WingCommander
New Bee
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2012
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 2
Hi there
I started beekeeping last year with one hive and was pleased with myself for successfully performing an artificial swarm a few weeks ago. The old queen is now in an established colony in a new hive (lots of drawn out brood frame with capped brood in, lots of freshly capped honey on new frames) in the old location and the new queen has just hatched (checked today) so so far, so good.
I have a problem however. Since the artificial swarm the new colony (old queen) has become incredibly aggressive. My friend (whose land the hives are on) called me on Monday to say that the bees were bombing him. On inspection today the new colony was very aggressive - lots of bombing and angry bees, in contrast to the utterly chilled out old hive. When I packed up to go I was walking to the car - 20m plus from the hive - when I started getting bombed again by 4 or 5 bees. One managed to sting me on the forearm as well so that just riled them up and I ended up doing a runner!
This colony has always been incredibly docile (my mum (a former beek of 20+ years) said they were the most docile she had ever seen!) and as the queen remains the same I am a bit stumped. Given that my friend works down the field they are in I can't afford for him to be attacked and I wondered what the wise old beekeepers on the web would advise...
I started beekeeping last year with one hive and was pleased with myself for successfully performing an artificial swarm a few weeks ago. The old queen is now in an established colony in a new hive (lots of drawn out brood frame with capped brood in, lots of freshly capped honey on new frames) in the old location and the new queen has just hatched (checked today) so so far, so good.
I have a problem however. Since the artificial swarm the new colony (old queen) has become incredibly aggressive. My friend (whose land the hives are on) called me on Monday to say that the bees were bombing him. On inspection today the new colony was very aggressive - lots of bombing and angry bees, in contrast to the utterly chilled out old hive. When I packed up to go I was walking to the car - 20m plus from the hive - when I started getting bombed again by 4 or 5 bees. One managed to sting me on the forearm as well so that just riled them up and I ended up doing a runner!
This colony has always been incredibly docile (my mum (a former beek of 20+ years) said they were the most docile she had ever seen!) and as the queen remains the same I am a bit stumped. Given that my friend works down the field they are in I can't afford for him to be attacked and I wondered what the wise old beekeepers on the web would advise...