Before the beekeeping season in the UK commences may I promote a new smoker
fuel, no not liquid smoke or anything like that, they call it 'Beekeepers
Leather Gauntlets'.

Many of the recent contributions to this list have revolved around bee
diseases, many of which are spread by spores or funguses. For thirty or more
years I have been concerned that the leather type gloves that beekeepers
wear are a porous material, and can easily absorb many of these. I would
hate to witness a surgeon yanking out my appendix knowing that he had worn
leather gloves at the previous appendectomy.

Sometimes hot - yes, you get stung through rubber gloves - you do in leather
ones (I am told). Having worn rubber surgeons gloves, obviously very thin, I
have been surprised at the infrequency of stings, does the rubber prevent
the passage of a 'Fear Pheromone' from our skins?

All leather gloves should be burnt (don't even use the smoker) and rubber
kitchen ones substituted. These together with a 'tool' that I rarely observe
beekeepers using - a bucket of water - should be the tools for 2000 and
onwards.

The bucket of water is a wonderful aid to avoid spreading bee diseases and
adding a good spoonful of washing soda crystals, or any farmyard sterilant
in the correct proportions, can only assist its effectiveness. A colony
worked, hive tool thrown into the bucket and rubber covered hands rinsed in
retrieving it. Maybe any nectar which has trickled from a comb to run down
the outside of a brood box can be wiped off, not only is this likely to
reduce spreading disease but also the robbing which will be the carrier of
that disease. Propolis is also less liable to stick to wet rubber fingers.
Before moving on to the next apiary the bellows of the smoker are washed
over (do the firebox as well and it quickly cools the hot metal to avoid
setting the car alight).

I know that water alone will not kill AFB or EFB spores, but there must be a
reduction in carrying the spores to the next colony if the gloves are clean
of sticky honey. But Nosema spores are killed by water (and sunlight, and
acetic acid fumes). Even using an uncapping fork to lift drone brood from
their cells to determine varroa mites, so much better to throw the fork into
the bucket before using it on the next colony.

And even on the occasions when I have no need to wear gloves, to be able to
rinse clean the sticky hands prior to grabbing hold of the steering wheel,
makes for a more enjoyable ride home.

All basically called "hive and apiary hygiene" and my methods can be
practiced by the 1 - 50,000 colony beekeeper. I would be interested if
others can add their own methods of achieving hygiene.

[And I once nearly set a barley field alight having emptied the smoker, a
lot of stamping and sprinkling water from the bucket, and the supply held in
the car, and I felt confident to safely leave the apiary.]

Ken Hoare who in 30+ years has NEVER owned a leather pair of beekeeping
gloves - and the rubber ones are also waterproof in our damp climate.