Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Some suppliers sell gloves in exact sizes (not the traditional S, M, L, XL) and these,
usually made of thin, soft leather, will fit best. This is especially important for the fin-
gertips. Glove fingers that are too long make you clumsy and awkward, and it's difficult
enough to be careful when moving frames. Regular rubber dishwashing gloves work
well too, offering excellent dexterity when handling frames.
When you are ready to give them up, not wearing gloves is the best way to go for
most beekeeping activities. But everyone has his or her own schedule for reaching that
level of comfort. Eventually, you'll cut the worn-out fingers off an old pair of gloves to
increase your dexterity. Then one day, you'll forget to put them on completely and not
even notice.
Ankle Protection
Something not often thought about until it's too late is the gap between the tops of your
shoes and the bottom of your pants. We seldom think of bees as being on the ground,
but when you open a hive to lift out a frame or move boxes, bees will fall out. Most will
fly away, but some won't. These are the bees you need to be aware of, because these
bees will crawl—especially if the weather is cool or they are young and not used to fly-
ing. Sometimes, a lot of them will drop to the ground in a bunch and crawl for a bit
before they get their bearings and fly away. This is especially true if they land in grass
or weeds, rather than on a smooth, flat surface.
Bees that land on the ground naturally crawl up something. Usually their options are
climbing up the hive stand or on your shoes. To avoid the latter, beekeeping suppliers
sell elastic straps with hook-and-loop attachments that are easy to use.
Smokers and Fuel
A smoker is a beekeeper's best friend. A simple device that has changed little during the
past 100 years, it is basically a metal can (called a fire chamber ) with a hinged, remov-
able, directional nozzle on the top, a grate near the bottom to keep ashes from blocking
the air intake from the bellows, and the bellows. Only large and small sized smokers
are available, and the large model, no matter who makes it, is the better choice. Stain-
less steel models last longer than galvanized metal ones, and a protective shield on the
outside of a smoker is there for a good reason. Buy a large, stainless steel model with a
shield.
What do you burn in a smoker? Many fuels work well, but some are dangerous. Bee-
keeping supply companies offer fuel cylinders made of compressed cotton fibers and
small pellets of compressed sawdust. Have some of these available at all times, because
there will be times when your other fuel is wet or you are out of your regular fuel source.
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