The bees that are in a hive are neither every aggressive nor are they very docile. They can become aggressive if they are made to become so. This makes them dangerous at times. The stings that they have are the best defense for them. It is also the thing that makes the beekeeper to be scared of them at times. The bees can inflict a lot of damage to the beekeeper if the protective gear is not adequate. Many beekeepers may even get reactions or allergies after a bee sting. If there are many bee stings, then it can be very painful. This is the reason why beekeeping clothing is needed. Many beekeepers think that the more number of stings they get, the more immunity they get to the stings. This may be true to an extent, but the pain is unbearable at times and protective gear will also help to protect certain parts of the body that are very vulnerable, like the face.
Even those who are very experienced in beekeeping may need protective beekeeping clothing. This includes the veil, the hat, the gloves and the suit. Each is mad specifically for beekeeping and has a particular important role in the beekeeping. The gloves are essential in spite of the fact that the hand needs to do delicate activities while collecting the honey, but if the bee stings on the hand, then it can become very painful that the beekeeper is not able to carry on with the work. Many beekeepers feel that they can remove a sting from the hand by just rubbing against the sting, but of the face is stung, the same cannot be done. The beekeeper will need a mirror to remove the sting. To prevent stings on the face, a veil is used. This allows the beekeeper to look at what is happening, but it protects the face from the bees. So the veil is another important aspect of the beekeeping clothing that is used by almost all beekeepers as no one likes a sting on the face.
The beekeeping clothing also consists of a beekeeping suit. This is very similar to a jumpsuit and protects all the other parts of the body that may be exposed to the bees and their sting. The beekeeping suit needs to be light in color because it is in contrast to the usual enemies of the bees like bears that are furry and have a dark color. The beekeeping suit should also be very smooth for the beekeeper to confuse the bees into thinking that no predators are around to collect the honey. The smoothness of the suit also helps the bee stings that may be present on it to be removed very easily. The beekeeping suit should be cleaned or washed after using it each time because the bees emit a pheromone along with the sting. This helps the bees to anticipate danger the next time the suit is used. So washing it will remove all traces of the scent. Washing the suit in vinegar is the best method of removing all the scent.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/why-is-a-beekeeping-suit-necessary-3413791.html
About the Author
Zack Wilson is a beekeeping expert. For more information on the beekeeping clothing, please visit http://www.beekeepingiseasy.com
