If you want to start beekeeping, you need the right beekeeping equipment. And one of the most important is a good beekeeper suit.
After all, you don’t want your bees to sting you!
Are you a new beekeeper and not sure what to look for in a beekeeping suit? Don’t worry! Our experts have put together a list of the 5 best beekeeping suits for beginners.
Top 5 Best Beekeeping Suits – Our Expert Picks
There is a wide range of bee suits out there and if you are new to beekeeping, it can seem difficult to find the right suit for you.
Most protective clothing for beekeeping look similar and have the same features, such as beekeeping veils and sting protection.
Here are the 5 best beekeeping suits available on Amazon at the moment.
#1 Apiarist Beekeeping Suit By Natural Apiary
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This bee suit has been chosen as the best beekeeping suit by our experts, because it is good value for money. It is made from strong, durable polycotton. So will last longer and your honey bees won’t be able to get in to sting you.
One way bees can get into your suit is through poor quality zippers.
This suit has genuine metal YKK zippers, which will fasten the suit securely and keep you safe from bee stings.
In addition, to the metal zippers, this beekeeper suit also comes with multiple velcro and elastic seals which make it sting proof. The 12 inch leg zipper make it easy to put on the suit, but also keep the area around the ankles secure.
These features are important, but this suit is also comfortable.
The elastic bands around the waist, wrists and ankles ensure a tight fit that will keep honey bees out. Our experts found the cuffs with thumb loops especially useful, as the last thing you want is your sleeves getting pushed up while you are working on your bee hives.
The mesh veil on this suit is in the fencing style, which is the preferred style for most beekeepers. It is comfortable and has a good fit for all head sizes.
Another useful feature of this suit are the various pockets. The deep ones are ideal for storing hive tools and the large leg pockets will hold anything else you might want to keep. And, the suit is also machine washable, which is always good.
The suit comes in different sizes, and you can choose from different colours, if you don’t want the typical white bee suit. This is an excellent quality beekeeping suit for any beekeeping activities, hence why it tops our list of the best beekeeping suits.
- 🐝 Strong & Durable polycotton beekeeper suit – Great protection from bees.
- 🔥 Protect Your Face - Natural Apiary bee suits use non-flammable mesh veils. To protect your face from smoker or lighter flames.
- 👓 Fencing Veil, designed to improve visual attention and prominence, making it easier for you to spot your queen and eggs when inspecting your beehives.
#2 Aero Beekeeping Suit By Humble Bee
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This beekeeper suit is slightly more expensive, but its aerated synthetic material make it breathable which will keep you cool in summer.
If you now wonder if this means that bees can sting you through the suit, the answer is no. It has a lightweight foam insert that makes it sting resistant.
The heavy duty brass zippers make sure everything is securely zipped up for excellent sting protection. The added large rings make them easy to use even when you are wearing your big beekeeper gloves.
This beekeeping jacket has several double-stitched pockets to hold beekeeping tools and equipment.
Elastic waist, wrist and ankle bands also reduce the risk of your honey bees getting in that way. For extra comfort and to keep the suit in place, thumb and foot holds have been added.
This suit has a round veil design, which gives you great visibility all around you. It can be removed completely, which is great because it’s not machine washable as it might get destroyed.
This aerated suit is a great beekeeping suit for beginners.
- Aerated beekeeper suit with self-supporting round veil, heavy duty brass zippers, durable polycotton-lined pockets, and deluxe canvas carrying case
- Ultra-breathable 100% synthetic fabric (220 gsm) is aerated to keep you cool in hot weather conditions, while a lightweight foam insert provides outstanding protection against bee stings
- Tailored fit with an elastic waist, elastic wrists, and elastic ankles, plus thumb and foot holds to keep everything comfortably in place
#3 Beekeeping Suit By Forest Beekeeping
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This is an excellent choice if you are after a beekeeping suit for beginners that doesn’t cost too much.
It is made from breathable white cotton, which makes it lightweight, cool in summer and prevents sweating, while also providing protection from direct stings.
The brass zippers are sturdy and won’t wear out quickly, even with daily use. Sturdy zippers that keep their shape are vital to keep out honey bees. To ensure the suit is well sealed, it has elastic thumb straps, to keep bees from getting in and crawling up your arms.
The round style hood is made from sturdy mesh, which gives you good visibility. It is also fully removable.
- A MUST-HAVE ESSENTIAL FOR BEEKEEPERS AROUND THE WORLD! This beekeeping suit with sturdy brass zippers(including 12"on the legs), will make your beekeeping life that much easier, while offering you full protection from nasty stings and attacks!
- REMOVABLE ROUND VEIL FOR MAXIMUM VISIBILITY! Made of sturdy mesh, the suit's hood will allow you to see clearly, without compromising your safety. Additionally, it is also detachable so that you can effortlessly remove it when you don't need it!
- WORK COMFORTABLY FOR HOURS! This deluxe beekeeper's suit is made of premium cotton, which means it is extremely lightweight and allows your skin to breathe, thus preventing excessive sweating and discomfort!
#4 Plycotton Beekeeper Suit By Bees & Co
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This white suit is on the lower price range and therefore a great beekeeping suit for beginners. It is made from polycotton giving good protection against average bee stings.
The waist, wrists and ankles are elasticated to create a seal, keeping out any adventurous honey bee. Additional elastic thumb loops make sure everything stays in place. Sturdy zippers ensure that regular use won’t wear them out, keeping up the sting protection for longer.
The suit comes with several pockets, including hive tool pockets, so you have everything you need with you. Inbuilt cotton knee pads give extra comfort.
The fencing style hood is removable. And you also get a 2-year warranty with this bee suit.
- Beekeeping suit natural cotton with removable fencing veil
- Elasticated waistband and elasticated cuffs, plus elastic thumb loops to keep everything comfortably in place
- Three pockets, cotton knee pads and two leg hive tool pockets
#5 Beekeeping Suit By JZR
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If you are looking for beekeeping equipment on a budget, then this one will fit the bill. The low price makes it an ideal beekeeping suit for beginners.
Despite the entry level price, this suit is made from cotton, which makes it lightweight, breathable and sting resistant.
Elasticated waist, wrists and ankles keep you protect from stings. The thumb loop ensures that the sleeves won’t slide up. The overlapping zippers build a good seal to avoid any entry hole for your honey bees.
The hood is in the fencing style with a plastic inlay to keep in place. It is sturdy which keeps it in place when you move.
- ULTRA LIGHT & PROTECT FROM BEE: Our beekeeper suit is Super light weight The anti-wasp suit made of high quality cloth. The thickened fabric can better protect from bee bite.
- PREMIUM EXPORT QUALITY COTTON (260)-G S M PROTECT FROM BEE : The Premium Export Quality Cotton fabric mesh that allows air to circulate around your body while protecting against bee stings It is the best choice for Honey extractor.
- EASY TO WEAR – our Protection Costume is allow easy wearing and removal. The Velcro and elastics on the ankles and wrists allow adjustment for your comfort, and the veils easily attach with zippers.
What Is The Best Material For A Bee Suit?
You will get the best protection from bee stings with a beekeeping suit made of cotton. The thickness of this fabric will prevent any stinger from penetrating it and reaching your skin.
And sting protection is the main reason you are wearing a beekeeping suit.
While cotton has been used for hundreds of years by beekeepers, nowadays, you can also get suits made from polycotton. This is a mix of cotton and polyester. This material gives you the thickness to protect you from being stung, and the polyester makes it easier to clean the suit.
One problem with both these fabrics is that they are not breathable, which can make them very hot and uncomfortable in summer, especially if you wear your suit for longer periods.
But there are manufacturers who use a mixture of mesh and thicker materials to make a suit that is breathable while still giving the important sting protection.
The main reason for wearing a beekeeping suit is to prevent you from getting stung by your bees. So whatever material your suit is made from, it has to be thick enough to protect from stings.
Do Beekeeping Suits Have To Be White?
When you think of a beekeeper, you probably have someone in a white beekeeper suit in mind. This is because traditionally, white is the beekeepers number one choice.
But do beekeeping suits have to be white? The answer is, not necessarily. However, light colours have some advantages.
- Light colours reflect light, while dark colours absorb light. So a white beekeeping suit will keep you cooler
- Bees show up much easier on a white suit than on a dark suit. And the last thing you want is to lose any bees from your bee hives.
- If you think about the bee’s predators, like the wasp, they are all dark. So bees identify large dark creatures with predators, which will make them more aggressive. Wearing a white beekeeping suit will keep your bees calmer
- Bees’ eyes work differently to ours, they can’t see shapes that well and rely mostly on colours. They are more attracted to darker colours such as purples and blues. White on the other hand doesn’t attract them at all, so they won’t be interested in you if you wear a white beekeeping suit.
You can read more about this topic in our article about white beekeeping suits.
How expensive are beekeeper suits?
The prices for beekeeper suits can vary from around £300 – £400 to under £20. This wide range in price can make it difficult to decide how much to spend on a beekeeping suit.
The best beekeeping suits are not necessarily the most expensive ones.
It is possible to find a good beekeeper suit for every budget. Our list of the 5 best beekeeping suits gives you a wide price range to choose from.
The main feature a beekeeping suit should have is to provide a good protection against stings, which you can get on any budget.
How Effective Are Beekeeping Suits?
The effectiveness of beekeeper suits depend mostly on the thickness of the material and how well they are sealed around the ankles and wrists.
Generally, the thicker the material, the better the protection against stings. Elasticated ankle and wristbands will ensure that bees can’t find their way into the suit.
Most bee suits you can buy in the UK are effective at protecting you from the average bee sting.
Do You Still Get Stung In A Bee Suit?
The short answer is yes, it can still happen.
No matter how airtight your beekeeper suit is, some bees do occasionally still find their way in and sting a beekeeper. But it doesn’t happen very often.
Most beekeepers probably get stung less than 10 times in a year.
What you need to remember is that bees don’t sting because they are aggressive, but to defend themselves. Stinging is their last resort, because bees die after they have stung someone.
This is because their stinger is attached to their digestive tract. So when you pull it out, you also pull out parts of the bee. So the bee doesn’t really want to sting you, unless it feels it has to.
Beekeepers use smoke to pacify bees. You have probably seen them smoking out the hives. Bees communicate through pheromones. The smoke prevents them from passing on pheromones so even if one bee gets agitated, it won’t be able to pass on this feeling to the others. So a smoker should be part of any bee hive kits you consider getting.
Most bees that are used for beekeeping have an easy temperament, so are less likely to sting to start off with. As long as you don’t make a big mistake, you won’t get stung very often.
You can read more about this topic in our article about bee stings.
Do Bee Suits Protect From Wasps?
Bees suits are made to protect you from bee stings. Wasps are bigger and have a longer stinger.
Most beekeeping suits won’t be suitable to protect you from wasp stings, you would need extra protection.
You are better off looking for protective clothing that has been made to protect from wasps.
You should also keep in mind that wasps will sting more readily than bees. They can sting as often ad they want, unlike the bees who will die after having stung you, because their stinger will stay intact.
Keep away from any wasp nests to avoid getting stung.
Our Picks For The Best Beekeper Suits In The UK: