How do I know if my bees are antsy and need requeening?

[highgate]

Hi All,

I am wondering how we know if our hive needs requeening; my hive over the last four inspections has become roudier & roudier.

Today i was attempting to complete the inspection and the bees were bouncing off of my suit, veil and trying to sting me to the extent that I stopped the inspection with three frames to go.

Over the last 6 inspection my bees seemed to have gone from being docile to super antsy with a few following me back.

I got the NUC a couple of months ago, and was wondering if this is normal?

 

[thedozzer]

Hi All,

I am wondering how we know if our hive needs requeening; my hive over the last four inspections has become roudier & roudier.

Today i was attempting to complete the inspection and the bees were bouncing off of my suit, veil and trying to sting me to the extent that I stopped the inspection with three frames to go.

Over the last 6 inspection my bees seemed to have gone from being docile to super antsy with a few following me back.

I got the NUC a couple of months ago, and was wondering if this is normal?

I was told that some bees don't show their true nature until they are at full strength. ours got a bit lively when they were on 8 frames last year from the original 4 frames of brood, but we can do an inspection without gloves with them now. go figure!
the weather can make them a bit tetchy and today it was quite humid and there were storms, wouldn't inspect on day like that unless is had to.

 

[Eyeman]

Some nucs are made up by splitting a 'docile' colony then requeening. If sold soon after requeening you've still got the genetics of the old 'docile' colony. After the new queen's brood starts to emerge and her workers become the dominant work force the behaviour of the colony will finally take on the characteristics of the new queen.
Sound like you need to requeen?

 

[highgate]

Some nucs are made up by splitting a 'docile' colony then requeening. If sold soon after requeening you've still got the genetics of the old 'docile' colony. After the new queen's brood starts to emerge and her workers become the dominant work force the behaviour of the colony will finally take on the characteristics of the new queen.

Sound like you need to requeen?

It was an overwintered colony but they do seem to be getting roudier and roudier.

So effectively my gut is right and my queen needs replacing?

Guess I should contact the guy I bought the NUC from and request a new Queen?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Guess I should contact the guy I bought the NUC from and request a new Queen?

I'm sure he'll sell you one

 

[Hebeegeebee]

It was an overwintered colony but they do seem to be getting roudier and roudier.

Was it an overwintered queen? Or was it popped into the overwintered colony this spring?

 

[beeno]

Hi Highgate, You do know that you have to wash the bee suit particularly if they are pinging off your veil as the sting pheromones (called alarm pheromones for a good reason) will be picked up by the colony at the next inspection? Do wash the veil by hand though! No strong smells on yourself either like sweat, deodorant, aftershave or alcohol. Also, if the flow is over that makes them defensive. Mine are eating their stores at the moment.

 

[Eyeman]

Hi Highgate, You do know that you have to wash the bee suit particularly if they are pinging off your veil as the sting pheromones (called alarm pheromones for a good reason) will be picked up by the colony at the next inspection? Do wash the veil by hand though! No strong smells on yourself either like sweat, deodorant, aftershave or alcohol. Also, if the flow is over that makes them defensive. Mine are eating their stores at the moment.

Quit finding excusing for why the bees are behaving badly and get a decent all weather queen. If I had to sterilise myself each time I did an inspection I would have given up long ago.

 

[Millet]

Quit finding excusing for why the bees are behaving badly and get a decent all weather queen. If I had to sterilise myself each time I did an inspection I would have given up long ago.

Spot on Advice..i do not mind a little bit of defensive behavior but if the bees spew out of the top bars in big number and attack i draw the line.. i have one such hive at the moment that is on borrowed time...it has a virgin in there and even though they do not follow once left alone the Queen will be splatted if the genetics do not change..

 

[Ian123]

Was it an overwintered queen? Or was it popped into the overwintered colony this spring?

Chances are if it was an imported queen popped in then temper would not be an issue

 

[Millet]

Chances are if it was an imported queen popped in then temper would not be an issue

It certainly would be a issue if a imported Queen from a genuine source was aggressive..even my not so nice colonies are like babies compared to mongrels and my nice imported F1 Queens are to die for..Buckies by the way..

 

[beeno]

Quit finding excusing for why the bees are behaving badly and get a decent all weather queen. If I had to sterilise myself each time I did an inspection I would have given up long ago.

I have had one queen, from a newly mated nuc, in 8 years that I dispatched as they were welling out ready to attack as soon as the crown board came off. My thoughts were if you are like this in a nuc then I certainly do not want to deal with you when you get to double brood. I had one colony that was aggressive on one occasion during build up this spring and they did go for my veil, but they are fine now. However, I did notice that when I inspected another colony a few days later they went straight for my veil and I put this down to not having washed my bee suit. It seems to me that many beeks with bought queens have as many problems as those of us that raise our own!

 

[Eyeman]

Chances are if it was an imported queen popped in then temper would not be an issue��

Regularly buy imported Buckfasts/Carniolans in April/ May to keep my nucs ticking over till my own queens can replace them. I must say the last batch from BS Honeybees have been good. Last year had a number of very feisty ones from a different supplier.
It's when the imported queen get superseded a month or so after introduction that things start to hot up.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Quit finding excusing for why the bees are behaving badly and get a decent all weather queen. If I had to sterilise myself each time I did an inspection I would have given up long ago.

It's a nonsense anyway - more than once I've had to deal with an agressive colony and then have to inspect other hives in the apiary, and call in others before going home - not one more sting or feisty hive.

 

[Eyeman]

Quit finding excusing for why the bees are behaving badly and get a decent all weather queen. If I had to sterilise myself each time I did an inspection I would have given up long ago.

Cricky I'm starting to sound like Finman!!

 

[beeno]

Cricky I'm starting to sound like Finman!!

I guess he sells queens too?

 

[maddydog]

It's a nonsense anyway - more than once I've had to deal with an agressive colony and then have to inspect other hives in the apiary, and call in others before going home - not one more sting or feisty hive.

I keep an aggression score for each colony as I inspect throughout the year. Makes no difference how many times I've been stung earlier in the day the numbers are consistent until I requeen.

 

[Eyeman]

I guess he sells queens too?

Not sure that Finman produces his own queens?
I produce approx 100 per year but run all of them in my many nucs repeatedly requeening any that are below par.

 

[highgate]

Hi Highgate, You do know that you have to wash the bee suit particularly if they are pinging off your veil as the sting pheromones (called alarm pheromones for a good reason) will be picked up by the colony at the next inspection? Do wash the veil by hand though! No strong smells on yourself either like sweat, deodorant, aftershave or alcohol. Also, if the flow is over that makes them defensive. Mine are eating their stores at the moment.

Hi Beeno,

I suspected as much and waited till my brand-new bee keeping suit came to see if it made any difference. Other than not getting stung this time still had the bees buzzing.

The strange thing is that these bees are very calm when i am near by and there is no inspection. I occasionally step in front of the entrance and i don't get buzzed by the guard bees.

It really is strange.

Could it be that thry don't like the cardboard I use for my smoker?

 

[Murox]

Cardboard can be dodgy stuff, especially the glossy sort and who knows what is in the glue used. Whilst I often use cardboard to "get the fire going" I try to use wood chips, pine needles and grass/hay (any natural stuff) to make the real smoke - just need to pack it all in quite tight. The wood chips once alight keep it all going for ages and it wakes up really well with a couple of good puffs.