*A highly opinionated introduction to keeping bees*

If you only have a couple of hives and live in a warm climate, the only equipment you really need to work with bees is a smoker, hive tool, and bee veil. Add to this: skill. How much skill? You have to be able to keep the smoker lit the whole time you are working. Beginners find this hard -- some even give up and then buy an expensive bee suit in order to hide from the angry bees. Learn to use the smoker. A good fuel is dry pine needles. You can add wood chips after it's lit an going good.
        Correct use of the hive tool is essential. One must be able to pry gently without wrecking the frames and enraging the bees. Some parts of the frame break easily; this takes practice. The veil should be tied properly, but if bees are getting in it's because you got them angry. You have to have a certain level of calm and gentleness to be a real beekeeper. How much? About as much as you need to handle a baby. If you can do this, you're probably there. Of course, if you drop a frame you only get stung. If you drop the baby...
        Which gets us to this point: what about getting stung? Do you have to? I would say: yes. You could wear that expensive bee suit and be as safe as an astronaut, but if you don't get stung you will never build an immunity to stings, which is a protective feature. If you have an allergic reaction -- even slight -- better sell the bees. A normal beekeeper can take dozens of stings in a day with only a little redness or swelling and no other ill effects.
        Avoid dark clothing -- especially new blue jeans. Avoid fuzzy clothing -- like sweaters. A pair of ordinary coveralls are good, they don't have to be white. In fact white is probably the dumbest color for a bee suit, since it immediately gets stained by propolis and then you spend the rest of the time you have it trying to get it clean again, which is usually impossible since most types of propolis won't come out. Better use some old work clothes that you don't mind getting stained.
        Propolis can be removed from the hands with rubbing alcohol. If you wear gloves, you won't stain your hands, but unless you use latex (not a bad idea) gloves cut down dexterity and tend to make you rougher, which angers the bees. Gloves with sleeves are nice; wearing regular gloves seems to ensure that you will get stung on the wrist by bees that crawl in there.

Peter Borst
Ithaca  NY
USA