Beekeeping Tools

Beekeepers need special tools to help them work with the bees and hives. They also wear special clothes that protect them from bee stings.

Hive equipment The hive tool is used to pull apart the sticky frames. The smoker sprays light smoke into the hives. Smoke calms the bees so they will not sting. The bee brush is used to brush bees off the frames before they are taken from the hive.

Clothing

To protect themselves from bee stings, beekeepers wear gloves, boots, and coveralls. They also wear a broad-rimmed hat with a veil that keeps bees from landing on their face or in their hair, mouth, or ears. The beekeepers in the picture are well protected. Every part of their body is covered so bees cannot sting them.

Wearing white

Bees can see dark colors better than they can see light colors or white. When they become angry, they look for someone or something to sting. A dark colored outfit shows the bees exactly where to sting. A light- colored or white outfit ''hides" the beekeeper from the bees so that they do not have a target to sting.