Bee Suits, Gloves & Hive Tools: Making the Right PPE Choices for You

I wanted to write a short blog to talk about some of the kit I use and have tried, just in case it helps beginners make good choices early on. While anyone can give recommendations, you’ll inevitably find that the more beekeeping you do, the more you’ll customise things to suit your own way of working and inspecting.

Having tried various pieces of kit, I now have go-to options for my regular inspections, as well as separate kit that stays in the car for use during the swarm season.

I’ll show you the things I like to use, along with a short note on why. Let’s start with Bee Suits.

When I was gifted my first flat-pack national beehive kit, it came with a beekeeping jacket that had a fencing-style hood. I still have this jacket, but I prefer to have my legs covered during regular inspections, so my go-to choice is one of my full-body bee suits. I have two good-quality full-body bee suits with fencing-style veils. Why two? I wash my suits between apiary inspections and always like to have a freshly cleaned suit ready, in case I damage one or it's still drying. I also have a cheaper full-body suit that stays with my swarm kit. I keep my swarm kit separate from the PPE I use to inspect my own apiary for hygiene reasons.

All my full-body bee suits are from different brands, but they all fit me well. When wearing each one, I can stand up straight and reach my arms up without the suit riding up or pulling at my shoulders or back. I can also bend down and touch my toes (on a good day!), and again, nothing snags or pulls. It’s important to have a suit that allows you to reach, bend, and carry comfortably. If I had to choose between something more fitted or slightly baggy, I’d opt for slightly baggy any day.

Some integrated beekeeping veils sit closer to the face than others. I tend to wear a baseball cap when inspecting my bees, and the rim of the cap ensures the veil stays away from my face. This is particularly helpful if the bees get a bit feisty. Beekeeping Gloves

In the photo, you’ll see a collection of gloves I’ve accumulated since starting beekeeping. Most of these came with beginner beekeeping kits I bought or was gifted when I first started. Others were bought in winter sales for a couple of pounds, just to try out. I found that leather gloves were always too big for me. Baggy gloves increase the chances of squashing bees as you handle the frame lugs, which in turn irritates them and increases the likelihood of being stung. Leather gloves are also harder to clean, and after repeated washing and drying, they start to crack and tear. I once bought a supposedly superior pair of soft leather gauntlet gloves for about £35 at a beekeeping convention. They only lasted one season before tearing between the fingers and drying out. I no longer use leather gloves. I’ve found that some latex gauntlet gloves are easier to clean, but they’re still too baggy for my small hands. Picking up frame lugs becomes difficult, and there’s still a high chance of squashing bees. So, I had to look for an alternative. I wanted a snug-fitting glove with enough space to wear a nitrile glove over the top. Why? Unfortunately, my localised reactions to honeybee stings on my arms and hands are a little feistier than I’d like. I’ve even ended up in A&E once (there will be a blog post on managing stings soon). For this reason, I prefer to have an extra layer between my skin and the nitrile glove. This extra layer turns bee stings into what beekeepers call “dings”—a tiny sting where the bee can’t fully embed its sting, leading to a very mild reaction. So what do I use on my hands at the moment?

For the 2024 season, the best hand PPE I’ve found, considering my circumstances, is a pair of thin neoprene gardening gloves with a pair of nitrile gloves over the top. I wear these with slip-on gauntlets. If I’m careful, I can reuse the nitriles after washing them between inspections. If I didn’t need to be mindful of my reaction to stings, I’d probably opt for a thin reusable washing-up-style glove with long cuffs. I’m always on the lookout for new glove options and imagine I’ll design my own in the next couple of years, ideally using natural materials.

If you’re a beginner, speak to your beekeeping mentor for their recommendations. It’s also a good idea to try on a variety of gloves at a beekeeping show or convention to see what fits and feels right for you. Make sure you pick up a hive tool while wearing the gloves to test your grip.

Beekeeping Hive Tools J-tools, claw hooks, multi-tools, swan necks, knuckle tools... start Googling "hive tools" and you’ll come across a whole array of options with interesting names! The next photo shows some of the tools I’ve collected over the years, but these aren’t the ones I use for my regular inspections. I prefer a plain stainless steel J-tool. It’s just like the two red tools in the next photo but without the paint. Over time, paint will come off hive tools, but bear in mind that a brightly coloured tool is easier to spot if dropped in long grass, whereas a stainless steel one can easily blend in due to its reflective surface. Think about your apiary site and what feels comfortable to hold when choosing your tool.

Smokers (I'll give them a mention) I’ve used brand-new smokers and refurbished ones. In my experience, the fabric on the bellows is the first thing to tear, followed by the metal cap on top breaking. I’ve managed to mend these issues over the years, but I’m now on my third smoker—a reclaimed vintage copper one. It has a tear in the bellows, but duct tape has kept it going for most of the 2024 season! I’ve never used a really large smoker; medium-sized ones have worked fine for me. I don’t balance them between my knees during inspections—I place them to the side or on a brick, which I keep near the hives for this very purpose.

There are plenty of places that sell beekeeping equipment, and as most beekeepers will tell you, end-of-season sales and beekeeping shows are excellent opportunities to buy discounted gear. Having spares is always handy if your budget allows. I’m happy to answer any questions about my kit choices, so feel free to get in touch if you’d like to ask anything.