Grumpy Bees

[user 15607]

most of my hive are become increasingly grumpy as the season (Autumn) progresses, what are the chances of the spring bees being all sweetness and light ?

(fat chance, me thinks!)

 

[enrico]

Depends on why. The chances are that they will be quieter in spring but get grumpier as the season goes on..... In my experience.... So if that happens to me I requeen as soon as possible in spring with a queen from my best hive.... If you have no others then be prepared to buy one in as early as you can.
E

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Of course..... they are telling you to leave alone

 

[Etton]

most of my hive are become increasingly grumpy as the season (Autumn) progresses, what are the chances of the spring bees being all sweetness and light ?

(fat chance, me thinks!)

One of my hives can be very grumpy one week then mild the next! Another was grumpy which I put down to low stores. Maybe they reflect the mood of the beekeeper!

 

[philipm]

most of my hive are become increasingly grumpy as the season (Autumn) progresses, what are the chances of the spring bees being all sweetness and light ?

(fat chance, me thinks!)

Not surprised they are grumpy with all the bad weather we've had. I feel grumpy too

 

[enrico]

LB has a point. Do you mean they are grumpy because you are doing regular inspections? If so, why? Or do you just mean they are having a go at you when you are near the hive!
A key rule is to have a reason to enter the hive and when you have completed the task then close them up until you have another reason to open them.
E

 

[user 15607]

https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/images/smilies/cuss.gifAre you saying Grumpy? well I am after dealing with this lot https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/images/smilies/banghead.gif

 

[user 15607]

last inspection was three weeks ago but I've been feeding them 2-1 weekly since then and are still defensive when near the hives, still Ive had worse, see what happens in the spring

 

[Erichalfbee]

I put a 2L rapid feeder on a hive today and they exploded into it and lifted the cone right off.....
Good job I had my jacket on.
Off to fill it this evening

 

[Finman]

last inspection was three weeks ago but I've been feeding them 2-1 weekly since then and are still defensive when near the hives, still Ive had worse, see what happens in the spring

If they have changed the Queen, and new workers are what they are.
Buy a new queen....

They should not bee angry when feeding.

 

[Millet]

I put a 2L rapid feeder on a hive today and they exploded into it and lifted the cone right off.....
Good job I had my jacket on.
Off to fill it this evening

I stuck 3 x 4litre rapid feeders on mine last Saturday, i put a small amount of clean wood shavings in the cone to save them drowning themselves if that happened to me, luckily it did not as they where more interested in the half filled frames of honey a give back to them.

 

[beeno]

Two of mine are very defensive at the entrance as there are a lot of wasps hawking and killing bees!

 

[Into the lions den]

Lots of otherwise benign colonies can be get very defensive during dearths and late season. It means very little relative to how they will behave at the times you need to be in them examining them in the first half of the season.

Unless you are in an area with a freak late flow that makes them boom again (never ever seen it myself) there should be very little need to go through a colony again at this time. I even have serious 'issues' with official bee inspections so late in the season...if the queen is lost now the colony is in deep trouble.

So...unless you have an over riding reason to go into them.......my opinion is that they should just be fed and left alone. Worry about any change in temperament in spring. 90% chance they will be back to being your normal bees.

If not, they are not likely to be much of a bother to anyone between now and March, and its easier to get new queens in spring. Most breeders are now sold out, or shut down for the year, or have the last of their production already booked out to some outfits who do autumn queen replacement.

 

[PaulCarroll]

My colonies are exploding with activity, probably more so than at the height of what for me has been a disappointing year. Apart from feeding and treating where required, I tend to leave them alone this time of year. Despite that I still got a nice sting under one eye last week, as clearly cutting the lawn also did not agree!! If this trait continues into the spring, re-queening will be a priority.


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[enrico]

also dont forget that feeding can make them ... odd .....
They know there is a source of food but they dont all always understand that it is IN the hive so they go a bit Ape around the hive trying to find it and get frustrated! Just the time of year in general!
e

 

[Finman]

.
Crumpy bees are crumpy bees.

A week ago I took honey from one hive. During 2 days it gove about 70 stings.

IT would be easy to change the queen, but almost 200 kg crop makes it difficult. And it has been a good pollen forager.

But 50 stings during one hadling is absolutely too much. 20 has been limit to me before this happening.

 

[Millet]

also dont forget that feeding can make them ... odd .....
They know there is a source of food but they dont all always understand that it is IN the hive so they go a bit Ape around the hive trying to find it and get frustrated! Just the time of year in general!
e

I witnessed the same 2wks ago with my bees when i leaked a bit of syrup onto the crown boards when i was turning over my home made contact feeders, i had wooden roofs on at the time with the vents in the sides and the bees where going mental flying all around the top of the hives (not in and aggressive manner though as they are pretty calm, i have now changed to 4ltr rapid feeders and changed all the roofs to Abelo Poly roofs with no ventilation slots in them and that fettled that problem.

 

[Finman]

also dont forget that feeding can make them ... odd .....
They know there is a source of food but they dont all always understand that it is IN the hive so they go a bit Ape around the hive trying to find it and get frustrated! Just the time of year in general!
e

During feeding robbing makes them nervours.

 

[Amari]

.
Crumpy bees are crumpy bees.

A week ago I took honey from one hive. During 2 days it gove about 70 stings.
IT would be easy to change the queen, but almost 200 kg crop makes it difficult. And it has been a good pollen forager.
But 50 stings during one hadling is absolutely too much. 20 has been limit to me before this happening.

Sounds awful. Maybe a good idea to wear gloves and a veil?

 

[Millet]

Sounds awful. Maybe a good idea to wear gloves and a veil?

Or buy a mated Queen..