Gloves - use them or don't?  I must admit that I do, regularly.  Shame on
me.  About the only situations when I don't are when I am working on weak
colonies or nuc's.
 
I'm not sure when I started using them again on a regular basis.  I do know
that I still get stung.  Often the bees "go" for the elastic end of the
gauntlets, my elbows, or find one of the many holes in the glove-seams
which eventually develop.  It's always a surprise! As a matter of fact,
this summer I can't remember how many times a bee quickly and effortlessly
went right into one of the small holes!  I mean I ended up ripping the
glove off to get away from the bee that got IN!  Also, I get a few stings
throught the "ventilation" panel in the wrist area.
 
A couple of things, tho'.  When you are restricted to working bees only at
certain times, and you can't control the weather, gloves can make otherwise
unmanageable manipulations "do-able."  And you don't end up with propolis
all over your fingers.  You can often work a little faster as well.
 
Beyond that, gloves will hang on to the venom-scent and I'm convinced this
can get otherwise-agreeable bees riled.  At one point I was using gloves
with the finger tips cut off and this was a pretty good compromise.  What
is really annoying is to get stung hard on an gloveless finger or hand, and
then drop a nice heavy comb on the ground.  I have, unfortunately, had this
happen.  It would have been better to crush an obstructing bee-body with a
gloved finger than to drop a bee-covered brood comb!  Admittedly, there is
a certain satisfaction to be had from remaining constantly receptive to a
colony's mood, and being able to successfully handle them without resorting
to the clumsiness of gloves.