What gloves?

Marigolds for me ... usually the thinner less robust ones worn - like nonstandard - one size too small. This covers 90% of the inspections. I use large elastic bands to hold them around the cuff, over the suit (the elastic thumb loops are almost wrecked). Available in a fetching pink from a Tseco near you

And for time when I need a bit more protection - like this afternoon, populating mini-nucs in 12 degree temperatures and light rain - I just add a pair of the more industrial Marigolds, this time yellow, over the top.

I very rarely get stung through the gloves. It's my forearms they always go for. If they're pinging off the gloves I move more slowly after first running the glove through the smoke ... usually does the trick.

I'd not recommend using the thick black Marigolds, unless you turn them inside out first. The bees do not appreciate a big black (bear?) paw descending on the,

Had 3 pairs from Aldi yesterday, Rubber, not to thick. £1-47p. Not tried working the bees with them yet though.

get a bucket of cold water and washing soda with you all the time, as close to you as possible. Keep your hive tool in it permantley to remove propolis and it keeps it sterile. Use marrigolds, if you get a sting, scrap out the sting, and dip and wash your hands with marrigilds still on into the washing soda asap and it takes away the ferimones of the sting and cools the area down. it also starts to clean off the propolis that build s up. NOW in between hives wash your hive tool and hands to stop disease transfer between hives. If you tear a glove leave it on and have a coulpe of spare gloves in your suit pocket, then just put on another glove over the top of the other one, saves time taking one off and the other on. try it.

Luminos said:

I get on fine with leather
There's such a thick coating of propolis on them, the bee stings don't go through - sorted!

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never crushed bees, dropped a frame or unable to do any beekeeping with leather gloves and full protection

I think I have tried every combination of leather, Marigolds, and surgical gloves. The best combination for me is now Marigolds with surgical over the top (sorry don't know if they are nitrile or whatever, but the purple ones are best)

- no stings
- better tactile feedback
- no crushed bees
- surgical glove easily changed between hives if necessary

I also do more or less exactly what Adrian Wilford suggests two posts above.

The only real drawback is the sweatiness inside the gloves!

PeterS said:

Problem with nitriles is they are expensive.

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We get ours from justgloves.com

The standard long gauntlet style nitriles (green) I give the staff are under a pound a pair, and last for ages unless you rip them on a hive staple or roof metal corner or the likes.

I have a PERSONAL preference for Ansell neoprene AND nitrile gloves, much more stretch to them. Long yellow cuffs, and green hands. Just the business.

You DO get the odd sting through these gloves, but very very few, whereas attempting to work ur way with Marigolds.................well they did not last a day before they were binned.........not really suitable due to ease of stinging through.

Plastochrome Gloves, thick, strong, so far even with my devil hive (requeening in progress) sting proof, on one ocassion I had about 30 stings in the glove but none through to me.

Still agile enough to pick up one drawing pin and push into a frame to mark it. even completed queen marking to day. also easy to sterilise between hives. cost about £10. and lasts for ages, they've been caught with hive tool, and even knife, and still unmarked