Colony Temperament

[Martin G]

Are there any significant external influences which may affect the temperament of a colony?

I’ve read that a significant feeding ‘frenzy’ can make them agitated. What about just before swarming, do they become livelier? Perhaps if they were under duress from disease?

I’m sure it would probably depend on the temperament of the colony to begin with, but has anyone any ideas on this.

Martin

 

[Tom Bick]

Regard temperament just before swarming I had reports last year of people getting petered by the bees at one of my apiary’s.

This was unusual to me as the bees are all lovely bees.

The very next day a large swarm was seen leaving the apiary. Bugger

When I mentioned this to a more experienced beekeeper he said most of the flying bees hanging around waiting for the swarm to go and getting frustrated with all her instincts to forage but yet knowing they are going to swarm and will miss the show if she goes foraging.

 

[Black Comb]

I inspected 6 hive son Thursday with thunder rumbling in the background.
They were all awful.
I had to to check food.
Will not do it again ifi can avoid.
I would say thunder is a significant external influence.

I currently have another colony stressed by ants. Ongoing fight with me to get ridof them.

 

[tonybloke]

I currently have another colony stressed by ants. Ongoing fight with me to get ridof them.

dig the nest out

 

[REDWOOD]

My bees are in my face @ temps lower than 10c on inspections

 

[REDWOOD]

I inspected 6 hive son Thursday with thunder rumbling in the background.
They were all awful.
I had to to check food.
Will not do it again ifi can avoid.
I would say thunder is a significant external influence.

I currently have another colony stressed by ants. Ongoing fight with me to get ridof them.

Nippon

 

[Finman]

Are there any significant external influences which may affect the temperament of a colony?

- you breathe
- blue shirt
- hairy parts in your clothes
- your eys
- your hair
- your stinking boots
- open the hive before sunset
- rain is coming
- stand above wind
- handle poison in your finges
- burning wax in the smoker

- believe that this hive will never sting you. It loves you (...direct onto eye corner)

 

[mbc]

- you breathe
- blue shirt
- hairy parts in your clothes
- your eys
- your hair
- your stinking boots
- open the hive before sunset
- rain is coming
- stand above wind
- handle poison in your finges
- burning wax in the smoker

- believe that this hive will never sting you. It loves you (...direct onto eye corner)

Lol, you missed leaving your flies undone and trying to impress onlookers !

 

[psafloyd]

Nippon

Will Nippon cause the bees any harm?

 

[psafloyd]

Lol, you missed leaving your flies undone and trying to impress onlookers !

It's one way of getting a swelling...

 

[nonstandard]

Back to the OP's question;

Breeding can have an effect as can fed up hungry and bored bees. Which is why our Carnolians are absolute little sh**s at the moment, the hive is full but the weather has kept them in for best part of a fortnight and stores are so low I am having to feed them.

 

[Finman]

Lol, you missed leaving your flies undone and trying to impress onlookers !

Did I!

 

[davidharradine]

I've also found that if I have to inspect when it's strictly speaking too cold to do it (as it is at the moment) then they get mighty angry. Had a terrible time last week with guard bees flying out at me whenever I walked near the hive after inspecting, even after dusk.

 

[madasafish]

I handle bees with bare hands.. and always wash at the kitchen sink before I go to do any handling. I have been stung innumerable times on the hands: I thought it was my hair. (on the back of my hands: not on my head - there is hardly any:-(

It now appears that my use of the kitchen soap dispenser - which uses perfumed soap - was to blame as when I used Imperial Leather soap bar - one day by accident - bees left my hands alone.

So watch out for scented soap dispensers!

 

[johnmcc]

I was relieved to read this thread. I did an AS yesterday as the hive was bursting with bees looking like they might swarm, and I had an empty WBC. Temp was really too low - about 14° with light wind from the west. Clouds of bees, loads of pinging, and a bit of following afterwards, but this morning they were really angry! Guard bees chasing twenty metres from the hive. Weather a bit cooler and windier. These bees have always been very docile up to now (3 years since I bought the nuc) and I just hope they calm down again soon so that I can mow the grass!

 

[user 6228]

I was relieved to read this thread. I did an AS yesterday as the hive was bursting with bees looking like they might swarm, and I had an empty WBC. Temp was really too low - about 14° with light wind from the west. Clouds of bees, loads of pinging, and a bit of following afterwards, but this morning they were really angry! Guard bees chasing twenty metres from the hive. Weather a bit cooler and windier. These bees have always been very docile up to now (3 years since I bought the nuc) and I just hope they calm down again soon so that I can mow the grass!

Going in the day after an inspection or other major interference gets a definite reaction.

Inspecting around the short duration activity peak in early afternoon when the drones fly up is also likely to get a reaction.

 

[oliver90owner]

bursting with bees looking like they might swarm,

So no charged queen cells? Little wonder if you made them Q-!

 

[keith pierce]

Are there any significant external influences which may affect the temperament of a colony?


Oilseed rape and heather

 

[enrico]

Funny you should mention ants.... I have never had ants in a love hive to my knowledge, but if I leave any food lying around they are carting it away in seconds. Why don't ants go in a hive? You would think it would be easy for them to nick the honey....... Or do they?
E

 

[REDWOOD]

Will Nippon cause the bees any harm?

put the nippon between 2 slates leaving a match stick gap so the bees can't get at it