Aggressive Bees 16 stings in one EAR

[enrico]

hope this helps

 

[waverider]

isopentyl-acetate is the alarm pheromone released by honeybees.

 

[Chris Luck]

Properly dressed: suit, boots, nitriles, one sting.

Says it all really.

Chris

 

[For want of a better word]

isopentyl-acetate is the alarm pheromone released by honeybees.

smells like banana aldehyde a pong used in the confectionery manufacturing trade.... like over ripe banana but not quite!










feel for you Robbie... your garden blackies seemed to bee the quietest I have seen!!!
why have the elephants got big ears... cos Noddie wont pay the ransom!

 

[CB008]

The problem comes when you have to deal with hugely aggressive colonies. You can get 10 sleeve stings in seconds and then your gloves are simply crawling with bees. There is simply no way that you can get the stings out

 

[psafloyd]

I find this quite interesting and it does seem to be a common notion, in practice I find it makes no difference what so ever and no doubt much to every ones shock and horror my suit can go months without a wash, much the same as the professionals round here.

Note to OP. Maybe worth covering ears when working or near hives?

Chris

It is interesting. I have found the bees tend to dislike the leather gloves, mind and will tend to go for them if used. I don't like them in any case, so tend not to bother with them.

However, the suit thing is interesting. Perhaps the more experienced keeper (as you are) don't demonstrate the same kind of behaviour, nor panic. Could it be that the bees can 'smell' fear, as other animals can?

 

[Chris Luck]

Could it be that the bees can 'smell' fear, as other animals can?

Now that is an interesting notion and it may have some merit, after all bees sense of smell is very,very sensitive and I would speculate that a stress sweat may release different pheromones as opposed to simply being hot.

Chris

 

[Chris Luck]

The problem comes when you have to deal with hugely aggressive colonies. You can get 10 sleeve stings in seconds and then your gloves are simply crawling with bees.

That is a difficult one, I have a couple of colonies like that and need to be totally mentally prepared with everything to hand before opening them..

...so if anyone is passing this way and wants to practice?

Chris

 

[SixFooter]

Perhaps the more experienced keeper (as you are) don't demonstrate the same kind of behaviour, nor panic. Could it be that the bees can 'smell' fear, as other animals can?

I think this is true. I was wondering recently why I get fewer stings than I used to and I came to the conclusion that it's probably because I'm not at all nervous these days - more experience and only nice bees at the moment.

 

[SixFooter]

PLUS. I stopped smoking the entrance before I open them up.

 

[beesknee]

where can fabi spray be obtained? thanks

 

[VEG]

the spray is available from most of the big bee shops

 

[ayagerard]

However, the suit thing is interesting. Perhaps the more experienced keeper (as you are) don't demonstrate the same kind of behaviour, nor panic. Could it be that the bees can 'smell' fear, as other animals can?


apifuge, or bienen-jet, are 2 products i find great if sprayed on
gloves and four-arms, as the bees are not inclined to sting or land
on for that matter i have got stung through my leather glove's
and once one stings the are off even with the smoker bellowing on
the gloves, works on the veil as well, my bees are not??? overly
aggressive but can be over powering to me at times, this is where
the spray comes into play??? my Buddy has no problem with them
but he is as cool as a cucumber
i blame the weather we have only had about 15 good days since
the 1 of June, i am winning my battle but wont be without
my spray fore another while
gerard

 

[REDWOOD]

16 stings in a ear that's not bad that's only 3 a week

 

[For want of a better word]

16 stings in a ear that's not bad that's only 3 a week

another typo!!

 

[REDWOOD]

Sorry could not resist

 

[oliver90owner]

3 a week

Or even one every third week?

 

[Into the lions den]

I find this quite interesting and it does seem to be a common notion, in practice I find it makes no difference what so ever and no doubt much to every ones shock and horror my suit can go months without a wash, much the same as the professionals round here.
Chris

With you on this up to a point.

The substance the attacking bees release, which does have a distinctive smell too, seems to be very volatile. The location of the first sting seems to be very vulnerable to repeat attack for a few minutes only, not for any protracted length of time. The time taken to remove the sting and smoke the spot may be almost as long as it takes for the 'substance' to disperse. I do not bother, but have seen some of the staff smoking round the top of their boots (a common point of attack) during times of special hostility. (Try doing the heather harvest from an apiary of A.m.m. style bees, on a warm day, late Sept, still on the moors, with a total nectar dearth and a robbing frenzy threatening to break out. Then you will see 'special hostility', or as a Canadian guy who was with us and hed been with africanised bees in Brazil described them, the ' Gee ****! days'.)

By next day any sting site seems no more vulnerable than any other. (Talking about clothing gloves etc here. Assuming the body will have been washed unless we decide beekeepers are a mucky lot.)

Bee suit not washed for months? Well yes you can get away with that under lots of circumstances if number of colonies handled is low, or intervention is minimal. During wet weather when everything gets grubby/muddy, or heavy nectar flow when the suit gets nectar on it, then it needs done frequently. Have seen some local amateurs who claim NEVER to have washed their veils etc. and get on just fine. We insist on clean suits for groups visiting our places, but that is a disease avoidance measure, not anything to do with any other factor.

 

[psafloyd]

Now that is an interesting notion and it may have some merit, after all bees sense of smell is very,very sensitive and I would speculate that a stress sweat may release different pheromones as opposed to simply being hot.

Chris

After all, it isn't usually the more experienced keepers who seem to suffer the same problem. I haven't had any really bad ones in my short time, but if they are uppity, I'll close them up, walk away and come back later or another day. Usually it's the weather and I've tried to squeeze an inspection in, otherwise I would choose an optimal moment.Not that we have many dry, sunny days this year...

 

[psafloyd]

PLUS. I stopped smoking the entrance before I open them up.

Well, smoking is bad for you. Oh, I see...

Funny that, as some of mine don't mind the smoke (not excessive, mind), while two in particular (related queens) send out the heavies to find out what the hell is going on.