Evi, Evil Bees Query

[Gilberdyke John]

Thank you ALL for your advice, yes RAB that was my main concern regarding other beekeepers in my area.

To answer some of the questions you asked :-

I used a different clean suit for my out apiary, but am guilty of not washing my BEIGE leather gloves as well as I would like (shrinkage) , I tend to sponge them down with clean warm water, not too wet otherwise they tend to shrink, dry them off and heavily smoke them before use, not good enough I hear you say, I now realise I need to get away from leather.

Thanks also to Obee1 for describing your method, that was going to be my next question before you explained it to me.

I now need to get my act together and get on with it, I think I have a spare Q I can use.

Regards to ALL

I don't know how long beige gloves will remain beige when propolis is involved
If you must wear leather gloves then it might be worthwhile trying to wear disposable latex gloves OVER the leather, however this still leaves the cuffs likely to retain sting pheromones.
I have a pair of leather gloves with latex over them in a cupboard but haven't had to use them since starting out and getting a no nonsense boll**king from my trainer as soon as he saw them.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Given how they react, most of the problem is likely to be you and not the bees. It's also what you can easily change, and straight away.


Wash the bee suit and change the gloves.

ANY pheromone on them will be detected by the bees, just the trace of one sting in the fabric in the glove or your suit and you might as well turn up with flashing lights and alarm bells.

Washing a beesuit at high temperatures wrecks the elastic but washing too cool doesn't break down pheromone deposits
Our machine offers 30deg eco wash then steps up in 10deg increments. 30 doesn't really clear the pheromones but I find 40deg does the job as a rule. Occasionally some must remain embedded in the elastic.

 

[Swarm]

I'd ignore all the washing advice and get on with requeening, far too many seem reluctant to admit or don't know that some colonies can become defensive.

Edit:
Incidentally.....
Wash leather gloves while wearing, just like washing your hands. Dry them off and apply Neatsfoot oil to keep them supple and in good condition.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'd ignore all the washing advice and get on with requeening

although i must admit that this year is a funny one - a lot of colonies turning aggressive for no good reason and some colonies going back to being calm again - so your other option is to grit your teeth and carry on in the hope they'll calm down

 

[chrismcd]

More thoughts on gloves

I have settled on yellow Marigolds.

I tried blue rubber gloves and the bees were fascinated, but tended to get in the way.

Red ones were OK, but if I moved suddenly they attacked them!

Latex and Nitrile are all very well, but I have yet to develop the true stealth of a real expert and still trap some of the poor little sods with my fingers - so I need a bit more thickness as a security blanket.

After reading this thread I will avoid black gloves like the plague!

I used my leather gloves till they wore out. Baby oil (ie liquid paraffin) worked into them after washing kept them perfectly supple - and tends to be cheaper than neatsfoot oil (most of which I suspect is now liquid parafin nowadays!)

 

[Swarm]

I have settled on yellow Marigolds.

Bonus being they don't tear and flap about like nitriles.

 

[wessexmario]

Red ones were OK, but if I moved suddenly they attacked them!

bees can't see red so it looks like black to them.

 

[alldigging]

Latex and Nitrile are all very well, but I have yet to develop the true stealth of a real expert and still trap some of the poor little sods with my fingers - so I need a bit more thickness as a security blanket.

It's easier to feel when you're touching a bee and not squash them with nitriles.

 

[Cussword]

It's easier to feel when you're touching a bee and not squash them with nitriles.

I squashed one wearing nitriles. Hurts like hell to be stung on your fingertip.

 

[Cussword]

I was wearing the nitriles, not the bee

 

[wessexmario]

I squashed one wearing nitriles. Hurts like hell to be stung on your fingertip.

The reason it stung wasn't the glove, it was squashing the bee.
Thicker gloves won't help you to not squash bees.

 

[Cussword]

The reason it stung wasn't the glove, it was squashing the bee.
Thicker gloves won't help you to not squash bees.

You misunderstood, I still wear the nitriles, wouldn't wear anything else. Just pointing out that you have to watch what you're doing.
The damn thing was under the frame so I didn't see it until it was too late.

 

[chrismcd]

The damn thing was under the frame so I didn't see it until it was too late.

You are not alone

 

[Swarm]

Mine seem to enjoy getting between hive tool and palm.

 

[REDWOOD]

And the elbows

 

[Cussword]

Mine seem to enjoy getting between hive tool and palm.

Had that one too, it makes me jump (inwardly) when they start to buzz in your hand

 

[Swarm]

The number of times I've jumped only to find it was an inner pool of sweat squelching in my palm and not a bee at all.

 

[shudderdun]

Well, got it over with !!!
Got kitted out, new gloves, freshly laundered bee suit, extra under garmet protection etc.
I decided to look for Q using a sort of AS technique. Put new stand 8 foot away from hive, smoked bees, lifted supers off BB and placed to one side,bees went crazy, all around my face,clouds of them pinging me, but have to say not as bad as I thought, i.e. they did not want to sting my hands so much, (I know what you are going to say about the old leather gloves !!!) but they are still evil, colonies next door dont behave like these. Moved BB to the empty stand, put supers back on original stand and bees started to fly back. Seem's once the bees started to fly back and were less in numbers, the remaining bees were OK, ish. I was now able to go through the BB frames, sealed brood, grubs about five days old, no eggs and six sealed QC's, (sorry local bee keepers) Q had gone. Took all QC out and returned BB to original stand, QX and supers back in place and closed up. I will go back next week, double check to make sure all OK and will unite with a Q+ colony that could do with some more helpers.
Thanks for all your support.
Regards.
GTP.

 

[Eyeman]

Took all QC out and returned BB to original stand

I know this may sound obvious but did you shake bees off frames?
It's tempting to not shake feisty bees off the frames as it does make their temper worse.
If I don't shake them them I usually miss a queen cell!!

 

[shudderdun]

Yes, left the BB to one side for about 1/2 hour, many bees had returned back to the original site. I gave the BB a good smoking, shaked ever frame one by one clear and gave them a good looking over, did this a second time a while later, I am sure I got all the QC. I will go back after the weekend and inspect again, also check to see if all the grubs have been sealed and make arrangemts to unite using the newspaper method.
Thanks.
GTP.