Firegazer
House Bee
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2009
- Messages
- 291
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Gloucestershire
- Hive Type
- Langstroth
- Number of Hives
- 3
I visited the new hive today for a look. I was going to try and level it, but they looked so busy (crazy foraging, big cloud activity) that I decided to do it later on and just watch them.
I was probably only 3 or 4 metres away from the hive, at the side and a bit in front, sat on a stool under a tree branch.
Within a few minutes I was approached by one, then another bee, doing the whining noise and staring at me eye to eye - telling me to get lost. This was a bit annoying, as I hadn't really got that close to them, or fiddled with the hive at all. When I walked away, one bee stayed with me for 20 metres or so and 3 or 4 minutes before getting bored.
Right, 3 questions:
1) I haven't washed my suit yet (~ 10 inspections) and have leather gloves they've stung before - is this what attracted the attention?
2) Do you think the colony was grumpy because they are collecting loads and maybe being threatened by wasps?
3) Is this eye to eye whining just a warning to leave? I didn't have any veil-bashing. If I hadn't had a veil on, would I have been stung?
FG
I was probably only 3 or 4 metres away from the hive, at the side and a bit in front, sat on a stool under a tree branch.
Within a few minutes I was approached by one, then another bee, doing the whining noise and staring at me eye to eye - telling me to get lost. This was a bit annoying, as I hadn't really got that close to them, or fiddled with the hive at all. When I walked away, one bee stayed with me for 20 metres or so and 3 or 4 minutes before getting bored.
Right, 3 questions:
1) I haven't washed my suit yet (~ 10 inspections) and have leather gloves they've stung before - is this what attracted the attention?
2) Do you think the colony was grumpy because they are collecting loads and maybe being threatened by wasps?
3) Is this eye to eye whining just a warning to leave? I didn't have any veil-bashing. If I hadn't had a veil on, would I have been stung?
FG