When starting a beekeeping business, having the right safety gear is crucial. A well-fitting suit, veil, and gloves can offer protection from bee stings, which no one enjoys. Various levels of safety are available for protective gear. As rookie beekeeper learns their level of allergy, tolerance to bee stings, and comfort around beehives, it would be advisable to start with a full suit and later investigate less protective solutions.
To lessen the number of stings they experience, some beekeepers dress in the most protective clothing imaginable. Others don't care about stings and wear very minimal protection. The decision is yours. However, as a novice beekeeper, you might wish to begin by donning gloves and a full coverall.
Take off the gloves as you gain confidence and skill. Wear fewer. Depending on the task being done and the temperament of the bees, different levels of protection are provided.
Veils:
Without a helmet, Alexander-style veils are acceptable.
To prevent unpleasant and deadly facial stings, particularly those that occur close to the eye, in the nose, and in the ears, a veil should always be worn.
Various veils: Wire mesh is used to make folding and rounded veils that fit over helmets worn on the head and are held in place by drawstrings wrapped around the waist. No helmet is necessary for an Alexander-style veil, which often fastens to the head with an elastic band.
The thin, lightweight "tulle" veil, which is used with a helmet or another cap, is constructed of tiny nylon mesh. Additionally, some veils zip onto a coverall and are constructed from materials like cotton, nylon, or wire mesh.
Folding helmets:
Typically, helmets may be adjusted for head size. They are created from metal, plastic, or a tight-weave mesh that is "breathable". Helmets give space to keep the veil away from the face and support veils that fit over them.
Wearables and bee suits:
Select long, loose-fitting slacks and a smooth-finished, light-colored, long-sleeve shirt. For the shirt, khaki or chambray works great, and for the pants, faded jeans or khakis will do. Put on boots that reach your ankles.
To feel a bee climb up your leg while wearing pants is an interesting sensation. To keep bees out, fasten the sleeve cuffs over the wrist and the bottoms of the pants over the boots with straps, tape, or rubber bands.
Gloves:
Gloves can be useful for the beginning beekeeper even if the majority of seasoned beekeepers don't wear them frequently. When pulling up bee-covered frames, a beekeeper will typically get stung on the hands. Even leather gloves are susceptible to bee stings. Gloves can be composed of leather, cotton, or plastic, and frequently feature a gauntlet base that almost reaches the wrist, typically with an elastic band at the end. Choose a pair of gloves that fit well; otherwise, clumsy movements could make the stinging worse.
Jackets:
 Hooded and veiled jackets are also available for purchase. They only offer head and torso protection, but when worn with the right pants, they can offer sufficient security. Jackets and bee suits shouldn't be too tight.
The person should be able to touch their toes while dressed without the suit or jacket squeezing their back or squeezing the veil in their face.
Shoes:
To guarantee that the complete body is protected, shoes should extend past the ankle. Many beekeeping vendors sell leg wraps that can protect the ankle region if a beekeeper does not have boots or prefers not to wear them. This is also a smart move for suits whose legs have lost some of their suppleness. Wearing the suit legs with shoes on is recommended.
For added security around less gentle colonies, Most of the beekeepers also use one-inch tape to cover any unintentional openings around zippers. Honey bees can locate and squeeze through tiny openings, including ones that appear smaller than their bodies. Having bees inside the beekeeping suit is unpleasant.
Conclusion:
Although beekeepers have differing opinions on the subject, suits can also be washed if they become soiled. While some beekeepers like clean suits, others enjoy the smell of smoke and bees lingering on their clothing. Remove the hood or veil, wash the suit with a gentle, unscented detergent, and hang dry it if it needs to be washed. A crucial preventative measure is to replace beekeeping gloves every one to two years.