Wingy
Field Bee
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2017
- Messages
- 759
- Reaction score
- 135
- Location
- Wigan, Lancashire
- Hive Type
- Langstroth
- Number of Hives
- 21
Just wondering if anyone doing inspections over the last couple of days have noticed any change in their bees behaviour? Have seen some suggestions that the recent solar / geometric (northern lights) may have had some effect??
My situation:-
Have 14 hives on one site and all are calm with no issues, walk around them all day unsuited, inspect with no gloves etc.
However on Saturday I had to inspect at least 2 hives as they are on Snelgrove swarm control and Queen cells needed to be destroyed. (11 days)
Both hives are National double brood, with Queen in and laying on recently drawn foundation. Q - excluder, double brood (as honey supers, Snelgrove board, double brood with all emerging brood.
So as soon as I opened them up they fizzed up and in this situation I would normally close up and walk away, but as above needs must.
I had to retreat, fully suit and glove up and then persevere.
Got about 20+ stings for my effort and had to leave after completing these 2 hives as I was constantly being followed
Other factors
Very large colonies
On OSR at present
Temperature was 15 C
Bees foraging as normal.
My situation:-
Have 14 hives on one site and all are calm with no issues, walk around them all day unsuited, inspect with no gloves etc.
However on Saturday I had to inspect at least 2 hives as they are on Snelgrove swarm control and Queen cells needed to be destroyed. (11 days)
Both hives are National double brood, with Queen in and laying on recently drawn foundation. Q - excluder, double brood (as honey supers, Snelgrove board, double brood with all emerging brood.
So as soon as I opened them up they fizzed up and in this situation I would normally close up and walk away, but as above needs must.
I had to retreat, fully suit and glove up and then persevere.
Got about 20+ stings for my effort and had to leave after completing these 2 hives as I was constantly being followed
Other factors
Very large colonies
On OSR at present
Temperature was 15 C
Bees foraging as normal.