A WAGGLE DANCE
  • Buzz (the blog)
  • Lots of Photos
    • March 2013
    • April 2013
    • May 2013
    • June 2013
  • Learn More
    • Videos
    • Books about Bees
    • Poems and Songs about Bees
    • Fun Facts
    • Glossary
  • Ask a Beekeeper
  • Buzz (the blog)
  • Lots of Photos
    • March 2013
    • April 2013
    • May 2013
    • June 2013
  • Learn More
    • Videos
    • Books about Bees
    • Poems and Songs about Bees
    • Fun Facts
    • Glossary
  • Ask a Beekeeper

Buzz (the blog)

Safety Gear and Being Prepared

7/14/2013

0 Comments

 
Occasionally you may see photos of me working with my bees without safety gear. Most beekeepers wear a veil and jacket to keep from getting stung. But I believe the best thing to keep you safe is knowing what to expect. 

The best thing to keep you safe is knowing what to expect.

  1. Know your bees. Are they aggressive (and may charge you) or calm? Africanized bees are known to charge from more than 20 feet away some beekeepers need to be dressed in their gear before they arrive to the bee yard.
  2. Think about the weather or season. If it has been rainy for the past week they may be temperamental.
  3. Will you be working with a small hive or a larger hive. 10,000 bees may seem like a lot, but 80,000 bees flying around your head may mean you need to wear a full suit (veil, jacket, long pants, and gloves).
  4. Are you doing a short check (looking at the top most frames) or are you checking all the frames? If you are just lifting the roof you may not need to smoke your bees as much as a full hive check.
  5. Is it a super hot day? I know when I am sweaty or sticky I can get a little cranky. It is important for me to be gentle and calm. If I am not calm with my bees they will notice and guard their hive if they think I may hurt them. (I also need to remember to stay hydrated so I can stay healthy on those hot days. I always keep some water in my car if I need it.)
  6. Sometimes you will get stung. You might hurt a bee when you set down a frame or push them a little to far. It happens. As a beekeeper you must expect that you will get stung. Some beekeepers are allergic to bee stings and must carry an Epi-Pen (a shot that goes into your leg) to prevent them from having a dangerous allergic reaction. Other beekeepers bring topical antihistamines to calm any swelling. Other may need to take medication to stop a mild allergic reaction. It is important to know how you react to a bee sting to keep yourself safe.

The more you know about what to expect the better prepared you can bee to work with bees. I know that some days I am fine without gloves and a Jacket but there may be other days that I need them. I am not more brave than my beekeeper friends wearing full suits, but I do think that this year I have been blessed with a calmer colony of bees. I am always prepared and have water, gloves, a jacket, veil and allergy medication on hand just in case.

Yesterday I was walking back to my car after working with the bees and one got stuck in my hair. I tried my best to help her out while staying calm, but I got stung anyway. I am sure if I got lost in a head of hair I would be scared, frustrated, and ready to sting whatever was trapping me. I am not mad, but a little sad for that little stuck bee. As soon as I was stung, a friend helped me pull the stinger out. Because it was pulled out so fast, It wasn't as painful as my last sting.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Amanda

    Staring at the dancing bees in an observation hive, it hits me. I love how these tiny creatures communicate. It looks like they're having fun dancing around while telling their sisters where to find some nectar.

    I created this site to share what I know about these amazing creatures such a tiny creature has such a complex way to carrying out its purpose. And it all looks so simple. It reminds me that God takes care of the smallest details as his creation dances.

    So here goes. Join me on an adventure with bees. I hope we can make learning as fun as the dancing bees informing their sisters of sweet nectar.

    Amanda's Sting Count
    2013- 6 stings
    2019- 0
    Free Weather Widget

    Archives

    April 2019
    December 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    RSS Feed

    Index

    All
    Abdomen
    Ask A Beekeeper
    Attendants
    Beekeeper
    Beekeeper's Association
    Beeswax
    Brood
    Capping
    Capping Scratcher
    Comb
    Eggs
    Entrance
    Extractor
    Flowers
    Forager
    Frames
    Guard
    Harvest
    Head
    Honey
    Hot Knife
    Larva
    Log Book
    Nectar
    Nurse
    Observations
    Piping
    Pollen
    Population
    Protective Clothing
    Pupa
    Queen Bee
    Rainy
    Sting Count
    Stinger
    Sugar Water
    Sunny
    Tea Tree Oil
    Thorax
    Veil
    Water
    Wooden-ware
    Worker

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.