Bees defending their honey

[DRam]

'Go into the hive as little as possible' sounds a good idea at the present time.

This was a fairly gentle hive until the honey flow started and we added the additional supers. It is a new queen, you don't think lack of pheromone at the top is an explanation.

Re-queen or combine in spring sounds like the best option - plenty of time to plan and see what options we have.

 

[enrico]

'Go into the hive as little as possible' sounds a good idea at the present time.

This was a fairly gentle hive until the honey flow started and we added the additional supers. It is a new queen, you don't think lack of pheromone at the top is an explanation.

Re-queen or combine in spring sounds like the best option - plenty of time to plan and see what options we have.

Hives change. That is why we advise people to be so careful when they keep bees in their gardens. I do but it is a big garden and I have 40 years experience. They still drive me crazy on occasions!

 

[ericbeaumont]

you don't think lack of pheromone at the top is an explanation

No.

is that clutching at straws.

Yes.

very defensively aggressive

Combo from hell!

Easiest option as Enrico suggested, is to kill the queen and unite, either in about a month or in early spring, when the colony is weaker.

Re-queening a defensive colony is often less than successful: bees often depose the newcomer and raise their own on her larvae. If you decide to buy a queen, make up a nuc, allow it to make EQCs, remove those, feed the nuc for a couple of days and then introduce the bought queen.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you decide to buy a queen, make up a nuc, allow it to make EQCs, remove those, feed the nuc for a couple of days and then introduce the bought queen.

|I wouldn't do it like that. wait until the new queen arrives, make up a nuc with emerging brood, stores etc and immediately introduce the queen, uncover the candy the following day.
Hasn't failed me yet.

 

[ericbeaumont]

|I wouldn't do it like that. wait until the new queen arrives, make up a nuc with emerging brood, stores etc and immediately introduce the queen, uncover the candy the following day.
Hasn't failed me yet.

Thought you'd mention that recipe!

Tried it on and off and gave up. Some were rejected in favour of their own QCs, some superseded quickly.

Maybe I'm missing an essential ingredient.

 

[cwinte]

Have you washed the suits since? Once attacked the suits will carry plenty of "attack me" signals...
Not that I have EVER washed mine yet, but never really had any attack. Just a thought but surprised no one mentioned it - though your other hives were not attacking you so....

 

[DRam]

We did wash the suits as we had loads of stings left in the veils and suit. I haven't been back since, but my partner had the same experience with a clean suit, and as you say our other hives are behaving normally, so its not that.

 

[ericbeaumont]

the same experience with a clean suit,

What did you use to wash the suit?

Not that I have EVER washed mine yet,

Never?

 

[cwinte]

What did you use to wash the suit?

Never?

no never, but only 4 years in with nice bees - only 2 or 3 hives...

 

[ericbeaumont]

only 4 years in with nice bees

Main reason for washing kit regularly is to limit transfer of bacteria and what-not between colonies, defensive or not.

When you do wash, aim to use washing soda only, or powder that is unscented.

Do you keep a bucket with washing soda by your side during inspections, to wash hive tools and gloves between colonies?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

no never, but only 4 years in with nice bees - only 2 or 3 hives...

nice!
Regardless of whether you think you need to basic apiary hygiene means you should wash the suit regularly - in the height of the season mine is in the washer a good few times a week.

 

[Newbeeneil]

nice!
Regardless of whether you think you need to basic apiary hygiene means you should wash the suit regularly - in the height of the season mine is in the washer a good few times a week.

During the summer my 6 suits are normally each washed weekly.

 

[cwinte]

Main reason for washing kit regularly is to limit transfer of bacteria and what-not between colonies, defensive or not.

When you do wash, aim to use washing soda only, or powder that is unscented.

Do you keep a bucket with washing soda by your side during inspections, to wash hive tools and gloves between colonies?

Yes I do keep a bucket. Truth is I'm a very low invasion beek, only had suit on twice this year so far, only had it on for 30mins total and only 1 hive since last year so low risks for them.
But good points noted for ref, thanks!

 

[DRam]

Hello All,

Thought I'd update you all since many of you were kind enough to make useful suggestions.

Today was a lot less problematic. We went about 1pm, the weather was overcast with a slight blustery wind.

We did as suggested and took it very slow removing the roof and crown board and gently smoked the top super.
The colony is on brood and a half, with 4 honey supers, and we had to separate and remove everything down to the queen excluder. The bottom two supers were crammed with bees (maybe 'cos we'd smoked them down) and so heavy I wondered if the side bars would support the weight of the supper. The second top super they are starting to drawn and store honey, the top super is largely just foundation. We have reordered so that the two heavy supers are above a clearing board and we will remove tomorrow.

Considering that this was quite a process, removing and reassembling the hive and exposing the queen excluder, there was far less defensive activity, there was of course some bees on our veils, and some bees did persist to buzzing us some distance from the hive, but not anywhere close to the extent of a week ago, which was just horrible.

What did we do differently...
Different time of day.
Cooler weather
Different smoker fuel - wood chip which gave off a far thicker smoke.
We went with extra gloves, and second layers under the suits and were far more confident because of it.
We were very pleasantly surprised when they didn't erupt from the hive as soon as we cracked the crown board as they had last week, and that helped enormously.

They are still more defensive than our other colonies, one of which just ignored us as we removed capped frames and brushed the bees off back into the super, but they were not as problematic as we feared.

Thanks again for your suggestions,