First inspection- grumpy bees!

[Tomo]

Are grumpy bees on the first inspection traditional? This is my 3rd year keeping bees and every year so far they have been seriously bleeped off!
So much so that I had to give up half way through the second hive due to alot of hand stinging, even when I was standing next to my other half watching!
According to my records this has happened every year. They do calm down as the food comes in.....eventually. The OSR has just come in to flower here.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Are grumpy bees on the first inspection traditional? This is my 3rd year keeping bees and every year so far they have been seriously bleeped off!
So much so that I had to give up half way through the second hive due to alot of hand stinging, even when I was standing next to my other half watching!
According to my records this has happened every year. They do calm down as the food comes in.....eventually. The OSR has just come in to flower here.

Still not very warm so that will have an effect - needs more than just a day of nice weather to get them on an even keel again.

 

[BeeJayBee]

This is my 3rd year keeping bees ...

3rd year is when we all realise we don't know as much as we thought we did.

alot of hand stinging

Make sure you either wash your gloves or wear fresh ones next time. Try a dab of Olbas Oil on your wrists, some people reckon it helps keep the bees away.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Still not very warm so that will have an effect - needs more than just a day of nice weather to get them on an even keel again.

Rain, wind, hail, here yesterday...today lovely weather, bees on a very even keel, first full inspections of quite a lot, nice tempered, no bee suit or veil needed at all, and no stings.

 

[Finman]

.
Hmmm
It seems that Hivemaker has breeded away bees' instinct to protect their hive.

 

[madasafish]

Even my evenly tempered bees object to inspections on windy days below 15C

 

[Tremyfro]

Ha ha ha...if I waited for non windy days..even above 15degrees..I dream of those days....I would never get to do inspections during the season. We are having fencing put up though which will, I hope, afford a wind shield.

 

[PaulCarroll]

Did my first look on Sunday and placed all colonies onto clean floors and removed nadired supers. Brood present in all colonies but could not immediately see HM's but due to time of year and borderline temp for inspecting, I did not linger any longer than necessary. All bees were very placid and compliant, which I hope bodes well for the season. I too am in my third year of keeping and the longer I seem to do so the more apparent the fact that the bees know a darn sight more than I do. But I guess that is the fascinating nature of being an apiarist!!

 

[madasafish]

Ha ha ha...if I waited for non windy days..even above 15degrees..I dream of those days....I would never get to do inspections during the season. We are having fencing put up though which will, I hope, afford a wind shield.

Perfect site for a wind farm then.

 

[madasafish]

3rd year is when we all realise we don't know as much as we thought we did.


Make sure you either wash your gloves or wear fresh ones next time. Try a dab of Olbas Oil on your wrists, some people reckon it helps keep the bees away.

Avon "skin so soft" original is better...than Olbas oil and keeps my hands hydrated as well and smells nicer.

 

[domino]

3rd year is when we all realise we don't know as much as we thought we did.

Every year for some of us

 

[Tremyfro]

Perfect site for a wind farm then.

Probably is but I couldn't stand the noise and vibration! There are a lot over on the hills towards Llantrisant. I think I must have bees which have developed extra strong wing muscles.....natural selection at work....as they would never make it back to the hive otherwise.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are grumpy bees on the first inspection traditional?

I have a very naughty colony. They come out in the middle of winter if you just take the inspection tray out.
I looked in them yesterday and they were lambs......isn't it strange?

 

[Tomo]

Due to many stings on our hands, and unprovoked attacks when I wasn't touching anything, I was wondering that maybe there was a sting pheromone hanging around? What do people wash their gloves with (we use normal washing powder as we always have)? Does it really matter?

 

[Cussword]

Are grumpy bees on the first inspection traditional?

My first hive wasn't too happy, but then I did change the floor.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Due to many stings on our hands, and unprovoked attacks when I wasn't touching anything, I was wondering that maybe there was a sting pheromone hanging around? What do people wash their gloves with (we use normal washing powder as we always have)? Does it really matter?

Nitriles on top of gloves, change between hives and then throw away.
Alarm pheromones are released by a gland near the sting and by glands in the mandibles.

 

[snelgrove]

I find temper is fine with the first inspection. I mark and clip queen's amongst other things. weather and nectar flows play a part in temper.

 

[rayz_x]

Depends on what the gloves are made of. If they are leather just use them for gardening. Rubber gloves clean up well in your washing soda bucket. Ideally just use nitriles and throw them away.

Ray

 

[alfazer]

Maybe a jar of weak sugar syrup would cheer them up, especially if the weather has been bad.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Due to many stings on our hands, and unprovoked attacks when I wasn't touching anything, I was wondering that maybe there was a sting pheromone hanging around? What do people wash their gloves with (we use normal washing powder as we always have)? Does it really matter?

I don't use leather gloves but my thick nitriles (similar to washing up gloves) get washed with my suit. If I get stung through my gloves during an inspection I wash it off with washing soda and sometimes cover the sting site with thinner nitriles.

I always rinse my gloves and hive tool between colonies, there's a bucket in the apiary all the time.