In a message dated 8/25/98 7:33:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:
 
> I
>  was using a brush, as the menthol-isopropyl solution I use on the fume
>  boards does not work so well on cloudy days.  I took a few stings, but I
>  know they are good for my immune system!
>      I love my bees and healthy bee products!!
>      Let it flow,
>  Charles F. Andros
>
31 colonies here and all my honey is harvested with a brush.
One testy hive gets done all by itself to keep stinging down to tolerable.
The other times I get stung is because I wear my old bee coveralls and forget
to put rubberbands on the sleeves trapping a few bees.
 
As for burr combs I keep a ziplock bag in my pocket but any plastic bag will
do as a bucket gets unwieldy at times and a bag is easy to fold closed.
Leave the ladder combs where you want the queen to go and take them out where
you want to deter her.
 
Tom in CT