How much "following" is too much?

[garlicpickle]

As title - at what point would you requeen if bees followed you away from the hive (after an inspection or other disturbance)

I have one hive that is a tad grumpy/pingy and I always get a few determined guards following me away from the apiary towards my car, only 2 or 3 and they generally give up after about 50m. I don't personally see it as a problem as I just carry on walking until they give up, and check they've cleared off before unveiling, but I've read about "following" being a bad trait and I wondered how much is too much?

They are fine if I just go up to the apiary and don't interfere with them, they don't greet me on my way up there.

Thoughts?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I don't personally see it as a problem

Thoughts?

Thought is that you have answered your own question. Nobody's watching us to check we do it "right" thank goodness.

 

[Tim.S]

All depends where the hives are. I have one hive that can be a bit grumpy and they have followed me for 50 metres or so but we are well away from other buildings and people. If they were in someone's back garden in a terrace of houses it would be a different story. If you are happy and they are productive and not hurting anybody else then let them be.

 

[garlicpickle]

Thought is that you have answered your own question. Nobody's watching us to check we do it "right" thank goodness.

I'm OK with what they do at the moment. Just wondered how much following people put up with in general before deciding it's too much and requeening with a gentler queen.

All depends where the hives are. I have one hive that can be a bit grumpy and they have followed me for 50 metres or so but we are well away from other buildings and people. If they were in someone's back garden in a terrace of houses it would be a different story. If you are happy and they are productive and not hurting anybody else then let them be.

They're on a little smallholding and the apiary is tucked away in a far corner. Only myself and the other beek I share the site with go to the apiary, although other people come and go on the farm.

My feeling is that if they stay as they are and don't get worse, and nobody complains about being stung or divebombed, they're fine.

 

[keith pierce]

Its the sneaky one, that comes back to the car a minute or so after you have taking your suit off.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Its the sneaky one, that comes back to the car a minute or so after you have taking your suit off.

I gave respect to the one that followed me to the kitchen on G*d-knows-where-or-what, waited till I had poured a glass of WINE (AFTER the inspection OF COURSE) and THEN whacked me right at the V of the collar. Most impressive.

To actually answer the question, if I were regularly followed to the house I would find it a factor to be considered among others, but not a dominant one unless it was a real mob every time.

 

[Swarm]

Are they like this every inspection? At certain times of year or the status of the colony, they may feel more defensive.
If I get a couple who hang around, I tend to wait them out a decent distance from the hives, find a bit of shade etc rather than leading them to the vehicle. They are not generally like this so I can forgive their attention on the occasions that they get moody. If, on the other hand, I had a little cloud of persistent followers on each visit, I think I'd soon get fed up with it.

 

[user 6228]

Are they like this every inspection? At certain times of year or the status of the colony, they may feel more defensive.
If I get a couple who hang around, I tend to wait them out a decent distance from the hives, find a bit of shade etc rather than leading them to the vehicle. They are not generally like this so I can forgive their attention on the occasions that they get moody. If, on the other hand, I had a little cloud of persistent followers on each visit, I think I'd soon get fed up with it.

I would second the use of shade... it really does seem make them stand off if not go home.

 

[enrico]

My way of stopping this seems to work. Once you have singled out the followers,stand still. Wait until one flies in front of your face. Clap your hands together, with a bit of practise it gets easier, the idea is to kill the followers quickly between your hands. It seems to me it is just the odd bee that likes following, once they have been killed the problem seems to diminish! In my opinion it is not usually a hive trait, it is a trait that a few bees have, until they get 'the clap'!!!!
E

 

[mbc]

Thoughts?

Depends on your situation, if you intend to rear a few queens for yourself it might make sense to have a zero tolerance approach towards following in the interests of positively influencing the drone population.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My way of stopping this seems to work. Once you have singled out the followers,stand still. Wait until one flies in front of your face. Clap your hands together, with a bit of practise it gets easier, the idea is to kill the followers quickly between your hands. It seems to me it is just the odd bee that likes following, once they have been killed the problem seems to diminish! In my opinion it is not usually a hive trait, it is a trait that a few bees have, until they get 'the clap'!!!!
E

It's a trick my grandfather taught me but he was an artist at it - you don't even have to get them between your hands, the shock wave will get them if they're close enough - works for wasssps as well
i don't get followers very often but when i do I think the neighbours think I'm barmy (or barmier) standing in the middle of the lawn clapping

 

[beekeeping4you]

Depends on your situation, if you intend to rear a few queens for yourself it might make sense to have a zero tolerance approach towards following in the interests of positively influencing the drone population.

The same applies if you think of other beekeepers in your area who intend to raise a couple of queens for themselves.

Regards
Reiner

 

[garlicpickle]

It only ever seems to be one or two, maybe I'll just give them the clap next time

 

[Nige.Coll]

just a thought probably nothing relevant but i'll put it out there.

there is a variant on DWV virus that can effect guard bees.
they found it in japan and called it kakugo virus.
it makes the guard bee over aggressive but doesn't seem to effect all the colony.
i saw a lecture by david evans from the university of warwick about virus evolution ,varroa and DWV and it's variants in honey bee colonies.
he covered it briefly in his lecture.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

maybe I'll just give them the clap next time

That's a bit extreme isn't it - worse thing is you have to get it first!!

 

[Griffo]

Something that has worked for me a couple of times is to stand in one spot and turn around in circles while puffing smoke around yourself. Probably not very healthy and you have to make sure nobody is watching.

 

[alldigging]

I gave respect to the one that followed me to the kitchen

I had one in the house last year. It followed me by hitching a lift in the tool box I take out with me. I have been instructed in future to always open it up again before I bring it in.

 

[Luminos]

I have an ivy-clad pillar by the door which I walk around, close as poss to the ivy, several times in each direction. The bees get brushed off and fly back to the apiary.
It does look a bit like I'm casting a spell, though;keeps the neighbours even further away

 

[garlicpickle]

That's a bit extreme isn't it - worse thing is you have to get it first!!

What can I say...I'm a caring sharing kind of girl

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Something that has worked for me a couple of times is to stand in one spot and turn around in circles while puffing smoke around yourself. Probably not very healthy and you have to make sure nobody is watching.

So THAT's what all the people by the door of my office are doing.