Beginners advice on grumpy Winter bees

[Putnamsmif]

Firstly I hope you all had an over-indulgent, alcohol-befuddled very merry Xmas.

I went to my apiary today to treat my two hives with oxalic and give them some fondant as a bit of insurance; I'm a bit nervous as it's my first Winter. I have a crown board then two slabs of celotex as insulation. When I opened my first hive the bees stormed out and were obviously in no mood for being messed about with. They never behaved like this in the Summer being for the most part calm and not bothering about me when I opened up for inspection. It was a sunny calm day, and I was so careful opening up because I thought as they haven't been opened for a while they may be a bit tetchy. I closed them up and left them to it as I would have done at any other time of year. They definitely had some stores, though I obviously couldn't tell without more of an inspection just how much. The hive feels fairly heavy on hefting, but the thing about hefting is I have nothing to compare it with if you know what I mean not having hefted hives before. This colony came from a swarm a friend collected so I have no idea how old the queen is, though in Summer and Autumn she seemed to be laying strongly, and had started laying again after a break following apiguard treatment. They are on 11 frames in a standard national brood box.

The second of my hives was the total opposite, and I treated them with no problems and left them a good slab of fondant.

Could they just have been seriously cross about being opened up at this time of year, or could there be a more serious problem? I understand that without a proper inspection (which wouldn't be a good idea at this time of year would it?) I won't know whether the queen is still alive, and anyway what could I do about it at this time of year? Can you get queens at this time of year? My plan at the moment is to go back in a week or so - weather permitting - and try again.

I'd sincerely appreciate any advice/ opinions!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bees will be grumpy this time of year - one of the nucs I OA'd today went berserk, some got a bit miffed when I trickled the Oxalic, and some were fairly placid. I wouldn't worry about it.
This is not the time of year to make an assesment as to their temperament,and there's nothing that you can do to solve it anyway they were just being a bit shirty at having their roof ripped off in the middle of the ffff.......freezing winter Nothing to worry about IMHO

Just noticed you didn't do the trickling, next time, just grit your teeth, do it however they behave and close up

 

[beeno]

Hi Putmansmif,
I did find the same with my hive that I did OA on yday. When I do the other hives I will definitely have my smoker at hand!

 

[Putnamsmif]

Basically don't be such a wimp and get on with it!

Kind of hoped that would be the reply. It's a bit disconcerting to say the least the first time you experience a grumpy hive though.

Thanks for the advice. I feel reassured as to my bees and the action to take but also strangely emasculated (what a word!).

 

[fiftyjon]

I crack the crownboard with the hive tool so it is loose then wait a short while. Prepare the OA in either a syringe or whatever you are using and then with one hand lift the crownboard up and apply the OA along the seams with the other. If they are a little shirty then you can at least apply the treatment before they all pile out. While you give the treatment you have the opportunity to look at the stores.

 

[REDWOOD]

As Someone once told me that if you don't get stung you're not trying hard enough

 

[Itchy]

I have one hive (from a swarm) that was grumpy all summer....and they are no happier now! I will change the queen next season

 

[Smorning]

Use a vaporiser it's far less intrusive and the bees do not get so stroppy it worth the additional cost in my view and as it more effective as well accordingly to published research

 

[REDWOOD]

I have one hive (from a swarm) that was grumpy all summer....and they are no happier now! I will change the queen next season

They are probably not grumpy just protective and that's why the swarmed in the first place

 

[Queens59]

If someone ripped the roof off your house and started pratting about just as you got the temperature how you wanted it...what would you do???

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Basically don't be such a wimp and get on with it!

Kind of hoped that would be the reply. It's a bit disconcerting to say the least the first time you experience a grumpy hive though.

Thanks for the advice. I feel reassured as to my bees and the action to take but also strangely emasculated (what a word!).

Having just yesterday been to our association for an O A trickling demo, the method shown was simple and rapid. Using a trickle 2 bottle already filled, open the hive, look down in the spaces between frames to identify where the cluster is using a torch if necessary , trickle the first seam, hold bottle upright and squeeze to refill the dose chamber, trickle seam 2, repeat until all seams treated. This shouldn't take more than 10 seconds per seam, less with practice. Replace crown board. Weigh or heft hive, replace roof, fill in record card top up trickle 2 bottle and move on to next hive. Bees will fly and may be annoyed but thats what your suit and veil are for.

 

[youngyoungs]

Your reaction was the same as mine the first time I OA'd my bees.

Do as much as you can before you take the top off the hive.

Ask a friend to help.
Prepare for the bees to be grumpy, so suit up well.
I don't use a smoker.
I use a torch to see the cluster, and a 50ml syringe to apply the OA. It takes a bit of practice to apply 5ml per seam, but you can practice in your own kitchen, not at the apiary.
I close them up as quickly as possible and don't use it as an opportunity to do anything else.

Simples!

 

[Cazza]

Basically don't be such a wimp and get on with it!

Kind of hoped that would be the reply. It's a bit disconcerting to say the least the first time you experience a grumpy hive though.

Thanks for the advice. I feel reassured as to my bees and the action to take but also strangely emasculated (what a word!).

That's about right. Suit up and do it.
Cazza

 

[enrico]

That's about right. Suit up and do it.
Cazza

And I get criticised for tapping once on the side of the hive once a week.....blimey!

 

[victor meldrew]

Huge difference between once for OA and weekly unnecessary disturbance !
Er! I am on the correct thread?
I do get confused these days
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[pargyle]

Huge difference between once for OA and weekly unnecessary disturbance !
Er! I am on the correct thread?
I do get confused these days
VM

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Shouldn't worry VM ... half the time I don't recognise my posts ... they seem to change after I post them ... must be senility setting in !

 

[MartinL]

If someone ripped the roof off your house and started pratting about just as you got the temperature how you wanted it...what would you do???

Not to mention pouring acid over your family!!

What did you expect??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not to mention pouring acid over your family!!

Now That's a thought!