Change in behaviour - aggressive

[Wingy]

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.

 

[enrico]

not noticed anything untoward. but who knows what affects them!

 

[Curly green finger's]

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.

Osr is finishing?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

no difference whatsoever, if anything, yesterday I felt the bees were so placid it was amazing, but with this area of low pressure with a thundery front expected this evening I'm sure there will be a change.
The Aurora over the Bannau Friday and last night were pretty impressive

 

[Curly green finger's]

no difference whatsoever, if anything, yesterday I felt the bees were so placid it was amazing, but with this area of low pressure with a thundery front expected this evening I'm sure there will be a change.
The Aurora over the Bannau Friday and last night were pretty impressive

The ones I looked at yesterday were the same, no osr locally either

 

[Wingy]

Osr is finishing?

That thought was on my mind, although still loads in flower it is past its best and with the dry spell probably not as much nectar to offer

 

[The Poot]

My one feisty colony has calmed down really well since the flow began in earnest. That is understandable, but,
“There are things we know we don’t know…….”
Perhaps they just react to being manipulated so much.

 

[Eyeman]

They’re wild animals. I always suit up with at least a jacket. Your 20 stings are more than I’d expect in a season. Risk assessment when working your own bees is an individuals choice. Another reason you found them defensive could have been they were disturbed before hand by an animal?

 

[RogerIvy]

I had a similar experience yesterday. Was gloveless until I got three stings on my hand at one colony and quickly put some gloves on.

 

[jeff33]

Didn't notice any difference, my feisty ones are still feisty and the placid ones still placid! Some of mine tend to be grumpier if you stop them from swarming but never to the scale of a full blown attack and 20 stings!

 

[Garry R]

Many years (35+) ago I was in the middle of a inspection on a lovely day with a colony which was normally placid and a good flow on when they suddenly went totally ballistic and I was stung pretty badly. Never had anything like it before or since thank goodness. So bad I legged it away from the house where I kept the bees, licked my wounds, went back to the house and had a cup of tea. I knew I had to go back and reassemble the hive and after an hour or so plucked up the courage and got the smoker going again, took a deep breath and went with some trepidation to tidy up. You could have done anything with them they were so docile. Popped the removed frames back in, supers back on and crownboard and roof replaced. Never understood why and saw no reason why it happened as the conditions seemed perfect. As you say - strange insects!! Never happened again as I said but I am always wary all these years after.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Very large colonies
On OSR at present
Temperature was 15 C
Bees foraging as normal.

OSR makes hives a little bit angry, but not mad.

 

[Jon.21]

Mine were angry for a couple of weeks after OSR finished but now colonies are even bigger but just as calm as they were when the OSR was on.
Last year had the same experience. Definitely OSR finishing makes them more likely to fly up during inspections and go for the face and follow. Now they are back to being a pleasure to deal with and inspect.