I agree with Allen about researchers and bee suits.  My usual dress is  a
light colored pant (faded jeans or tan), light colored shirt, and I stuff  a
simple, folding veil in my back pocket.  I wear cowboy boots, not so much
because of the bees, but I come from an area where rattlesnakes like to coil
under pallets.  Some form of hat on sunny days to avoid burning my bald
dome.

If bees are really testy, I will pull on a light jacket with a zipper
veil.  About the only time I wear a full suit is when shaking bees - and  even
then, only if I'm the one pouring bees.  I do wear a full suit around
aggressive AHB, but I've worked a lot of bees in S. America with just a  veil - if
they're not overly aggressive.

I consider myself a researcher - and I've noted that I'm often wearing less
 protective covering than the beekeeper.  In fact, I've found that if I
don't know the beekeeper, showing up in a full suit is taken as an  indication
of being an amateur.  Showing up in a T-shirt, with a veil in my  pocket,
and a smoker sends a different message.

I'm convinced that how you work bees makes a huge difference in bee
temper.  Given a choice - a suit or a smoker, but not both; I'll always  take the
smoker or a spray bottle when working colonies over a bee suit; and I'm
sparing with the smoke.

Jerry





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