Holy crap on a cracker -- that hurt.

[Ian123]

PS Shes just told me i could not read a signal even if she telegraphed it

 

[Wingy]

[QUOTE=ShinyS



Do you laugh at folk who have broken down on the hard shoulder too? :icon_204-2

Not at all, and not laughing at people with aggressive bees or those that get stung.
I’m new to bee keeping and have been very lucky, I dropped on with an excellent guy who is mentoring me, he won’t accept angry bees under any circumstances buys in Queens from good stock (breeders & F1’s). Has approx 80 hives at present. I’ve been shown how to handle the bees and signs to watch for regards their behaviour.
I now have 3 hives 1 F1 Q & 2 F2 Q’s I can tell the difference in temperament and always suit up with the 2 allotment hives but rarely get stung. What I do find strange is when people have aggressive bees they are still reluctant to buy in a good Q.
But as I said I’ve got lots to learn

 

[ShinySideUp]

I can understand that but I've quite got used to their bad temperament and there is an upside -- 40kg of honey from one hive! None of my others have come close to that.

 

[ShinySideUp]

They'll clear down whether a queen is present or not.

As I found out today but thanks anyway.

 

[Bakerbee]

Angry bees do seem to be prolific honey producers. I would take calm over excessive honey any day but each to their own.

 

[Beefriendly]

Not in my experience they don't. My calm bees would argue vehemently the opposite. It's just another bit of beekeeping folklore. It's not that angry bees can't produce lots of honey just much more pleasant to mange calm bees that also produce lots of honey.

 

[Bakerbee]

Nicely put. After requeening to buckfasts its a pleasure to work with them. They are so quiet.

 

[Hachi]

Not in my experience they don't. My calm bees would argue vehemently the opposite. It's just another bit of beekeeping folklore. It's not that angry bees can't produce lots of honey just much more pleasant to mange calm bees that also produce lots of honey.

Having bit the bullet and replaced all my Q's this year my only mistake is I didn't do it years ago.

 

[Murox]

OOps! OOuuch! comiserations.
I have recently returned to bees after a 35 year gap ! I am amazed that porter escapes are still in use, the old metal ones worked well enough but needed a day or three to clear a busy super. Rhombus sound right for quicker clearing, they are larger and have a cone shape.

 

[coffindodger]

Nicely put. After requeening to buckfasts its a pleasure to work with them. They are so quiet.

For years I struggled with real horrors because the local BKA experts insisted that local bees were best and any change would lead to swarming, disease, etc.Then I went to help at a friend's apiary and couldn't believe how docile were the Buckfast bees. Buckfast now and will requeen rather than wander down the F1 -2 route.

 

[For want of a better word]

Not in my experience they don't. My calm bees would argue vehemently the opposite. It's just another bit of beekeeping folklore. It's not that angry bees can't produce lots of honey just much more pleasant to mange calm bees that also produce lots of honey.

Mange???... typo??

OK folks
No need to have aggressive bees... zero tolerance for that trait in my own colonies..... not quite down to bee wrangling in flipflops natty speedos and a trilby hat as yet like Beefie... but then he is special!

( So why the expensive guaranteed 100% singproof beesuit????)

Yeghes da

 

[Ian123]

For me suits keep your clothes clean and a decent 1 means you can wear little or nothing underneath and even the most calm bees can have an off day after all the 1s with stings are female

 

[Beefriendly]

( So why the expensive guaranteed 100% singproof beesuit????)

Other beekeepers in my area are not so considerate, keeping vicious mongrels believing in the fallacy that local bees are best. My Oz ventilated suit has been tested by the best-est and not a sting received in their apiaries.
I'm slowly educating them. Some are now starting to keep a hive or two of Buckfast bees and cannot believe the amount of honey they are bringing in, compared to their hives of mongrels. I think I'm winning the "battle"

As for a singproof [emoji443] beesuit all I can do is serenade you with [emoji444] "The hill are alive with sound of hoppy's trolling motor" [emoji445]

 

[For want of a better word]

Other beekeepers in my area are not so considerate, keeping vicious mongrels believing in the fallacy that local bees are best. My Oz ventilated suit has been tested by the best-est and not a sting received in their apiaries.
I'm slowly educating them. Some are now starting to keep a hive or two of Buckfast bees and cannot believe the amount of honey they are bringing in, compared to their hives of mongrels. I think I'm winning the "battle"

As for a singproof [emoji443] beesuit all I can do is serenade you with [emoji444] "The hill are alive with sound of hoppy's trolling motor" [emoji445]

Beefie my sweet ... you are too sensitive... any comment seems to explode into a forray of accusations of trolling!!!

We all keep Buckfasts... mine are just a tad darker than most and surprisingly the DNA test results have shown 100% Amm in many with M group in the mtDNA... but you being the oracle on all things to do with beekeping ( and seemingly everything else) you would surely understand that????

Kick the ball for once not the player or you will be getting yet another red card!!!

Yeghes da

 

[Beefriendly]

Beefie my sweet ... you are too sensitive...

It's why I wear an Oz bee suit

And you need to realise it's a leg pull (humour) before calling for a red card.

 

[Beefriendly]

Nah...not worth it.

 

[BeekeeperDan]

Stihl leaf blower. Put the super on it's side on a milk crate and blow the buggrs out. They are so confused by this they don't get particularly cross when I do it, they're too busy sorting themselves out. Clears a super in a minute or two. Sorry you got stung so many times.

 

[Bakerbee]

Hey! ian123 some of us on here are the female of the species

 

[For want of a better word]

Nah...not worth it.

 

[Hachi]

Here you go another method of "Clearing" the bees...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GWB4Deche0