Chris said:
Perhaps > I should chuck the suit in the washing machine more often!"

Wash your bee suit and wash often! I have worked bees with beekeepers with
dirty sting riddled suits getting stings while i recieved not a sting.

Robin said:
 Avoiding stings is important for all beekeepers, as Hugo has explained.

Stinging is common and daily in the commercial operation. Those unable *or*
unwilling to take stings need not apply.

Robin asked:
 Has anyone any comment on the relative importance of the different  stimuli
bees receive
that trigger off stinging?

The smell of bee venom is the number one trigger!  Period!

If you look at an extremely old post I did on BEE-L you will read a true
story of how the old timers used to spray a light mist of water and bee
venom on the back of a bee inspector they did not like for fun when he was
busy looking for problems in their hives and not looking!

If you are a retired bee inspector reading the above and remember a similar
incident which happened to you I am sure the incident was only a
coincidence.

Bob

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