grumpy bees

[BB King]

From being very docile a month back my bees have become a little agitated and I have been stung on the last few inspections. The hive is all in order with a good laying queen and no signs of swarming.
Is the drought here in Norfolk with a shortage of nectar causing them to be a bit grumpy? They have plenty of stores but I think they are now taking them.

 

[plumberman]

Lots of reasons: as you say, dearth of nectar, cessation of a flow, weather, odd smells ( like on beesuit)

You don't give any history of this hive- were they a full size colony last year or a nucleus?

 

[BB King]

Nuc last year. Colony overwintered well and bee numbers rose quickly although the queen took a 3 week laying holiday in April.

I have washed my suit to avoid residual smells and stingers and tried inspecting with and without smoke with no benefit. I suspect the dry weather and insecent wind must be jarring them off.

 

[richardbees]

BB King

I wonder why there have been no signs of swarming -Is it still the same queen from last year?

richard

 

[richardbees]

- overlapping post!

Is it possible they re-queened/superceded? A change in queen is usually the reason for a change in a colony's temperament.

 

[BB King]

Hi Richardbees,

thanks for your reply. The queen is not marked, something I know must do. I have found no queen cells and I have avoided overcrowding so unless the break in egg laying was a superceding I would think it is the same queen.

 

[Ed Woods]

My normally docile colony war so grumpy I stopped an inspection - was caused by several wasps - will re inspect at the weekend when I hope they have calmed down.

 

[richardbees]

BB, if your sure, then it's just this dry weather has stressed them out a little.
In which case they'll revert to 'being nice' after a week of this cooler weather with rain producing more nectar..

 

[RJW]

From being very docile a month back my bees have become a little agitated and I have been stung on the last few inspections. The hive is all in order with a good laying queen and no signs of swarming.
Is the drought here in Norfolk with a shortage of nectar causing them to be a bit grumpy? They have plenty of stores but I think they are now taking them.

I have also recently had the same problem. A colony of Buckfast bees, which are renowned for being gentle, have turned into the most aggressive bees I have seen. I get attcked 20 yards away from the hive and I'm covered by the time I have opened it up...bees so thick around the veil i can hardly see. I had 11 stings that penetrated the protective clthing and gloves!

all I can think is that the queen was supercedured (she is no longer the marked one I had in there but about 3 times as big) and has mated with a viscious strain courtesy of local drones. Is this possible?

Thursday is D-Day for replacing the queen and I have to say i am not looking forward to it!!

 

[whizzwheels]

One of my hives are a bit more aggressive recently, I put it down to the two supers full of honey that they are guarding.

 

[susbees]

all I can think is that the queen was supercedured (she is no longer the marked one I had in there but about 3 times as big) and has mated with a viscious strain courtesy of local drones. Is this possible?

The local drones may have been absolutely fine. You then introduced a Buckfast (a hybrid, or Buckfast-ancestry more like) and wonder why a cross of bee types goes wrong. Hmm. I don't envy you. Knowing what's in your area and requeening with a locally bred calm queen's best unless you always buy in your queens....and then your drones are likely making other beekeepers' bees nasty.

Good luck...read up on divide and conquer: Michael Bush has got the most "divisive" method for this I've seen.

 

[susbees]

One of my hives are a bit more aggressive recently, I put it down to the two supers full of honey that they are guarding.

Yup. Not lifting the end brood box frames and whipping off the supers and covering completely whilst you go through the middle of the brood box is probably best atm. I found one of my colonies down to its last twenty cells of nectar and another is being fed a bit (no supers).

Those with supers know what the score is I reckon!

 

[oliver90owner]

A colony of Buckfast bees..................the queen was supercedured (she is no longer the marked one I had in there

susbees is spot on. Dependant on how the queen was bred may depend on whether the first supercedure or the next is, err shall we say, less docile! Vile can be the outcome. That is one way the queen importers get your return business - you don't realise you are locked into the cycle and only want quiet bees! Quite a lot of new beeks, with colonies in their gardens, will learn the hard way, I'm afraid.

Regards, RAB

 

[enrico]

I have also recently had the same problem. A colony of Buckfast bees, which are renowned for being gentle, have turned into the most aggressive bees I have seen. I get attcked 20 yards away from the hive and I'm covered by the time I have opened it up...bees so thick around the veil i can hardly see. I had 11 stings that penetrated the protective clthing and gloves!

RJW if they are that bad something is wrong, requeen or destroy and I wouldn't waste time doing it!!!
E

 

[Poly Hive]

If you think that is bad.... LOL... far from it, things can get an awful lot worse than that.... get some in...LOL

Which is why having suffered hammerings that you can only imagine in your worst nightmares I keep banging on about NOT having bees in populated areas.


PH

 

[Mike a]

I have also recently had the same problem. A colony of Buckfast bees, which are renowned for being gentle, have turned into the most aggressive bees I have seen. I get attcked 20 yards away from the hive and I'm covered by the time I have opened it up...bees so thick around the veil i can hardly see. I had 11 stings that penetrated the protective clthing and gloves!

all I can think is that the queen was supercedured (she is no longer the marked one I had in there but about 3 times as big) and has mated with a viscious strain courtesy of local drones. Is this possible?

Thursday is D-Day for replacing the queen and I have to say i am not looking forward to it!!

Take a pump mist sprayer with you filled with rain water and a small amount of sugar (1 desert spoon of sugar per litre approx so its not sticky if you get it on your equipment/hands/gloves). If you are getting buzzed a quick misting should be enough to knock them out of the sky for 5-10 mins without hurting them and continue to use it as you would smoke so a quick blast at the entrance as well as when working the frames inside.

I found it works a treat and more often than not it is just as good as smoke as it gives them some thing to eat, stops them flying up so much and they groom each other which could 'possibly' help knock off a few varroa in the process.

 

[Winker]

I just moved a nasty hive out of the garden lastnight. As soon as i took off the cover, no matter how nice of a day it was they would explode in my face. Bounce off my head like bullets and follow me for a good 100 yards dive bombing me all the way.


They are now no where near anyone, i will leave them a few weeks but if they dont cheer up...time to requeen

 

[Poly Hive]

Water spray will not deter really vicious bees. Sorry.

PH

 

[richardbees]

I keep my bees surrounded by housing and can usually hear children playing behind an adjoining wall. Once I had a colony that came at me when I was within 20 yards......as soon as i realised this was habitual I put a pint of petrol through the cover board.

One of my current colonies is a very feisty once I'm inspecting the BB. If this continues in better weather / nectar flow I'll buy in a new Q and requeen.

 

[nickyjay]

I have also noticed my newly started colony has become, let's say a little more aware of my presence when I am around the hive. I have a new friend who comes out to greet me if I sit on a nearby bench for more than a few minutes, and will buzz around my head until I am forced to walk away! Before my presence would be ignored. However, I am putting this down to fact that maybe it's because their first cycle of brood are now about a week away so the bees are a little protective. They are also lacking any "young" nurse bees now.