Gone rogue

[ShinySideUp]

One of my colonies has slowly gone rogue and I can't be having that. I was in my (large) garden with the dogs, minding my own business when bees started flying around my head and around one of my dogs. Dog got stung and while I was taking two others off him I got stung on the foot. We were below the level of the bee hives, separated by bushes and 20 metres away and yet we still got attacked. My second hive is the culprit as I get stung on the hands every time I go near them for inspections. I'm not going to requeen as that will mean another six weeks of
aggressive bees and dogs that will become fearful of the garden. I might also point out that neither I nor my dogs have been anywhere near the hives all day.

My question is, how much petrol is needed to wipe them out and do I just block the entrance and pour it in the top?

I know that many will say I shouldn't do this but my dogs are more important than insects. I shall continue with my other two colonies but this one has to go.

 

[Millet]

Why wipe them out, find another spot and move them or give them to someone who has a apiary in the middle of nowhere, i could not bring myself to wipe a healthy colony out without first exploring every other option possible.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Who is going to want a colony of aggressive bees?

 

[Uncle Betty]

Comment deleted.

 

[mjt68]

Grit your teeth, find and kill queen and unite to other colony - only one insect dead and boost to other colonies to improve their winter preps.

EDIT: stormy weather? Even the gentlest bees can go mad so if they were already aggressive... Have you considered an out apiary? Garden beekeeping isn't something I'd opt for.

 

[Millet]

Who is going to want a colony of aggressive bees?

Someone experienced who has a isolated spot to re Queen them.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Grit your teeth, find and kill queen and unite to other colony - only one insect dead and boost to other colonies to improve their winter preps.

EDIT: stormy weather? Even the gentlest bees can go mad so if they were already aggressive... Have you considered an out apiary? Garden beekeeping isn't something I'd opt for.

I didn't think about recombining, I think I had a bit of an over-reaction to my dogs getting stung in the heat of battle as it were.

I'll look into other options now.

I might add that I have a very big garden that is largely remote from anyone else's.

 

[For want of a better word]

Why wipe them out, find another spot and move them or give them to someone who has a apiary in the middle of nowhere, i could not bring myself to wipe a healthy colony out without first exploring every other option possible.

I no longer keep bees anywhere close to houses, including my own.
I do agree with Millet... I could not bear to wipe out a healthy colony without first exploring every other possible option.... gave away a productive but feisty colony of beautiful bountiful Carniolians when I lived in Dorking... neighbors had them drinking from their swimming pool and grand child got stung!!

Good luck

Yeghes da

 

[For want of a better word]

Someone experienced who has a isolated spot to re Queen them.

I resemble that remark!!

Nos da

 

[Swarm]

This is what can happen with bees and why bees in the garden is not the best idea, especially for a beginner. What's going to happen if the others 'go rogue'? You going to kill them as well?
You have two other colonies, you do not need to requeen. Kill just the queen and split her brood, uniting it with the other colonies and then find an out apiary. It really is that simple and far better than the horrific fate you are considering. Ask anyone who has used petrol, what they thought of the sound coming from the hive.

 

[colinc]

I had a grumpy colony last year so when they stayed grumpy start of this year I squished the queen and united to another hive. You have the option of splitting and donating to both your hives. I am also a garden keeper so these weren't as grumpy as yours but I don't want grumpy bees in my garden. The calming effect on the paper merge is surprisingly fast sometimes. As stated it will give your colonies a pre Winter boost of numbers too.
Good luck


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[ShinySideUp]

This is what can happen with bees and why bees in the garden is not the best idea, especially for a beginner. What's going to happen if the others 'go rogue'? You going to kill them as well?
You have two other colonies, you do not need to requeen. Kill just the queen and split her brood, uniting it with the other colonies and then find an out apiary. It really is that simple and far better than the horrific fate you are considering. Ask anyone who has used petrol, what they thought of the sound coming from the hive.

See my post #7 above, not going to petrol them now, as I said, an overreaction on my part.

I shall combine with another hive that was queenless for some time and is a bit down on workers for the moment.

I shall post another thread on combining if I can't find what I want with a search.

 

[iann41]

Nothing to do with the thunder storms lately?

 

[Swarm]

See my post #7 above, not going to petrol them now, as I said, an overreaction on my part.

I shall combine with another hive that was queenless for some time and is a bit down on workers for the moment.

I shall post another thread on combining if I can't find what I want with a search.

Yes, got called away while replying. Glad you've ditched the petrol idea, it really is not nice at all. Good luck with uniting.

 

[Millet]

The thing with uniting the angry bees will still be in the garden till they die of surely.

 

[ShinySideUp]

The thing with uniting the angry bees will still be in the garden till they die of surely.

Yes, but I'll live with it if I can look forward to the united colony being like my others. As we move through July and into August there will start to be fewer bees anyway.

 

[Swarm]

The thing with uniting the angry bees will still be in the garden till they die of surely.

That is why I suggested splitting the nest and uniting with both the other colonies. Reducing the numbers by sharing this way will definitely put them in the minority and possibly more inclined to mellow. It's no guarantee.

 

[ShinySideUp]

That is why I suggested splitting the nest and uniting with both the other colonies. Reducing the numbers by sharing this way will definitely put them in the minority and possibly more inclined to mellow. It's no guarantee.

Unfortunately, although I have two other colonies, one is a split from earlier in the season and is in a poly nuc box.

 

[pargyle]

See my post #7 above, not going to petrol them now, as I said, an overreaction on my part.

I shall combine with another hive that was queenless for some time and is a bit down on workers for the moment.

I shall post another thread on combining if I can't find what I want with a search.

You are very lucky ... perhaps being in the Beginners Section ... people on here who have even breathed the word Petrol in the same sentence as bees have come in for a great deal of stick. I have a degree of sympathy - there's nothing more challenging for a beginner than bees that have become aggressive and it highlights the need for a Plan B when you keep bees in proximity to either your family or the Public.

Credit to you for rethinking your original drastic plan ... others would probably have just done the deed and kept quiet.

 

[pargyle]

Unfortunately, although I have two other colonies, one is a split from earlier in the season and is in a poly nuc box.

So you have two nucs and one full size hive ? Put two Nucs together, one on top of the other and that will give you the equivalent of a full size hive and your problem is solved.

If you kill the queen, do a newspaper combine with one or other of the colonies, avoid putting a hive on the spot where the aggressive colony was and put your remaining two colonies just over 3 feet away from where the original hive was and either side of the spot and the colonies will balance out.

There's always a way.