Bee Safety - 7 Tips To Avoid Getting Stung When Beekeeping

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.

Despite the popular misconception, fuelled by media stories about 'killer bees', bees are not aggressive creatures. They do not attack for no reason, and only sting in self defence.

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.

So here are a few basic bee safety tips to help keep those stings to minimum.

1 Wear proper protective gear

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'll find that you hardly notice them anymore! But as a beginner, always take full precautions.

2 Wear light colored clothing

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.

3 No perfumes

Do not wear any perfumes, aftershaves or other scents, as these can make the bees more aggressive. Natural odors are fine!

4 Work your hives at the right times

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.

5 Don't rush

When working your hive, take your time and avoid sudden jolts - smooth gentle manipulation will cause less stress.

6 Avoid sudden movements

When bees are buzzing around you, do not flail your arms about - it just irritates them and makes them more likely to sting. Let bees land on you and then gently brush them off.

7 Let the bees win

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.

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.

Val Wilson is passionate about all things beekeeping! It is an incredibly rewarding hobby in so many ways, so if you would like more information about how to start beekeeping, go to http://www.bestbeekeeping.com for your FREE 7 day beekeeping ecourse.