Is everyone aware of all the risks to beekeepers out there?  How  
about rattelesnakes,,,



In many parts of Montana, rattlesnakes are common.  They seem to  like 
holing up under the pallets used by our commercial beekeepers.  TI  never walk 
up to a pallet without checking, and I try to stay on the side of the  pallet 
that is solid wood.
 
 
Those of you who know me, also know I often wear western boots.   That's a 
two-fold affectation.  
 
1) I grew up around livestock (cows).  You want boots with a  heel for 
safety when working cattle from a horse.  We  also did custom baling and 
stacking, at a time when that was still mostly  hand work.  Snakes in and under 
bales, especially straw bales in our dry  land areas,  were a common hazard,
 
2) I like ankle protection in snake country.  Boots may not  be bite proof, 
but they offer a degree of resistance - especially  since I buy bull hide 
boots.
 
Steel toes, hard  heels, and a loose fit on the uppers (acts  like bee suit 
- material stands away farther than depth of sting or bite) reduce  chance 
of bite going through.  
 
Boots also eliminate ankle stings.  A trick I picked up  from Roy Thurber, 
cut rubber bands from a tire inner tube.  Loop rubber  band around leg,  In 
front of your leg, Twist band to form a Figure  8,  Then pull the lower loop 
of the 8 over your toe, up to just in front of  the heel.  Simple solution 
to crawling bees.
 
Jerry


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