Getting attacked

[Hawklord]

I've been told the best time to deal with them is mid afternoon on a sunny day when most of the foraging force will be out, as the house bees haven't got a fully developed stinger. My new colony was inspected and marked the queen on Wednesday, moved to a new sight on Thursday, and swapped them into my hive on Saturday. I had to return Saturday evening as I'd left my mates brood chamber on top of the hive, which I managed without smoke and no fuss either.
The colony at the Association's apiary has very light coloured bees and when inspected on Wednesday they hardly moved, just sat still on the frames.

 

[crazy_bull]

Most of my collonies will sting my gloves a few times a visit but thats about it, i might get one on the back of my knee or if they get pinched by my elbow, but thats about it.

Until last night!

This one colony has always been a bit twitchy and have quite often tried to find the queen to change her in the last month but give up and let them be as they are very productive.

Last night though i opened them up tok off the supers and bit of smoke and off with the queen excluder, then what seemed like the whole colony erupted out of the top and out of the entrance i was completely covered and getting stung to bits all over the gloves and through the gloves, the viel was black and i had to do a runner, i then put another set of overalls underneath and double gloved and went back into the fray!! Again battle ensued, however with all the colony airbourne on the attack the queen was easily found as she was about the only one left in the hive!!

She was proptly dispatched and the colony will be re-queened tomorrow.

Never had such a colony it was crazy!


C B

 

[JCBrum]

It's like the two people walking through the woods when they came upon a bear. One say s "I'm gonna run", - the other says "don't be silly, you can't out-run a bear !" -- "I don't have to" says the first one, .. "I only have to out-run you!"

JC.

 

[jezd]

I gave up brushing bees my first season as the very act of seemed to utterly enrage the bees and seemed to cause more damage and grief than it was worth.


Making clearer boards is very easy. When I get round to it I will post some pics up of mine.

PH

I agree, brushing is seen as a physical attack and causes more issue than it solves often, I prefer two good shakes of a frame to brushing.

 

[JCBrum]

I watched an old beekeeper last year. He used cover cloths and took the frames from the super one at a time, then swept the bees off with a goose feather quill, then put the bee-less frame into a spare super on a board, again with cover cloths. He did 9 or 10 frames in about five minutes, and picked up the super and put it into his car. All with no gloves and no suit.

JC.

 

[Nopants]

nopants if you can tell us where you are it would help, two main points are on bears open hives at night and in the midlands we were having stormy weather also another down side on the bees, may i suugest that next time just to make realy sure of upsetting them before working with them try kicking the hive a few times that always upsets my lot,

there are many reason why your bees where grumpy last night two i have listed but try these as well.
poor croping , has there flow stopped.
no cropping, rained of for several days.
has someone/thing/animal been to that hive before you.
were you a little rough removing the supers earlier, and they were still upset.
are you hives being stoned by the local scrotts,

there are more but that covers the most also how long have you been keeping bees nopants that would also help so we can miss the obvious and try some other reasons

Hi

I live in Northants area ( hense Nopants ) . I certainly will be making sure I wear some Tin Knickers next time mind..lol
I believe the crop has slowed up now as I live in a village and there was lots to forage on until recently. Field Beans, Field Peas, Lime, OSR and now the clover is starting to go over. However there still is Blackberry coming in to flowe along with a little Borage. But I expect the Bees Radars are set on Me and not the crops. I has been very showery and humid down here, Quiet the oposit to the lovely warm weather yesterday in Wragby..

 

[Nopants]

I watched an old beekeeper last year. He used cover cloths and took the frames from the super one at a time, then swept the bees off with a goose feather quill, then put the bee-less frame into a spare super on a board, again with cover cloths. He did 9 or 10 frames in about five minutes, and picked up the super and put it into his car. All with no gloves and no suit.

JC.

I would love a hive of Honey picking house Flies. Instead Ive got some Angry hornets whos Bedside nature is like a grumpy old woman at the end of the month.I think they need some of my wives HRT tablets .. Dont qoute me on it to her though..lol

 

[mark s]

wot on earth have i let my self in for.....lol

 

[BKF Admin]

You just need to start with nice calm bees Mark..
A Nuc is best because you gain confidence as it grows.

 

[mark s]

thanx admin
i sure dont want any of my mates bees as they really went for him yesterday,he showed me the state of his overalls and its not a joke it was covered in stings,luckly he only got tagged three times.
but he was not happy after that experience

 

[sahtlinurk]

One weekend i went to make my normal inspection. About 10 - 11 am, the weather was a bit cloudy but i thought good enough. well, they were like little devils. surrendered and decided to give them some time to calm down. about 20 minutes after retrieving had a really strong shower.

they do know when the weather goes bad and they let you know as well. Made my inspection after this shower and had no sting after looking through six hives. I believe it is all up to the weather and nectar flow or bad body hygiene. a simple as that.

Lauri

 

[victor meldrew]

Monday of this week, me and her in doors went to inspect one of my colonies, I tried to hurry her up(she was busying herself in the house), by the time we got to the bees, the weather was closing in, black clouds approaching from the west' el rapido!' Just as we were about to open the hive a rumble of thunder and a flash of lightening lit up the sky ! ." I think we should call it a day said I", "No no " said she, "we'll carry on"
We inspected each frame, she moved bees around with her fingers to make sure no queen cells! The bees were pussy cats, we managed to finish and just as we closed up, the heavens opened, we stood under the trees while a mother and father of a storm raged !
There's no reckoning bees up, this colony is comprised of local mongrels..

John Wilkinson

 

[tonybloke]

If I get 1 or 2 stings from my 2 hives I'm peed off !! my bees are very gentle, and most inspections result in no stings at all

 

[DrNick]

Monday of this week, me and her in doors went to inspect one of my colonies, I tried to hurry her up(she was busying herself in the house), by the time we got to the bees, the weather was closing in, black clouds approaching from the west' el rapido!' Just as we were about to open the hive a rumble of thunder and a flash of lightening lit up the sky ! ." I think we should call it a day said I", "No no " said she, "we'll carry on"
We inspected each frame, she moved bees around with her fingers to make sure no queen cells! The bees were pussy cats, we managed to finish and just as we closed up, the heavens opened, we stood under the trees while a mother and father of a storm raged !
There's no reckoning bees up, this colony is comprised of local mongrels..

John Wilkinson

This is exactly the sort of situation that Ribble and I encountered last Tuesday, the bees had been very agitated before we opened the hive, even the smoker wouldn't stay lit, frames were moved about etc but no reaction what so ever from the bees.
before getting our bees I decided to get a weather station (mainly to get weather patterns for future reference), the changes in pressure seem to cause the greatest change in their behaviour, trust me it is £100 well spent.

 

[victor meldrew]

Personally, I use metcheck on the internet, I have it set for Wigan, (nearest weather station is liverpool ) this website updates frequently, posts the time of the last update and has a menu which allows you to play around with all aspects of the weather . Also it's free and doesn't seem to generate any spam .
I find it far more accurate than the bbc site and much more user friendly !.
At the end of the day, bees temperaments vary ,just like dogs, differing strains get differing reputations, but there's always the individual that bucks the trend and even the most amiable of animals can erupt given the right circumstances.

John Wilkinson

 

[jon]

I must admit my son and I went to buy hive and bees from a man at are club . He cracked the crown board off and are night mare began they come out the hive in a swarm they covered me my son and the man at one point I could not even see out my veil we made a retreat

Unfortunately you get people who try and sell on bad bees rather than getting rid of them or requeening them.

The worst bees I have ever seen used to be in a teaching apiary and were given to a guy they owed a favour to who then sold them on to a friend of mine.
When I did an inspection most of the bees including the queen went out the front door and clung to the front of the hive.
The bees ran so fast on the frames it would have made you dizzy.
Following and stinging was about 100 yards.

Some people are just irresponsible with regard to bees, or too mean to cull a duff queen.