#bee safety

[beekeepingtips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://bestbeekeeping.com/blog/bee-safety-%e2%80%93-7-tips-to-avoid-getting-stung-when-beekeeping/

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.

[thatsbelievable]

Mind your bees.

[friendlybees-blog]

The Parasitic Fly

Colony Collapse Disorder has been a problem in the United States for more then a few years now, but scientists seemed to be at a lose as to what was the cause behind this mysterious disorder.  Everyone seemed to jump on the bandwagon and used it as a platform to try and draw attention to their personal issues.

The result was everyone was claiming something else, but it was all an attempt to draw attention to the cause they cared about.  They could careless what the real cause behind Colony Collapse Disorder was. For example, a group that is known for their anti-pesticides stance attempted to convice people that pesticides were the reason behind Colony Collapse Disorder!  The same goes for pollution, radio interference, global warming, and even light pollution was blamed.

Colony Collapse Disorder became a joke to the media, and there was a real shortage of money to actually do any research on the subject.  It has reached the point, in recent years, that beekeepers were throwing in the towel.  They were sick of constantly replacing lost hives!

Finally, it was discovered that the likely culprit behind is terrible affliction was a Parasitic fly that was laying its eggs in the abdomen's of bees.  These larva would drive the worker bees insane.  They would walk around in circles for hours before finally flying off never to return! Those who want to learn more should check out: Bees Disappearing.