What is a ventilated bee glove?
A ventilated bee glove is used for beekeeping. Most beekeeping activities are done during the spring and summer, when the bees are active.
During the spring you are typically:
- Installing nucs
- Catching and installing swarms
- Splitting hives
- Checking for mites and wax moths
- Feeding your bees
During the summer your tasks include:
- Checking for mites and wax moths
- Feeding your bees
- Harvesting your honey
The bee glove is ventilated above the wrist, to keep your hands and arms cool and comfortable, especially during those hot summer months. Sweaty hands make it difficult to work with your bees.
Types of Ventilated Bee Gloves
Leather
Beekeeping gloves are usually made of either goatskin or cow leather. There are advantages to each.
Goatskin gloves are a lighter weight and provide more dexterity than cowhide. Goatskin allows you to handle more intricate
Glove on right is Cow Leather
tasks easier than cow leather.
Cow leather is thicker leather and offers more protection than goatskin. Cowhide also stretches more than goatskin.
I have both goatskin and cow leather beekeeping gloves and prefer the latter, due to the better protection they offer.
Cuff Length
The cuff length, also called sleeve length or gauntlet can be standard, which ranges from 9 – 12 inches or extra long, ranging from 15 – 18 inches.
Lightweight or Heavy Duty Sleeves
The thickness of the sleeve is a personal preference. Light duty sleeves are made of cotton and heavy-duty sleeves are made of thick canvas.
The light duty sleeves are more comfortable in the hot summer months, while the heavy-duty sleeves offer more protection when the bees are angry.
Ventilation
Better quality bee gloves have ventilated sleeves that are full circle, or 360 degrees around the wrist. The ventilation should also be double-walled to add further protection against bee stings.
Bee Gloves as an Investment
So, no matter what type of bee glove you choose, it should be ventilated for added comfort. The price difference between a cheap bee glove and a better bee glove is not that much, so consider a better quality beekeeping glove an investment.
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🐝 Good Luck and Happy Beekeeping!
