Most everything on this blog would be helpful to women as well as to men, but I did want to share just a bit about the unique challenges women beekeepers face in this post. Most of what I’ll share today could also be helpful to men who may have a bad back, or children and teens who are getting into beekeeping.
Hives are heavy!
Let’s face it, undeniably, bee hives are heavy. Well, unless you’re talking about a mini mating nuc, or maybe even a regular nuc. But generally speaking, beehives and bees themselves have some weight to them.
One thing I’ve found helps me, is to make sure than when I do have to lift a hive, I am lifting with my knees, not my back. To do this, I’ll keep my back straight, and bend in my knees. Then I’ll power up using my thigh muscles, NOT my back muscles.
Polystyrene hives are supposed to be quite a bit lighter, but I have never used them. It is something to consider though, if this is a main concern of yours.
Long hives are another option. If I lived in a temperate climate, I would love to raise my bees in what’s called a “Long Lang” or a Top Bar Hive. Living in the mountains of Eastern Washington, these are not feasible options for me, since bees move up while clustered, not side to side. If you live somewhere where the bees do not need to stay clustered the whole winter, you’d never have to lift more than a lid, inner cover, or frame.
I use honey supers for my honey, or even “shallows”. This seems like a no brainer, but there was a time when I decided I could just “muscle it” so all my equipment would be interchangeable. What I did in my teenage years, I’ve learned is not practical for a woman of my build, and so now, I embrace the honey supers and “shallows”.
Wear a suit or Jacket
Of its self, a suit isn’t going to make your hives any lighter. But unless you like getting stung all the time, I find that wearing a jacket lets me lift my hives and carry them up against myself, compared to holding them away from my body. This makes the weight a lot easier.
Most protective gear doesn’t fit
About a year after getting my own hive, I decided I wanted a suit. I ordered a size small of Mann Lake’s standard cotton suits. It’s a good suit, and I really like it, for what it is. But it doesn’t fit me right. The torso potion comes almost down to my knees! It does the job, and would fit a man far better, but it doesn’t look pretty! Find a company that fits the female body. I have since ordered a Comfort Pro ventilated jacket, and I LOVE it. It fits so well, not to mention it is light weight and of so cool. I’ll do a full jacket review soon, so keep your eye out.
Honey is heavy!
Ever tried to lift a full box of honey? It can be pretty heavy. If a full box (of whatever size you choose) is too heavy, try moving one frame at a time. That can be time consuming, so another option is to grab an empty box and load half the frames into it. Carry it tilted against yourself, so that the frames don’t slide forward and end up crooked. When they are crooked, it’s easy for them to fall out.
Hair can really get in the way
For the long haired gals out there, or those with bangs, hair in your eyes can be such a problem. And loose hair can also feel like a bee in your jacket. My hair is down to my waist, and I also have long face framing bangs, just the type that like to fall into my eyes.
Of course a new hairstyle is an option, but that’s not my cup of tea, so I typically just wear my hair in a high bun with my bangs included. Or a headband can hold shorter bangs back. A baseball cap can do the trick too, and it has the added benefit of keeping the veil out from your face. But it also adds extra heat, not something I like to deal with on already hot days. A braid can work wonders too, or a ponytail (depending on the length, but you hair can still get caught in the zippers.)
Your physical safety is important
Do you have an outyard in the middle of nowhere? Men don’t have quite the same safety concerns women do, at least not the two legged variety. With where my bee yard is located, I am far more concerned with the four legged type. I always carry my phone in my left pocket, and my form of self defense in my right (I am right handed.) Carry whatever you are comfortable with, and what you’re proficient with using. Mace is a minimum requirement in my opinion.
We can do this!
Women face unique challenges, but there are work arounds. We just have to be creative. And when all else fails, have an extra bee suit you can lone to someone stronger than you.