On Fri, Dec 22, 2000 at 11:24:35AM -0600, Bob and Elizabeth Harrison wrote:
>
> Not as inexpensive as Daves veil but the * bug baffler* available from
> Mid-Con Agrimarketing 1-800-547-1392  www.mid-conagri.com works better
> than a regular bee suit in hot weather. They are on page 6 of their 99
> catalog. Prices range from $27 to $ 35 U.S.. They are comfortable,roomy
> one piece headnet-shirt which gives upper body and head protection.
> There is a covenient full length zipper in the front neck seam for easy
> access to your face. Elastic band at the hip and wrists. They work and
> maybe other Bee-L members will comment on their experiences with the
> *Bug Baffler*.

I agree that a "bug baffler" is a lot more comfortable than a beesuit,
and seems to be very effective.  While it doesn't get all that hot
around here (northern Michigan, near Lake Superior), it gets so humid
that the times I've tried to wear coveralls to work the bees, I about
died.

The bug baffler suit also has the tremendous advantage that it also
keeps out biting insects like mosquitos and black flies.  The black
flies in particular I actually regard as being more of a problem than
beestings.  These flies are small enough to get through the mesh on
a wire-screen bee veil, and their bites swell and itch almost as much
as a sting.  They come after me all the time, too, not just when I'm
going inside a hive, and they sneer at insect repellents.  Without
protection, I'll pick up a dozen or more black fly bites every ten
minutes or so in my little apiary, mainly on the ears (very uncomfortable)
The bug baffler mesh is fine enough to stop them, though.

The only drawbacks of the full shirt bug-baffler are (1) it is pretty
baggy, making it likely to get snagged on stuff (although, I might
have got the wrong size.  I got it from a local camping supply store,
and they only had one in stock); and (2) the head portion slides around
on my head a lot, and the body of the shirt tends to "creep up" as the
headpiece slides.  This might also be a result of having the wrong size,
though.

Anyway, I only use the full bug baffler when I'm going to be really
disturbing the bees for some reason.  Most of the time I just use a
fine-mesh headnet with elastic around the neck, sewn onto the brim
of a cheap canvas hat.  The hat keeps it from sliding around
on my head, and also keeps it from resting on my ears and letting
the black flies bite right through it.  The total cost of this was
about $10, it's convenient for yardwork, garden work, and walking
around in the woods as well as for working the bees, and its a lot
more portable and comfortable than a regular bee veil/helmet
combination (which I own, but don't use anymore).

I have yet to be stung through either of these, so I'd recommend either
of them over a regular bee veil for most people.

--
Tim Eisele
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