Al

I deeply sympathise. I have an autoimmune condition known as SLE or lupus
(luckily only mildly), one of its phenomena is sunsensitivity and I am
supposed to wear sunblock but almost always forget. When I do remember I use
one that is alcohol based as I can't stand all that greasy stuff they sell.
It disappears into the skin in a minute.

As I do a lot of bee work I had better make a point this year of trying to
remember and I will let you know of any observations if you let me have an
off-list email address to write to.

However, for the time being I would suggest using an unperfumed total
sunblock and very thin vinyl (or rubber) gloves. As part of disease control,
when inspecting colonies in the UK bee inspectors are expected to use these.
They cause very little hindrance so long as they are the right size, and you
can then wash your hands in a bucket of washing soda and bleach solution and
eliminate any chance of transferring disease between colonies.

Madeleine Pym
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