Aggressive colony require new home

[NHP]

I have a colony of aggressive bees which I would like to re home. I am not experienced enough to sort them as I am not very good at finding the queen so I am offering the colony to somebody who would be willing to take them away and sort them. I am based just outside Maidenhead, Berkshire. I would like the hive parts when convenient

 

[Heather]

Has it been foul for long? Are they queenless?? If not,is there no-one from your Assoc to help remove the queen, and then requeen the colony. In 6 weeks it will be lovely.

 

[wightbees]

With some basic guidelines you could possibly manage this

 

[bingevader]

I'd have to agree!
There must be a local association who would offer help, or better still, come out and show you what to do.
Are you able to move the hive?
For starters, if you can move the hive and put another, or a nuc, in it's place, then the flying bees will return to that.
That will make the job of looking for the queen easier as most of the angry mob would be in the other hive on the original stand.
It really shouldn't be too difficult, but I'm sure someone close by will help!

 

[NHP]

Thanks for the advice. I have tried but don't have the experience required. If I can find someone who is able to sort then I am happy to let them go.

 

[B+.]

Thanks for the advice. I have tried but don't have the experience required. If I can find someone who is able to sort then I am happy to let them go.

I have to say; its not often that someone admits they have a problem that is beyond their abilities. Most people blunder on and get into an even bigger mess. So, I have to congratulate you on your humility and common sense. I wish there were more like you!

 

[wightbees]

You need to address location,

 

[maddydog]

I have to say; its not often that someone admits they have a problem that is beyond their abilities. Most people blunder on and get into an even bigger mess. So, I have to congratulate you on your humility and common sense. I wish there were more like you!

If I was anywhere near Maidenhead I'd take them off you (or help you find the queen )

Easy to forget that for most people beekeeping is a hobby and therefore shouldn't be a trip to purgatory!

 

[Millet]

If I was anywhere near Maidenhead I'd take them off you (or help you find the queen )

Easy to forget that for most people beekeeping is a hobby and therefore shouldn't be a trip to purgatory!

I would do the same if the colony was closer, i have a bit of experience with angry bees and i have just the spot for them to play about and Re Queen them if they need a new Queen however a 9hr round trip is a tad too far for me.

However before the OP gives in , can you not get a experienced beek to go through the hive to see if they are really angry or Queenless.

 

[bingevader]

http://swmbks.weebly.com?

 

[Poly Hive]

A brave post indeed and I too congratlate you for honesty.

It's a wise person that knows their limits.

I am in the middle of dealing with an utterly foul colony. Bear in mind I wear a circular helmet under my fencing hood veil....

There were so many bees on my veil the weight was dragging the fabric towards my nose and my nose was in serious danger. Further the smell of the venom from the stinging was making my eyes water.

Eventually I made out where she was and took that part a 100 yds away and let them settle a bit before going through the combs. Was she to be seen of course not. As this was my 4th experience of this particular beekeeping hell I was determined to get her and eventually I got a glimpse of her on the wall of the BB and that was it. Grabbed her and caged her up in a pluffer for blowing queens into cages. Subsequently she excaped in the car and has never re-appeared but I have nightmares of her appearing again at the fore front of the swarm from hell.

Some colonies are utterly no fun at all. There are sadly some terrible bees around.

PH

 

[jeff33]

I had to re-queen a hive last weekend. Not as bad as the tale below but waves of bees coming at my hands, flying around my head and follow you 50 yards away. I went to take the tab off the introduction cage yesterday and they were still balling the cage. Unlucky, I need to have another go tomorrow... Can't wait!

 

[Millet]

A brave post indeed and I too congratlate you for honesty.

It's a wise person that knows their limits.

I am in the middle of dealing with an utterly foul colony. Bear in mind I wear a circular helmet under my fencing hood veil....

There were so many bees on my veil the weight was dragging the fabric towards my nose and my nose was in serious danger. Further the smell of the venom from the stinging was making my eyes water.

Eventually I made out where she was and took that part a 100 yds away and let them settle a bit before going through the combs. Was she to be seen of course not. As this was my 4th experience of this particular beekeeping hell I was determined to get her and eventually I got a glimpse of her on the wall of the BB and that was it. Grabbed her and caged her up in a pluffer for blowing queens into cages. Subsequently she excaped in the car and has never re-appeared but I have nightmares of her appearing again at the fore front of the swarm from hell.

Some colonies are utterly no fun at all. There are sadly some terrible bees around.

PH

I suspect you will not be helping the OP out.. lol

 

[Beefriendly]

A suggestion is to first get your new queen established and laying in a nuc and then swap positions....you need to put your nuc bees into an equivalent hive size of the one you are swapping it for.
A couple of days later the flying bees are (mainly) with your new docile queen and you now have your old nasty queen surrounded by "relatively" docile house bees and much easier to find (usually). Squish her and unite.....relatively painless. But not without some damage, usually as you are shifting the grumpy hive in the first place.
I've had terrible problems in the past with adding caged queens to ferocious colonies after taking collateral damage finding her and then when they are without their own queen they often do not want to accept the new one.

 

[tudorcd]

Here I find that using a protected queen cell works well and there is no need to find the incumbent queen. The newly hatched queen acts as the "assassin" and dispatches the old, and after 9 weeks all of the previous generation of bees will have gone.
Interestingly, some hives become much gentler after a couple of weeks when the new queen has mated, suggesting that the queen herself is having an influence on the bees, probably a pheromone issue.
This is with Italian bees.

 

[philipm]

I know what you are going through Had a colony last year that I could only inspect with multiple layers of clothing on.They would cover my veil so much that it was difficult to see. It does tend to dent your confidence a bit thats why I think being a member of an association is helpful.There is always plenty of advice to hand and if you are lucky somebody will come and help sort the problem out.

 

[Millet]

Here I find that using a protected queen cell works well and there is no need to find the incumbent queen. The newly hatched queen acts as the "assassin" and dispatches the old, and after 9 weeks all of the previous generation of bees will have gone.
Interestingly, some hives become much gentler after a couple of weeks when the new queen has mated, suggesting that the queen herself is having an influence on the bees, probably a pheromone issue.
This is with Italian bees.

Getting the new Virgin Queen mated and back home Alive has been my problem for a good while, i will buy Mated Queens in from now on, it is less stressful for me.

 

[Beefriendly]

Here I find that using a protected queen cell works well and there is no need to find the incumbent queen. The newly hatched queen acts as the "assassin" and dispatches the old, a

Aye supposedly, on the two times I tried it one worked one didn't. Prefer better odds.
As I understand temper is 2 factors, the indroduced queens phermeones and the genetics of the nasty bees. A queen that produces gentle bees does have a calming effect and as you rightly say the full effect is not apparent until all the old bees have dies off. I requeened a colony about 6 weeks ago....still a few aggressive bees which I can only assume is because their genes (from deceased nasty deceased queen) are still working.

 

[tudorcd]

You can improve the odds by setting up a 4 frame nuc with a protected cell as well as the main hive, so only one queen needs to get mated to solve your problem. Queen cells are cheap here (NZ$10) compared to mated queens (a lot more), so hedging bets could work well. What are your prices like ?
You could end up with 2 mated queens (best), uniting main hive with nuc (one mated queen), or no mated queen - then buy one. And there is still time up your sleeve, but not much.

 

[B+.]

You can improve the odds

Those are your conditions though. The OP has a very different scenario that he admits is beyond his capabilities. Those of us who could help are all too far away. If there is nobody on the forum who is nearer, this problem is best dealt with by the local BKA.