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.<\/p>\n
Despite the popular misconception, fuelled by media stories about \u2018killer bees\u2019, bees are not aggressive creatures. They do not attack for no reason, and only sting in self defence.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
So here are a few basic bee safety tips to help keep those stings to minimum.<\/p>\n
1 Wear proper protective gear<\/strong><\/p>\n 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\u2019ll find that you hardly notice them anymore! But as a beginner, always take full precautions.<\/p>\n \u00a02 Wear light colored clothing<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u00a03 No perfumes<\/strong><\/p>\n Do not wear any perfumes, aftershaves or other scents, as these can make the bees more aggressive. Natural odors are fine!<\/p>\n \u00a04 Work your hives at the right times<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u00a05 Don\u2019t rush<\/strong><\/p>\n When working your hive, take your time and avoid sudden jolts \u2013 smooth gentle manipulation will cause less stress.<\/p>\n \u00a06 Avoid sudden movements<\/strong><\/p>\n When bees are buzzing around you, do not flail your arms about \u2013 it just irritates them and makes them more likely to sting. Let bees land on you and then gently brush them off.<\/p>\n \u00a07 Let the bees win<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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. As a beekeeper, you can never totally avoid stings, but here are a few basic bee safety tips to help keep those stings to minimum.<\/p>