Tools and protective gear

Anne's first sting comes on her third inspection. She is wearing thick leather gloves, and as she lifts a frame she feels nothing, but she has pinched a bee against the wood. A second later there is a sharp jab through the glove. Then the smell of it sets off a few more bees. The gloves she wore to protect her caused the sting.

So let's talk about what you actually need to wear and carry, and why.

First, the one thing you should never skip: a veil. Every inspection, every time. A sting on the face, near the eyes, is the one that can really hurt you, and a calm colony can still have a bad day.

Then there's the rest of the suit. Some beekeepers wear a full suit, some just a jacket with a veil attached. Either works. Choose white or light tan clothing. Dark colours and fuzzy fabrics tend to draw more attention from the bees.

Now gloves. Here's the trade off. Thick gloves protect your hands, but you lose your sense of touch, and you crush bees without feeling it. And crushing bees is the main cause of stings. Many beekeepers work with thin gloves, or with bare hands once they are confident. Ontario's biosecurity guidance also favours disposable gloves, because reusable leather gloves can carry disease from hive to hive.

The smoker is your most important tool. It's a small metal can with a bellows. A little cool smoke at the entrance and under the lid calms the bees and makes them far easier to work. The most common size is about four by seven inches.

What goes in it matters. Use natural fuels: cotton rags, pine needles, wood chips, or untreated sawdust. Never anything toxic, like treated wood, plastic or oily rags. Light it before you open the hive, and puff it until it gives cool, white smoke, not flame.

Then the hive tool, a flat metal bar with a bent end. The bees glue everything together with propolis, and the hive tool is how you pry boxes apart, loosen frames and scrape away wax and propolis. Keep a spare. You will lose one in the grass.

One more habit, and it protects every colony you own. Clean your hive tool between yards. Ontario's biosecurity guidance says you can scorch it with a propane torch, or push it into a hard working smoker for at least thirty seconds.

Now let's change one fact. Suppose Anne helps a friend inspect his hives, then drives home and goes straight into her own with the same tool and gloves. If her friend's colony had American foulbrood, she may have just carried its spores into her yard. Those spores can survive for decades. A thirty second scorch and fresh gloves are cheap insurance.

The mistake beginners make is dressing for fear instead of for control. Heavy gloves and rushed movements lead to crushed bees and more stings. A veil, light clothing, a good smoker and slow hands lead to fewer.

Here is the rule, in one breath. Always wear a veil, choose light clothing, weigh thin gloves against thick ones, light the smoker with natural fuel before you open up, carry a hive tool, and clean it between yards.

Next, choosing where to put your hives, here in Ontario.