EMERGENCY sheep/bee attack...

[bjosephd]

Please help with advice knowledge...

Big manipulations today and all going fine and then suddenly bees decided enough was enough and have attacked the herd of sheep in the orchard.

They are very distressed... there are a couple of small lambs... should I be terribly worried for their lives?

Or just disgusted with myself for how irresponsible I have been?

Please please advise with action required or knowledge you might have.

I hope I'm just going to have lots of sad miserable sheep and lambs and nothing more.

Bees need a new home now... ASAP.

thanks

BJD

 

[wightbees]

I don't think bees need a new home, more you need a new Queen, possible one off ? I would of thought the sheep are ok if alive when you left.

 

[bjosephd]

I don't think bees need a new home, more you need a new Queen, possible one off ? I would of thought the sheep are ok if alive when you left.

I totally agree about the new queen... she's a grumpy one... but I can't risk having grumpy queens round here... although a big orchard in the country, we have neighbours who can make even the most gorgeous of country days pretty miserable

So it's time to find a new site.

 

[Millet]

Mine get the horses in the next field if they come too close, they sharp make a hasty retreat

 

[Tremyfro]

We have our bees next to a field with ponies, chickens and children running about...they don't 'attack' any of them. The children occasionally get stung but it is usually because the bee is trodden or pinched. In fact there are always other animals about but the bees don't bother them. So I agree...move them/ requeen.
Perhaps move the sheep/lambs whilst deciding.

 

[bjosephd]

We have our bees next to a field with ponies, chickens and children running about...they don't 'attack' any of them. The children occasionally get stung but it is usually because the bee is trodden or pinched. In fact there are always other animals about but the bees don't bother them. So I agree...move them/ requeen.
Perhaps move the sheep/lambs whilst deciding.

I agree they need to be moved, and potentially requested unless totally remote.

They aren't normally defensive, but it was a big long manipulation artificial swarm etc etc, but yes, they are normally the hive I would term as 'the grumpy hive' so yup... too many lessons learned today.

Sheep all seem alive, albeit miserable.

 

[enrico]

In the past mine have stung cows, horses and dogs, no lasting affects other than improving their Knowledge of bees!!
E

 

[Gaz1]

In the past mine have stung cows, horses and dogs, no lasting affects other than improving their Knowledge of bees!!
E

I left the gate open once and the dog ran in and stuck is face in the entrance of one the hives he took 3 stings. Funny thing is it was the fastest thing he's ever learn he now sits by the gate without me even asking him

 

[Anduril]

I have sheep and lambs around in one apiary. They follow me around. I'm in the process of requeening some of my defensive hives. The sheep don't mind at all.

 

[Into the lions den]

Have seen sheep stung to death by so called 'lovely gentle bees'.

I am presuming the orchard is not a huge place. They should not be together in an enclosed area. The sheep MUST be able to get far away from the hives pdq if it all kicks off.

It was a vile sight seeing a ewe stung to death with stings literally crusted round her ears and eyes....and the lamb that would not leave her side much the same lying dead alongside.

Whilst these were the bees of an amateur beekeeper that did this the siting was stupid and gave the sheep no escape. Whilst it was against my nature anyway, it was an example that means we NEVER EVER put bees in a small or even smallish enclosure which also has livestock in it.

Might be fine for long enough......but you only have to get unlucky once.

 

[Swarm]

Have seen sheep stung to death by so called 'lovely gentle bees'.

I am presuming the orchard is not a huge place. They should not be together in an enclosed area. The sheep MUST be able to get far away from the hives pdq if it all kicks off.

It was a vile sight seeing a ewe stung to death with stings literally crusted round her ears and eyes....and the lamb that would not leave her side much the same lying dead alongside.

Whilst these were the bees of an amateur beekeeper that did this the siting was stupid and gave the sheep no escape. Whilst it was against my nature anyway, it was an example that means we NEVER EVER put bees in a small or even smallish enclosure which also has livestock in it.

Might be fine for long enough......but you only have to get unlucky once.

What a horrible incident.
I was astonished at the flippant replies until I read this one. Thanks ITLD for explaining what CAN happen. I wouldn't want my dog or any other animal around my bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What a horrible incident.
I was astonished at the flippant replies until I read this one. Thanks ITLD for explaining what CAN happen. I wouldn't want my dog or any other animal around my bees.

Indeed
I always put myself,unsuited,in a potential apiary before I decide if I can keep bees there

 

[viridens]

Please help with advice knowledge...

Big manipulations today and all going fine and then suddenly bees decided enough was enough and have attacked the herd of sheep in the orchard.

I would guess that your bees only attacked the nearest accessible hairy creatures in response to being manipulated, and they will have forgotten all about them again by now. A worrying crisis at the time, but no need for emergency action now, unless you need more big manipulations.. Even though they are no longer at risk it's probably best to eventually re-site for your peace of mind and the comfort of the woolies.
There are so many variables which probably contributed to the incident including the weather, your manipulation technique, and even the time of day. I find it hard to accurately categorise colonies as docile or grumpy. I have been peppered with stroppy bees and forced to abandon operations one day and almost ignored the next when continuing work in the same hive.

 

[bjosephd]

Have seen sheep stung to death by so called 'lovely gentle bees'.



I am presuming the orchard is not a huge place. They should not be together in an enclosed area. The sheep MUST be able to get far away from the hives pdq if it all kicks off.



It was a vile sight seeing a ewe stung to death with stings literally crusted round her ears and eyes....and the lamb that would not leave her side much the same lying dead alongside.



Whilst these were the bees of an amateur beekeeper that did this the siting was stupid and gave the sheep no escape. Whilst it was against my nature anyway, it was an example that means we NEVER EVER put bees in a small or even smallish enclosure which also has livestock in it.



Might be fine for long enough......but you only have to get unlucky once.

Holy crap.

How very sad.

Ok.

I've been told.

That must have been a horrific attack.

How did it come about?

All the sheep are upright and munching away on the grass now like nothing happened.

The orchard is about an acre. Clearly not big enough. And sheep don't know where to run as understandably they don't know where the source of the attack is.

Have sourced a new site in the corner of a 5 acre field. Yup livestock occasionally, but an expanse of escape. And far further away from people too. This area has few fields that never have livestock in.

 

[bjosephd]

What a horrible incident.

I was astonished at the flippant replies until I read this one. Thanks ITLD for explaining what CAN happen. I wouldn't want my dog or any other animal around my bees.

I can understand the flippant replies maybe had I not been stood in the middle of it feeling like some kind of irresponsible murderer. Sheep are all upright and munching about their business now. An evening of rest and then move preps tomorrow then move in darkness (or move the flightless split in the light!)

 

[bjosephd]

Indeed
I always put myself,unsuited,in a potential apiary before I decide if I can keep bees there

Indeed, very wise, I am normally mowing unsuited in this particular apiary, and before fencing the hives away from the sheep, I'd mow all around them.

Lesson learned. And yes, makes sense to think about what would be your (or a livestock's) potential escape if the sh!t hits the fan.

INTLD's experience is what I was expecting to see unfold in front of me. And I was helpless... a sheep is hard enough to catch at the best of times, let alone when itms frantic with bees.

bad bad day in beekeeping.

 

[bjosephd]

I would guess that your bees only attacked the nearest accessible hairy creatures in response to being manipulated, and they will have forgotten all about them again by now. A worrying crisis at the time, but no need for emergency action now, unless you need more big manipulations.. Even though they are no longer at risk it's probably best to eventually re-site for your peace of mind and the comfort of the woolies.
There are so many variables which probably contributed to the incident including the weather, your manipulation technique, and even the time of day. I find it hard to accurately categorise colonies as docile or grumpy. I have been peppered with stroppy bees and forced to abandon operations one day and almost ignored the next when continuing work in the same hive.

Yup, re-siting (particularly this particularly grumpy colony (now two!) tomorrow hopefully. I like to think my handling is delicate, but then maybe therefore too slow so boxes open for too long. I handle each frame like it's part of some kind of chemical biological movie bomb!

The weather too was a bit funky I think.

Unfortunately I may have to do a big manipulation on the other hive in the orchard, and even though that is a 'nice' hive I am now aware that is foolhardy famous last words.

"Dear HiveMaker... please send my a cuddly Bucky, and B+ I'll have one of your Carnies too..."

Horrid day

 

[Millet]

Scaremongering rubbish IMO , just get on with it at your chosen spot mammals can run fairly quick and bees give up after 50/100 yrds as i found out one year myself, 4 sting's i took but they never killed me..

 

[bjosephd]

Scaremongering rubbish IMO , just get on with it at your chosen spot mammals can run fairly quick and bees give up after 50/100 yrds as i found out one year myself, 4 sting's i took but they never killed me..

Unfortunately with bees buzzing around their faces and chasing them sheep cleverly often run 'away' towards the offending hive.

I think take your 4 and times it by 10 or 20 + stings around your mouth and eyes and potentially for a lamb that is little bigger than a large cat that is a huge amount of venom for such a small body.

These sheep did indeed get off lightly today. But still horrible to see.

 

[bjosephd]