So what they say about glasses is true

[Neils]

Bees really don't like them do they:

Adriiiiiaaaan! (http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7199048618_b53116d4a1.jpg)

Wasn't particularly near the hives, hadn't opened them, was just standing around debating where to plant some stuff and zap!

[HJBee]

I am assuming you mean spectacles? I had not heard that one. I wear glasses 90% of the time - looks like I need to stock up on more contact lenses!

[Jon]

I wear specs 100% of the time and I reckon they prevent the odd sting from a colliding bee.

[Neils]

New to specs, but I was told that sparkly reflected sun light and bees sometimes don't mix, sunday they definitely didn't.

[Jon]

I would move that to the myths thread! I had never heard that before.
I have worn specs since I was about 6 or seven years old and grew up playing in a back garden with about a dozen bee hives in it.
(And no I didn't grow up on an Estate like Balmoral or Sandringham. We played football with mates rather than shooting grouse.)
More than anything else I remember getting stung on occasion when a bee got trapped in my hair, and sadly that is not even a problem these days.

[Rosie]

I suspect that if you wear glasses and are daft enough to do an inspection without a veil they get caught up behind the lenses. I learned the hard way but once bitten twice shy so have not tried to get a statistically significant number of instances to say it's a general rule!

Rosie

[gavin]

Bees do seem to have an inkling that eyes are things to aim for and maybe the specs are irrelevant? On occasion when I have a cranky colony you'll find bees aiming for the smoker spout.

We need a controlled experiment. Let's wave a bespectacled and an unencumbered face over the top bars and see if there is a difference. Maybe we could conduct the experiment in September? I have just the colony :eek:

[Jon]

Steve:
Does that 'tache of yours attract or repel bees?

[Neils]

Bees and hair definitely don't mix!

This little bugger didn't go to the eyes, it hit me immediately and right on the edge of the glass lens.No buzzing about, no warning of any sort.

[Rosie]

Long hair is often a problem when bees get caught up by accident and then panic but I have never had 'tache problems, at least not with bees.

Rosie

[madasafish]

I wear glasses all the time beekeeping. I never wear them when cutting grass beside or under hives. Bees ignore my face.

They used not to ignore my hands and stung me when beekeeping several times in a row on bare hands.. (rarely use gloves). After two years I changed from using a scented handwash to Imperial Leather soap before beekeeping. Guess what ? No more stings on hands.

I suggest Nellie changes her scent or shampoo or whatever..:-)

[EmsE]

I can't comment on glasses, but curly hair is a nightmare with the bees. When they get caught in it they are stuck buzzing around for ages as I try to get them before being stung, which I haven't managed to do yet:(

[Neils]

The secret is to give the general vicinity of the buzzing a good hard slap. This should achieve two things:

1) It kills the bee.

2) It gives you the smack on the head you need to remind you to tie your hair back/cover it up next time :D

[EmsE]

.....Or even to remind me to wait an extra 2 minutes To make sure there's no bees on the back of my bee suit before taking it off. I'm guilty of assuming that if I can't hear a bee the coast must be clear:rolleyes:

[Bumble]

I'm guilty of assuming that if I can't hear a bee the coast must be clear :rolleyes:
So that's why we keep getting bees in the kitchen!