Hi Tom
 
As regors your propolis question: how to get it of your suit - I have
had this problem with it getting on my shirts (I usually avoid suits
as they cause you to get stung)
 
To remove place a jar with chloroform under the stain - place another
jar on the other side and push it's neck into contact with the
chlorform jar - invert repeatedly until most of the stain is
disolved. Then, use a little clean just to remove the excess stain.
Works quite well - anything the chloroform does not dissolve can be
dissolved by a hot wash in your washing machine with a bioactive
washing powder.
 
As regards the elastic bands on the sleeves: Bees always get in suits
- unless you are working scutellata it should not be neccessary to
wear a suit - they cause you to get stung - remember, if you use your
smoker right any bee which gets inside your suit does not actually
want to sting you - it wants to get out - and if your suit is all
sealed, that is difficult - a loose t-shirt with the bottome untucked
is much better and you get stung less - if neccessary wear a veil. It
must be white.
 
Hope that helps
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
 
After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am ever a V.I.P
the I. may not stand for important.
(rather influential, ignorant, idiotic, intelectual, illadvised etc)