Am I just unlucky?

[Do224]

I’m a complete newbie but I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited a number of local apiaries and been ‘shown the ropes’ by a few different beekeepers.

I’ve been really enjoying it and am looking forward to getting my first colony. However......on each occasion that I’ve been around bees I seem to get far more ‘attention’ than others in the group. I look around at others and they might have the odd bee hovering around them.....while I’ve got bees bouncing off my veil and constantly pinging against my hands.

My bee suit is new and I’ve not washed it yet. I’ve tried having a shower before I visit an apiary without using any soap/shampoo. I’ve been avoiding using any deodorant/aftershave. I’m very calm in the apiary and make slow movements.....I’m really struggling to work out why they’re taking offence at me in particular.

I was with a group of four at an apiary today and we opened a particularly hostile colony.....the bees really went after me and followed me quite a way from the apiary. I even had to wander away from the other guys to allow them to get their bee suits off as I still had bees swarming all around me. Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[drdrday]

As you've already tried, avoiding scents is sensible. Washing your suit regularly is also important. If bees have been after you in numbers there's a good chance your suit has taken stings even if they haven't hit you so you're not necessarily aware. Washing your suit will ensure there's no remaining alarm pheromone.

What you eat can also bother the bees. Someone recently posted on here about eating pear drops, the smell of which is very similar to the alarm pheromone.

Of course you might just be unlucky

I wash my suit pretty regularly but I've never felt the need to change my shampoo or anything else.

 

[Earthboy]

I’m a complete newbie but I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited a number of local apiaries and been ‘shown the ropes’ by a few different beekeepers.

I’ve been really enjoying it and am looking forward to getting my first colony. However......on each occasion that I’ve been around bees I seem to get far more ‘attention’ than others in the group. I look around at others and they might have the odd bee hovering around them.....while I’ve got bees bouncing off my veil and constantly pinging against my hands.

My bee suit is new and I’ve not washed it yet. I’ve tried having a shower before I visit an apiary without using any soap/shampoo. I’ve been avoiding using any deodorant/aftershave. I’m very calm in the apiary and make slow movements.....I’m really struggling to work out why they’re taking offence at me in particular.

I was with a group of four at an apiary today and we opened a particularly hostile colony.....the bees really went after me and followed me quite a way from the apiary. I even had to wander away from the other guys to allow them to get their bee suits off as I still had bees swarming all around me. Any advice greatly appreciated!

No offense please, but when was the last time you have done your health check, for I've read non-scientific accounts elsewhere of people talking about the onset of, say, diabetes and bee sting, etc. Personally I am not convinced, though, but might be worthwhile.

Respectfully just in case.

Earthboy

 

[gmonag]

Diabetic ketoacidosis
can produce breath smelling of acetone (pear drops) which mimics the alarm pheromone.

 

[pargyle]

Diabetic ketoacidosis
can produce breath smelling of acetone (pear drops) which mimics the alarm pheromone.

Or just eating bananas before you go near the bees ...

 

[SumpNut]

I've noticed if I have a takeaway curry (garlic chilli chicken) the bees take a very strong dislike to me for a few days!

Probably not surprising really

 

[Newbeeneil]

I've noticed if I have a takeaway curry (garlic chilli chicken) the bees take a very strong dislike to me for a few days!

Just the bees????

 

[Ian123]

Some shower gels have caused a negative reaction in rare circumstances. Try using something neutral and get some decent bees!!!

 

[madasafish]

Alcohol on the breath -even 12 hours old - upsets bees.
Gloves or clothes that have been sting and not washed carry alarm pheromones which upset bees.

Having said all that, our Association Apiary used to have a hive which welcomed me and stung me - at the entrance.
After requeening, they stopped.

 

[Do224]

Thanks all....who knows. The beekeeper I was with yesterday suggested it could be my beard (?) but I’ve had the same attention from the bees clean shaven...

I hadn’t considered food odours so will bear that in mind....I wasn’t aware they didn’t like bananas (I have one every morning).

Don’t think I’m a likely candidate for diabetes being mid thirties and slim build....?

I’ve washed my bee suit today (just water no detergent) so we’ll see if that helps. One thing I did consider.....last summer I was out with a beekeeper and we used a few drops of lemongrass oil....I wonder if I could have got some on my gloves and then inadvertently transferred it into my bee suit somewhere. Seems a bit far fetched though especially as it was almost a year ago...

I think I’ll be visiting another apiary on Saturday so we’ll see if there’s any improvement. I’ll also be swapping my black gloves for yellow after a few people have said to me that the bees don’t like black.

I did also wonder whether my height/size may be a factor. I’m not a giant or anything but I’m usually the biggest person in the group....would the bees single me out as the biggest threat?

 

[pargyle]

All possibilities ... perhaps dump the bananas before beekeeping and leave them until after as a start and get rid of the black gloves as well.

You can use detergents on your suit - I usually add a spoonful of washing soda to the wash which very effectively removes propolis.

Lemongrass oil does hang about but I doubt it will last 12 months.

I don't think beards or height make a lot of difference - I've seen all shapes and sizes of beekeepers and it doesn't appear to me as there's much to choose and whether the bees are attracted to height - never seen bees specificlly target tall people.

Their sense of smell is very acute and if anything is going to upset them it will usually be the odour of something .... that's where you need to look.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No offense please, but when was the last time you have done your health check, for I've read non-scientific accounts elsewhere of people talking about the onset of, say, diabetes and bee sting, etc. Personally I am not convinced, though, but might be worthwhile.

Respectfully just in case.

Earthboy

That's a very good point. Bees can sense skin scents caused by altered metabolism due to lots of diseases like diabetes and even cancer.......just like dogs can.
A visit to the dentist to to get a really thorough oral health check wouldn't go amiss.
If you can get near one these days, of course

 

[Do224]

That's a very good point. Bees can sense skin scents caused by altered metabolism due to lots of diseases like diabetes and even cancer.......just like dogs can.
A visit to the dentist to to get a really thorough oral health check wouldn't go amiss.
If you can get near one these days, of course

Well I didn't expect to be told I might have cancer when I made the original post . Not sure how the doctor would react if I made an appointment and said “I feel fine actually, but I’ve noticed that honeybees don’t seem to like me too much. Do you think I might have cancer or something?”

I do appreciate your thoughts though. Perhaps I’m making it sound worse than it is but I do seem to get more attention from the bees than others....teeth are ok, was at the dentist for a checkup two weeks ago.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Some people seem to get stung more than others. One of my landlords had new neighbours move in who promptly removed the deviding leylandii hedge. Since this was the barrier between the orchard my bees are in and his garden he promptly complained he was stung repeatedly and since he has young children my landlord asked if it was possible to move them to woodland on the other side of their property.
After removing the hives for three weeks and returning them to the new site they settled in nicely until the neighbour was being shown the woodland and promptly got stung!

 

[pargyle]

[QUOTE="Do224, post: 769869, member: 19588"

I do appreciate your thoughts though. Perhaps I’m making it sound worse than it is but I do seem to get more attention from the bees than others....teeth are ok, was at the dentist for a checkup two weeks ago.
[/QUOTE]

Bees also pick up signs of stress ... and it can be stressful when they seem to be taking more than an active interest in you - stress creates pheremones that are given off and the bees can detect them. I'm sure you may feel calm but the inner working sub conscious does have different ideas about your state of mind sometimes.

It's one more thing that can spark the bees interest in you. Make sure you are completely bee proof - if necessary go over the top - duct tape round cuffs and boot tops, zip everything up tight and make certain you feel completely bee-secure.

If they are going for your hands buy a bottle of Olbas Oil - just a couple of drops rubbed into your gloves will keep the bees off - they tend to move away from the aromatic oils in the product. A bottle lasts years - I've had my last bottle for at least a couple of years and done countless inspections- still some left in there - it's a good investment.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well I didn't expect to be told I might have cancer when I made the original post . Not sure how the doctor would react if I made an appointment and said “I feel fine actually, but I’ve noticed that honeybees don’t seem to like me too much. Do you think I might have cancer or something?”

I do appreciate your thoughts though. Perhaps I’m making it sound worse than it is but I do seem to get more attention from the bees than others....teeth are ok, was at the dentist for a checkup two weeks ago.

No disrespect meant. I assure you

 

[IndiBee]

Bees also pick up signs of stress ... and it can be stressful when they seem to be taking more than an active interest in you - stress creates pheremones that are given off and the bees can detect them.

I have always made a rule - never go near the bees if you are mad about something - they somehow pick up on it and ge mad themselves.

 

[Tannkman]

All possibilities ... perhaps dump the bananas before beekeeping and leave them until after as a start and get rid of the black gloves as well.

You can use detergents on your suit - I usually add a spoonful of washing soda to the wash which very effectively removes propolis.

Lemongrass oil does hang about but I doubt it will last 12 months.

I don't think beards or height make a lot of difference - I've seen all shapes and sizes of beekeepers and it doesn't appear to me as there's much to choose and whether the bees are attracted to height - never seen bees specificlly target tall people.

Their sense of smell is very acute and if anything is going to upset them it will usually be the odour of something .... that's where you need to look.

Like you, I'm quite new to beekeeping and in the early days I seem to keep getting stung/hit/followed by them.
My bee suit was new as were the leather gloves. I washed my bee suit even though it was clean and dumped the leather gloves in favour of Nitrile gloves and so far this has resolved the problem.
I figure that the bees don't like the smell of some new clothing and given that leather is animal skin it does seem to attract them judging by the number of stings they used to leave embedded in the gloves.
Benefits of Nitrile gloves is you can actually feel what you're doing so less likely to squash bees and because you throw them afterwards less likely to transfer scent or disease. Just gotta make sure that you always keep some spares with you incase you rip them when doing manipulations.
Hope this helps.

 

[Do224]

Bees also pick up signs of stress ... and it can be stressful when they seem to be taking more than an active interest in you - stress creates pheremones that are given off and the bees can detect them. I'm sure you may feel calm but the inner working sub conscious does have different ideas about your state of mind sometimes.

It's one more thing that can spark the bees interest in you. Make sure you are completely bee proof - if necessary go over the top - duct tape round cuffs and boot tops, zip everything up tight and make certain you feel completely bee-secure.

If they are going for your hands buy a bottle of Olbas Oil - just a couple of drops rubbed into your gloves will keep the bees off - they tend to move away from the aromatic oils in the product. A bottle lasts years - I've had my last bottle for at least a couple of years and done countless inspections- still some left in there - it's a good investment.

Thanks for the olbas oil tip and also suggesting the duct tape around the cuffs....that is exactly the sort of practical advice I was hoping for.

If any body else has any other thoughts along these lines I’d really welcome them...

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for the olbas oil tip and also suggesting the duct tape around the cuffs....that is exactly the sort of practical advice I was hoping for.

If any body else has any other thoughts along these lines I’d really welcome them...

Check the point where the hood zip meets the front zip - there's usually a velcro flap over the join - make sure that is well seated - it's a favourite place to leave a gap and the bees seem to have developed a sense for that particular route in.

Don't panic when they ping the veil - if everything is intact they can't get at you so stay calm.

If you get stung - and if you keep bees you WILL get stung - there was a recent thread on here with some good (and varied) advice about the best treatments to allay some of the discomfort. I'm off to work but someone will find it for you ... and link it.