Beginning to wonder now...

[ShinySideUp]

Read this
http://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/how-to-tell-if-your-bees-are-africanized/

I read the above article that was referred to in another post because I find myself ignorant of a basic fact about bee behaviour: How close should I be able to stand to a hive on a sunny day with active bees without getting attacked?

Three days ago it was sunny, there were many bees flying around and I was standing off to one side and about four metres away doing nothing, just watching, when a bee came straight at me and stung me on the hand. Today, I am standing in a similar aspect but now I'm six metres away and a bee again flies straight at me and goes at my head. Fortunately I saw it coming and moved rapidly away behind a shed and into the shade and the bee followed me until I was about ten metres away.

All the texts advise me open the bees when it's fine and warm but this seems to be when my bees are less than friendly (well, at least two of them have been). Am I over-reacting, unlucky, what? I wouldn't like to think that I can't go in one part of my [admittedly] large garden while the sun was out and if my wife gets stung while minding her own business well away from the hive that that will be that as far as beekeeping is concerned.

I would have assumed that if there was any element of general aggression there would be more than one bee on the warpath so I'm not suggesting that my bees are in any way 'africanised' but I'm just wondering what I can expect regarding proximity?

 

[GaryB]

My usually calm hive is Q- at the moment and are in the process of raising a new Queen. They are very grumpy at the moment, and I am unable to sit near the hive as I have been able to, without some unwanted attention by some over efficient guards. Is your hive queen right?

 

[Millet]

Mine are fairly defensive but i can stand around 2/3 meters away with out any problems, after i open up though is different story on some days.

Your bees sound a tad defensive also.

 

[ShinySideUp]

My usually calm hive is Q- at the moment and are in the process of raising a new Queen. They are very grumpy at the moment, and I am unable to sit near the hive as I have been able to, without some unwanted attention by some over efficient guards. Is your hive queen right?

Mine are fairly defensive but i can stand around 2/3 meters away with out any problems, after i open up though is different story on some days.

Your bees sound a tad defensive also.

These are the sorts of reply that make me feel a little more reassured that my bees are not out of the ordinary because of course as a novice beekeeper I am full of doubts. Although the hive was opened on Monday (with an experienced beekeeper) to check for the queen -- she was fine and dandy -- I am going to go in again right now and check if I need a super on and at the same time see how the bees are when opened on a warm, sunny day. I'll report back in a few hours.

 

[user 6228]

When you have 20,000 individuals there is always one or two awkward ones. Ignore those. Most of the rest if they have got other more pressing things to do can't be bothered with paying any attention to anything else. The trouble can start there is nothing for any of them to do.

Ami talking about bees or humans?


go in when they are hard at work I.e. It's warm and bright and probably the awkward ones are away or to distracted by all the activity.

Could apply this to any form of burglary

 

[theeggman]

Three days ago it was sunny, there were many bees flying around and I was standing off to one side and about four metres away doing nothing, just watching, when a bee came straight at me and stung me on the hand. Today, I am standing in a similar aspect but now I'm six metres away and a bee again flies straight at me and goes at my head. Fortunately I saw it coming and moved rapidly away behind a shed and into the shade and the bee followed me until I was about ten metres away.

Could you have been stood in the flight path to a water or nectar source?

Ours are on water duty currently and they make a (bee) line for it and don't like being deflected.

 

[Teebeeaitch]

I always like the approach that you open them up as little as possible and only if you have good reason. You are going to open them up for the second time in four days primarily just to have a look. I don't think you are helping.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I always like the approach that you open them up as little as possible and only if you have good reason. You are going to open them up for the second time in four days primarily just to have a look. I don't think you are helping.

Probably not helping the bees but I have certainly helped myself on this occasion.

Just went in and added a super, bees were fine. No overt aggression and all is OK.

Stangely though, an hour after I had closed up the hive I was in the garden at least fifty metres from the hive and not even in plain sight of it and a bee tried to get me in the face and we (my neighbour was with me) had to quickly move into the greenhouse until it went away. So it would appear that it has little to do with the colony in general and more to do with what they actually think of me! Now there's gratitude for you.

I'll not be opening them now until Saturday week as they have plenty of room and no signs of swarming behavior, I only did it today because it's supposed to rain here tomorrow and Saturday.

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[theeggman]

No offence meant but.

Do you wear aftershave, or it could be the washing powder in use that they don't like the smell of. Were you wearing black clothing?

 

[Swarm]

I always like the approach that you open them up as little as possible and only if you have good reason. You are going to open them up for the second time in four days primarily just to have a look. I don't think you are helping.

Very sound advice. Your queen was seen on Monday, your mentor should also have noted the size of the brood nest and whether a super was required. Allow a week between inspections as a guide unless intervention of some sort is needed.
I am a little concerned because this is a recently hived nuc if I'm correct? Nucs are normally quiet, it's when the colony gets larger (and they know their strength) that they start getting tasty so just keep a watchful eye on their temperament as they expand. If they have 8 frames of brood then give them a super, if not try next week.
I can usually stand to the side of mine or lean over them for a quick squint at their activity. Don't hang around them unless you get out of any flight path and take note of what has been said already, there are times when they can become grumpy and garden activity can be a target so have a plan B site where they can be taken if the need arises.

 

[Swarm]

Just saw your last post. A super can be added when it's raining, sometimes you find yourself having to do swarm prevention in the rain, that's just beekeeping in Britain.
I am still concerned, bees buzzing you in the garden ain't acceptable.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Yes, I was all in black -- T shirt and shorts --, usually am; is that an attractant?

 

[Millet]

Yes, I was all in black -- T shirt and shorts --, usually am; is that an attractant?

I often get them buzzing around me in the garden 40yrds from the hive but they are not trying to sting me. its more like they are just having a look and then they buzz of elsewhere.

 

[REDWOOD]

count the stings on your suit will indicate a defensive colony. Some bees just are a loud lot and like to make their presence known and don't sting and others are not so loud but like to have a sneaky ping

 

[Poly Hive]

Have a look and see how many bee suits come in black which may give a bit of a hint.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Yes, I was all in black is that an attractant?

They never seem to be attracted to black clothing here.

 

[pargyle]

They never seem to be attracted to black clothing here.

Yes ... I think this may be another beekeeping myth - my usual beekeeping apparel is black jeans and just a beekeeping jacket .. if I get stung it's inevitably on the hands. I never see any bees on my trousers. It's like the red rag to a bull myth ...

 

[pargyle]

Have a look and see how many bee suits come in black which may give a bit of a hint.

PH

Or there again it might be because during the beekeeping season when the sun is shining a black suit would soak up the sun and be unbelievably hot ? Or perhaps it's just that white is cheapest ? I see there are plenty of camouflage suits around these days ... I recall that bees see green and brown as one colour ..

There's an interesting article on what and how bees see here:

http://www.beeculture.com/bees-see-matters/

 

[Magwat]

My bees have a pop at my husband every time he walks past. If we're together they will go for him and not me. He invariably wears black but he spends a lot of time working on engines and machines. I think they object to the smell of diesel.

 

[pargyle]

My bees have a pop at my husband every time he walks past. If we're together they will go for him and not me. He invariably wears black but he spends a lot of time working on engines and machines. I think they object to the smell of diesel.

They don't like aromatics like cellulose thinners either ...