Apis Horrilibus

[Gardenbees]

In retrospect things should not get that far but you have to balance short-term deviations from normal behaviour with an out and out BAD hive. Sometimes they are just bad-tempered because of the rape, then they settle down fine. Sometimes they are tetchy because they are between queens and it takes a while to find out what the problem really is and what to do thereafter, so I really do consider it a last resort to take such drastic action, but would do it again tomorrow if I had to.

... and in fact, the colony I mentioned earlier in this thread are probably OK to leave. They have already settled down a bit, and are no longer patrolling quite so far away from the hive. I can go almost up to them without pinging, but they're still very averse to handling frames etc. I think a bit of rain might help: it's bone dry where I am, and with all the flowers about there still doesn't appear to be much nectar flow any more. Guaranteed to not improve their temper, especially when they've built up such huge numbers recently (and a huge appetite to go with it I expect).

 

[merylvingien]

Ive just took the desicion to order a new queen to try and sort out the crap colony at the top of the garden, i think the queen is an old one and on her way out. They dont appear to be moving much at the moment. Probably why their temperment has changed. So anyway, her days are numbered.

 

[oliver90owner]

As I distribute some of my colonies around the OSR, I am attempting to find the best position usiing dowsing rods. Not that easy for all my few colonies as some are already fixed (well, I don't want to be moving them now), some are relatively immovable (Dartingtons per eg) and so on. But I might be able to make some guesses as to temperament of some of them later.....

Regards, RAB

 

[drstitson]

"I am attempting to find the best position usiing dowsing rods....... But I might be able to make some guesses as to temperament of some of them later....."

good to see someone taking JH seriously!

however i'd imagine those colonies you position close to lightning-prone trees won't be too happy (if they survive).

 

[Poly Hive]

Ok, all so far so good I thought now a real spanner in the works.

Pray tell me how I commmunicate with a tree and ask it if it is lightening prone?

Oh of course... Hug it....

PH

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi mstrom

It sounds like you have been through the mill and had a bit of bad luck and I am sorry to hear your story if its any consolation non of it is your fault its just bad luck, I had a very nasty colony that had to go it was dangerous and although I tried to sort it and was making good progress one to many people fell foul of them and the decision was made.

It’s a tough call but Geoff is very experienced and would not recommend it without first looking at all the alternatives. Good look for the future and remember you will have more to learn and gain from this experience as I know I did.

Tom, nice compliment but it was not me who issued the " cull" notice but a more experience beekeeper 100 hives helping the previous apiary manager to requeen ( rather delicate situation )

molly and i decided to inspect together today just to see how bad

so fresh washed Suit in non bio and washing soda
smoked gloves
manipulation cloths
smoked heavy two minutes prior
escape route planned to a folly with enclosed cellar in a copse
extra super added to give them space
reduced on saturday from 12 hoffsmans to 11 hoffsmans plus dummy
gentle manipulation
smoker above the brood

ok they follow, they got agitated mid inspection but they did not roar up like i understand they did saturday, with manipulation cloths and only 11 frames rather than twelve less stress extracting the first frame meant no rolled bees and only guards pinging

so we are going for a requeen (and if necessary a five mile move to a field near the Grand union canal south of watfordbushey (is that near you Tom")

ordered the queen but its not a local queen and may fly upside down

so it is on my head as apairy manager if the nuns get stung,

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

After our little brush with our bees from hell last year...we swapped them with a very experienced beekeeper who keeps a bad bees out apiary I am still a bit in awe of anyone who says they can just find and remove a queen from such a colony.

I shouldn't have read this thread at 01.30 this morning as I've been racking my brain at odd times since (and at 09.00 they've just stopped begin odd on a w/e) as to what they used to use to stupify a hive temporarily to allow such manipulations. It wasn't tobacco smoke, something else in the mix that KOd them for a little while (and yeah, it was legal).

Any idea what it was?

I have read that burning walnut bark in your smoker has a calming effect...

Brian