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Date: | Sat, 28 Sep 1996 08:32:48 -0500 |
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Gloves - use them or don't? I must admit that I do, regularly. Shame on
me. About the only situations when I don't are when I am working on weak
colonies or nuc's.
I'm not sure when I started using them again on a regular basis. I do know
that I still get stung. Often the bees "go" for the elastic end of the
gauntlets, my elbows, or find one of the many holes in the glove-seams
which eventually develop. It's always a surprise! As a matter of fact,
this summer I can't remember how many times a bee quickly and effortlessly
went right into one of the small holes! I mean I ended up ripping the
glove off to get away from the bee that got IN! Also, I get a few stings
throught the "ventilation" panel in the wrist area.
A couple of things, tho'. When you are restricted to working bees only at
certain times, and you can't control the weather, gloves can make otherwise
unmanageable manipulations "do-able." And you don't end up with propolis
all over your fingers. You can often work a little faster as well.
Beyond that, gloves will hang on to the venom-scent and I'm convinced this
can get otherwise-agreeable bees riled. At one point I was using gloves
with the finger tips cut off and this was a pretty good compromise. What
is really annoying is to get stung hard on an gloveless finger or hand, and
then drop a nice heavy comb on the ground. I have, unfortunately, had this
happen. It would have been better to crush an obstructing bee-body with a
gloved finger than to drop a bee-covered brood comb! Admittedly, there is
a certain satisfaction to be had from remaining constantly receptive to a
colony's mood, and being able to successfully handle them without resorting
to the clumsiness of gloves.
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