UK Fisher
New Bee
- Joined
- May 20, 2011
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Hampshire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 2
I checked out my 2 new hives (from 6 frame nucs) of bees yesterday, and overall i am pleased with the way they are steadily building up, brood at all stages inc freshly laid eggs, stores of honey etc, but i have a question i would like some advice on if possible please.
On the 2nd hive i puffed a little smoke into the entrance and then some under the crown board as per the 1st hive, not too much, just a little to let them know i was coming.
Well,, the bees erupted out of the hole in the crown board like a volcano, i stepped back a few paces and watched with a little anxiety, but after a minute or two i realised they were not trying to attack me but they just buzzed around in what i would say an unhappy cloud, i was only about 6 feet away and i am sure if they wanted to "get" me they could have.
I then went back to hive and continued on with the inspection, but when i used the smoker again about halfway through, the bees again reacted as before,,,,
I finished the inspection and overall i think they are doing fine, i never saw the queen, but i did see fresh eggs,(like tiny dots of rice) so she must have been there very recently. I was not wearing gloves and the bees never once tried to sting me, they were just like a buzzing cloud above the hive.
Now, as a new beekeeper, i am worried about the queen/queenless thing,,, but to be honest they only reacted in this manner whenever i used the smoker,,,not any other time while i was inspecting.
Was the smoke too hot,,, have i missed a fundamental point here,,,,did i do something wrong out of my own ignorance???? The smoker was filled with woodshavings, and was fine on the 1st hive.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as to why they reacted like this to the smoker.
Thanks.
Jazz
On the 2nd hive i puffed a little smoke into the entrance and then some under the crown board as per the 1st hive, not too much, just a little to let them know i was coming.
Well,, the bees erupted out of the hole in the crown board like a volcano, i stepped back a few paces and watched with a little anxiety, but after a minute or two i realised they were not trying to attack me but they just buzzed around in what i would say an unhappy cloud, i was only about 6 feet away and i am sure if they wanted to "get" me they could have.
I then went back to hive and continued on with the inspection, but when i used the smoker again about halfway through, the bees again reacted as before,,,,
I finished the inspection and overall i think they are doing fine, i never saw the queen, but i did see fresh eggs,(like tiny dots of rice) so she must have been there very recently. I was not wearing gloves and the bees never once tried to sting me, they were just like a buzzing cloud above the hive.
Now, as a new beekeeper, i am worried about the queen/queenless thing,,, but to be honest they only reacted in this manner whenever i used the smoker,,,not any other time while i was inspecting.
Was the smoke too hot,,, have i missed a fundamental point here,,,,did i do something wrong out of my own ignorance???? The smoker was filled with woodshavings, and was fine on the 1st hive.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as to why they reacted like this to the smoker.
Thanks.
Jazz