Guard Bee Behaviour

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PaleoPerson

Field Bee
Joined
Jul 18, 2009
Messages
705
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Location
Essex
Hive Type
14x12
On the 16th of July, I collected a swarm and hived it and things have been ok since.

Very nice gentle colony, do not need smoke and only use thin latex gloves to keep propolis off my hands during inspections.

The thing that makes them different from my other colonies (apart from all of the above) is the way the guard bees act. All my other colonies wait until a wasp tries to get into the hive, has a fight at the entrance and sees the wasp off. These ones attack in advance. They see the wasp approach and launch an airborne attack from 150-300mm away and hit them in the air, giving them no chance to land.

Is this normal behaviour or is normal what the other 12 colonies are doing?

I certainly prefer this approach and it is very entertaining to watch.:lurk5:
 
they sound very unusual and extremely odd....

best you let me have them, save them causing you further confusion...... :sifone:



wish the two colonies i have had that had rolled over puppy dog stylee to the jaspers were from the same stock.....

one colony had to be united with another to save being lost and the other is currently "on holiday" at a different apiary to "hopefully" sort them....
 
I have one colony which, as well as defending inside the entrance, mounts guards on the edge of the landing board in a line.These launch themselves at any wasp that approaches. :hurray:
 
One hive - carnies - stag a display of strength with about 200 bees on the landing board/side of hive. Any wasp landing is immediately attacked..

Other than that, they are as gentle as you could wish for.
 
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