However, current problems with diseases or parasites like varroa mites that kill bees, or with harder to manage bees like Africanized honey bees, make the chances of finding a healthy, easy to manage wild swarm less and less likely. To remove honey from a hive, the beekeeper must have the right equipment for the job. When working the bees, the beekeeper wears a veil to keep bees from stinging the head and face. Many beekeepers will also wear a white bee suit . Depending on the colony, the beekeeper may wear heavy leather gloves to protect his or her hands.
Beekeepers usually have a smoker , filled with straw or wood chips.
The beekeeper blows a bit of smoke at the bees. The smoke confuses and calms the bees while the beekeeper takes some honey away. To remove the honey, the beekeeper pulls out the wooden frames , which are the foundation to support the wax comb. The beekeeper uses a hive tool to pry the frames apart. Some beekeepers put bees into glass hives so they can show their busy bees to students or others interested in bee biology.