Jon.21
House Bee
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2021
- Messages
- 137
- Reaction score
- 66
- Location
- Derby, UK
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 4
Bit of an unusual one I need some help with. My mum and dad have started keeping bees (this is their second year) and colony requeened itself in late summer last year via a supercedure. Inspections up to 2 weeks ago were calm and I was even thinking about using there genetics in my home apiary.
Then 2 weeks ago my mum and dad were inspecting and the pallet they put the stack of supers and demaree brood box fell over and knocked everything over. Bees of course acted accordingly and set about stinging my mum and dads feet (I have repeated told them to wear boots but they didnt ). They put the stack back together again whilst suffering 50-100 stings on their feet. Then off to A&E on advice of 111 that if you have more than 10 bee stings you go as a precaution.
Good lesson here I think to always take precautions even if bees are normally placid In case things go horribly wrong.
Anyway on the last 2 inspections (after 1 week and 2 weeks of the incident) the bees have been ridiculously defensive which involves following back to the house and even hanging around the back door waiting for people to reappear. i helped with the 2nd inspection this weekend and had 20 bees trying to sting through the veil and then my mum got stung after a bee flew through the back door after it was left open (note this was before we inspected ). We used washed bee suits and gloves in case the attack pheromone was still on the clothes. Note that colony is queen right with bias.
So question is are the bees now so traumatised by the experience 2 weeks ago that they have locked in a defensive spirit towards us. Is this just coincidence and they would have gone like this anyway?
what should I do? my initial thoughts are to go in tomorrow and kill the queen and re-queen ?
Then 2 weeks ago my mum and dad were inspecting and the pallet they put the stack of supers and demaree brood box fell over and knocked everything over. Bees of course acted accordingly and set about stinging my mum and dads feet (I have repeated told them to wear boots but they didnt ). They put the stack back together again whilst suffering 50-100 stings on their feet. Then off to A&E on advice of 111 that if you have more than 10 bee stings you go as a precaution.
Good lesson here I think to always take precautions even if bees are normally placid In case things go horribly wrong.
Anyway on the last 2 inspections (after 1 week and 2 weeks of the incident) the bees have been ridiculously defensive which involves following back to the house and even hanging around the back door waiting for people to reappear. i helped with the 2nd inspection this weekend and had 20 bees trying to sting through the veil and then my mum got stung after a bee flew through the back door after it was left open (note this was before we inspected ). We used washed bee suits and gloves in case the attack pheromone was still on the clothes. Note that colony is queen right with bias.
So question is are the bees now so traumatised by the experience 2 weeks ago that they have locked in a defensive spirit towards us. Is this just coincidence and they would have gone like this anyway?
what should I do? my initial thoughts are to go in tomorrow and kill the queen and re-queen ?
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