aggressive inspection - how to get it back together?

[kazmcc]

Could have given the suit a good smoking beforehand, but you got the job done. Sorry you had to experience this. Well done though

 

[richardbees]

shrek

If they are ratty there's a good chance they are queenless so you can't just leave them alone until next Spring......

It's not clear, do you just have a broodbox or BB and supers?

richard

 

[The Drone Ranger]

Sometimes smoke does no good because they have no stores.
If that is the case a spray with sugar syrup keeps them from flying up and busy while you rebuild.
Once I was relocating a box which I had captured a big swarm in.
The floor fell off and they came out fighting.
I ran for it as only had the bee jacket
Picked up 30 stings and loads of followers.
Made it indoors to kitchen there were dozens of bees in the kitchen with me.
I shut them in and dumped the bee jacket the passageway.
Outside bathroom shook off the remainder.
Got into bathroom divested and jumped in shower which helped a lot.
Turned off the shower went to step out Bzzzzzzz
Yep a couple were waiting so it was bees vs a naked fat man armed with a towel.
Was fully togged up with beesuit and waterproofs when I went back plus sugar spray.
I would like to say they went on to be well behaved but they didnt and needed requeening.

 

[victor meldrew]

They are not fond of diesel either, soak your suit in diesel.

When I was in the Libyan red desert , the Cook house food was cooked on diesel fuelled salamander stoves . I can still taste the damned diesel 54 years later , still makes me heave . Come to think ,it kept the flies away but not the shite hawks
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[shrekfeet]

OK, here is the full situation. from the bottom of the hive up. Floor, entrance, super, BB,QE,BB, entrance, super.

I know, it's a bit wierd but it's a long story involving 2 swarms. One settled well, one went in, came back out, went in, swarmed again into a tree. Came back to hive, beareded for 3 full days. Went back in. Was inspected 3 weeks or so later. no Q. Decided to unite 2 'large' colonies. Later inspected, found brood above and below the QE! Decided to add a secon entrance as it was a long way from the basement to the attic.

Went in to inspect the other day. from top down...
super - drawn out
BB loads of honey reserves, no brood, 80% capped,
QE
BB - this is when they freaked out so I dodn't get to inspect for Q, brood etc

Is it worth noting that they are very sticky. Propolis gluing everything together

Can I get the honey from the BB or not worth bothering?
No varoa treatment

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can I get the honey from the BB or not worth bothering?
No varoa treatment

Nothing wrong with brooded combs if they have no brood, but you do need to check stores in what you leave behind

 

[richardbees]

shrek

Looks like you've done a classic 'Snelgrove' AS procedure but used a QE instead of a swarm board.

Yes you can take honey from the broodbox.
I suggest you put the top super on top of the bottom broodbox under the QE and then a clearer board under the top broodbox .....discard the top entrance.
A cleare board is a one-way bee escape, if you've got a standard hive kit. you can buy some 'Porter bee escapes' that fit in the holes Crown board.

Try and get this done asap as you need to get your hive into good order for over-wintering!

richard

 

[Mart_got_hives]

I have a similarly aggressive colony. For inspections it's 2 pairs of trousers, bungee chord around bottom of jacket, gardening gloves over rubber gloves and masking tape over cuffs -they've managed to crawl into my gloves before.. They follow me from the hive to the house, tried standing still for five minutes at the other end of the garden but they don't let up -probably as they've planted so many stings on my clothing. To get rid of them last time I turned on a hosepipe, pointed it upwards and stood under it.

Unsurprisingly I've not been able to see a Queen or eggs in there what with all the chaos so I'm going to assume the worst and pop a new Queen in then leave them to it.

 

[Lucky Bee]

I had a nasty experience this summer when one of my hives took a dislike to me. I came up with the bright idea of spraying myself with Bee Quick to deter them. I was on my own in the middle of nowhere at one of my apiaries. A few minutes later I felt my face burning - uh oh, sprayed through the veil, what the hell is in Bee Quick! Quick, water sprayer! I can laugh at it now but at the time . . . .