

Quote from: Summerbee

But I'm keeping it just in case, you never know.

Think Africanized :shock:

leominsterbeeman · « **Reply #29 on:** May 02, 2006, 03:54:39 pm »

I have no advice to solve this problem. - But those bee bridges look like they would doo the trick - For my daughter, i went to Home Depot and bought at $10 painting suit and use an extra veil.

But the thing with beesuits is that the are large for many reasons:

1. So that you can move around with them , lifting supers, twisting around, etc. The thing has to give and alow you to be flexible.

2. Most beekeerpers are : Fat men or Fat old men So when the guy who typically squeezes into a XXL shirt has plenty of room to move around in a XXL beesuit. I don't know why most beekeepers are bigguys, but when I go to the local beekeepers meeting that is what is there, It must be all the honey they eat and all the honey pilsers and mead they drink.

When I bought my suit I weighed 75 lbs more than I do now, But I like it to fit loosely for the twisting and lifting that I need to do.

Summerbee · « **Reply #30 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:52:11 pm »

Quote from: Jerrymac

Quote from: Summerbee
But I'm keeping it just in case, you never know.

Think Africanized :shock:

EXACTLY!

goodeva · « **Reply #31 on:** May 02, 2006, 10:53:54 pm »

I wear a white flannel jacket that has the fake sheep wool type stuff on the inside. It keeps a cousion between the bees and my skin. Under that I have a tanktop on. I wear rubber boots, carharts pants and tie the veil string around my waste to keep them from traveling up my shirt. I am glad to say that after three years I have never been stung. I'm sure that I'll get stung one of these days but Im still to cheap to buy a suit.

newguy · « **Reply #32 on:** May 02, 2006, 11:20:55 pm »

i though the title of this post was sex IN the bee suit.

ctsoth · « **Reply #33 on:** May 02, 2006, 11:55:12 pm »

I'm not gonna lie, I was somewhat dissapointed by the subject matter of this post...

Anyway, my suit from Mann Lake just came in the mail today, I am 6'1 and 140ish pounds, and I wouldn't mind if was a tiny bigger actually. I ordered what I thought would be a large because it goes by chest measurement... It is rip stop nylon. It seems like it should work admirably.

queenb64 · « **Reply #34 on:** May 03, 2006, 04:20:31 am »

I dont have a bee suit, i have a jacket with veil and gloves, im still new so i try to protect myself. I bought a pair of white pants at the thrift store for a dollar. Only got stung once and thats when i first set up my bees last summer, I have good behaving bees. And i dont mess with them longer than they will let me.

Denise · « **Reply #35 on:** May 03, 2006, 01:19:12 pm »

Quote from: leominsterbeeman

2. Most beekeerpers are : Fat men or Fat old men So when the guy who typically squeezes into a XXL shirt has plenty of room to move around in a XXL beesuit. I don't know why most beekeepers are bigguys, but when I go to the local beekeepers meeting that is what is there, It must be all the honey they eat and all the honey pilsers and mead they drink.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! No wonder I'm floating in my suit. I buy men's clothing pretty often because I have trouble with most women's clothing for the opposite reason. They seem to think all women are 5'2" and under. It can be a hassle being taller than the average. Sleeves are always too short as well. I have monkey-arms and legs. I've got my ankles and wrists hanging out all the time. Sheesh. :roll:

jaime · « **Reply #36 on:** May 03, 2006, 02:38:00 pm »

Tillie,

My wife and I both use Tyvek coveralls that you can get from industrial supply vendors (Grainger, for instance). The suits have boots and hoods, zip up, are lightweight, and go over all your clothes.

We got six extra large suits for about forty bucks. The suits last for several hive visits.

The Tyvek, a veil, some gloves, that's about it.

tillie · « **Reply #37 on:** May 05, 2006, 01:37:57 am »

Went to Lowe's today and bought a painter's coverall - one size fits all - hmmmmm - may not be any different than the bee suit in the swallowing up factor.

There were two coveralls - one $6.47, the other $10.47 - There was no difference in the descriptions on the outside of the package - both were distributed from Durham, NC and both were made in China.

The Lowe's guy and I decided I would be paying more for a green package with the same thing in it, so I bought the blue one for $6.47.....the suits in both were white.

I'm going to a beekeeping workshop for the weekend, so maybe I'll wear my Dadant suit just to fit in, we'll see!

Linda T in Atlanta but about to be in Brasstown, NC for a workshop

Robo · « **Reply #38 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:37:37 am »

Quote from: tillie

Went to Lowe's today and bought a painter's coverall - one size fits all - hmmmmm - may not be any different than the bee suit in the swallowing up factor.

Ahhh, but the painter suit is easily custom fitted with good ole duct tape. And you won't feel bad about cutting the legs or sleeves

mellifera · « **Reply #39 on:** May 05, 2006, 12:37:25 pm »

Well, I completely sympathize with all of the diminuitive women out there! I am 5' 1 (and 3/4"!) and about 105 lbs. I have the same problem with my bee suits. I have a tyvek suit, that I used to use for painting. I had to buy IT from a safety supply company, so that it would fit me.. It has a tiny gap at the back of the neck that the bees found for me, so I bought a Dadant suit - x-small- and it is enormous - but no gap, so I switch between the two. You will find out that Tyvek, although lightweight, doesn't breathe, so it's not ideal.

I completely agree with Leominster about why the sizes are so big.. I had the same problem when I tried to buy a pair of denim overalls several years ago, while visiting the in-laws in Iowa. I guess that many farmers and beekeepers have similiar bodytypes..

Mellifera