Nasty aggressive bees: finally I get to experience

[JonnyPicklechin]

So in my 4th year and the one situation I was always wanted to avoid is upon me.

I have read the great advice in previous posts on moving and re-queening and also @pargyle's "leave them a day and try again and then make the assessment" which I will do. I had (what seemed like) hundreds hitting my veil on my inspection but it was only the veil and glove stinging was minimal. I actually didn't find it uncomfortable. It was only when I went off to get some kit and noticed I had a huge amount still following me that I realised the problem.

The garden is now a no go zone but unfortunately my neighbour was round and has been stung 3 times as he was watering his plants.

My questions are that the hive in question had two sealed QCs, and one opened one which had chewed edges indicating a VQ was out. I did spot a queen and unfortunately the previous one was not marked but the evidence must be they have swarmed. I tore the QCs down. Assuming it does calm down and the aggression is passing then, should I just watch for VQ activity ie spot eggs? Any other advice?

On the aggressiveness front, if they have not calmed down by Tuesday I will have to find someone to take them and sort out the requeen-calming process as my suburban-ness is a little too urban for any reasonable tolerance on nasties.

 

[MartinL]

The garden is now a no go zone but unfortunately my neighbour was round and has been stung 3 times as he was watering his plants.

Any other advice?

Did your neighbour call around to tell you he'd been stung?

If so I'd be shutting them in tonight & letting nextdoor enjoy their holiday & their garden.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

He is imposing figure is Alex. 6 foot 7 and covered in tats, but a gentle, lovely and reasonable bloke. His similarly lovely wife has parents who keep bees in Serbia so there is an understanding. Have been round to see them and the other two neighbours who were all similarly gracious. We've set up a whatsapp group "Neighbourhood Bee Watch" on which I will update them and they also check for behaviour and reciprocate with updates. Will use said communication method to let them know I am inspecting the troublesome colony until resolution so they can be clear of garden activity until sorted....To that end, I've promised them I will deal with the offending problem ASAP, that their neighbourhood comfort is paramount and not my lovely hobby, which after all, is only a hobby and can be adjusted to ensure said comfort.

 

[Poly Hive]

Personally, I would shut that colony in and move it out tonight. I keep at least one if not two sites I can move problems to and deal with them without worrying about neighbours as as you say its a hobby and the neighbours are more than entitled to have the use of their garden without hassle from some one else's hobby. That's unreasonable.

PH

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Personally, I would shut that colony in and move it out tonight. I keep at least one if not two sites I can move problems to and deal with them without worrying about neighbours as as you say its a hobby and the neighbours are more than entitled to have the use of their garden without hassle from some one else's hobby. That's unreasonable.

PH

PH - Its one of those things I am not prepared for but will add to the never ending roster as a need given the situation. Thus, I need to find an alternative site which where I am probably involves a friendly beek who can have them until the re queening can calm them.

 

[beebopper]

Personally, I would shut that colony in and move it out tonight. I keep at least one if not two sites I can move problems to and deal with them without worrying about neighbours as as you say its a hobby and the neighbours are more than entitled to have the use of their garden without hassle from some one else's hobby. That's unreasonable.

PH

Move them before they become less understanding which they surely will.

 

[thibault]

I am in my 3rd year of beekeeping and I have just experienced a hive turning aggressive, glad I recently moved them to an out apiary. They were 100s trying to sting me, covering my veil and I had not opened them yet. Had to go in the car with the bee suit on, they would follow me on 100 of meters. Yesterday decided to sort the matter, found the queen, she met her fate... United them, problem sorted. I would not even imagine them still being in my garden...

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[Hachi]

Having a difficult hive is only a matter of time for most, if not all of us, and you should have at least an idea of how to handle the situation. Likewise, knowing when to abandon what your doing, close up and try again another day is a useful skill.

Having a back up apiary location where you can put "problem" hives should be at the same point on the priority list as getting a bee suit IMHO. Even more so if your bees are in close proximity to neighbours etc. Having this safe place away from everyone gives you time to work out your next steps and discuss with other beeks if necessary how you're going to work thro the problem.

Having nasty, aggressive, defensive bees (whatever label you prefer to use) is no fun but it is an occupational risk.

 

[enrico]

I think this post should be a sticky for all those that say they want to keep bees in their garden!

 

[mjt68]

I don't think beginners are done any favours by only seeing very calm bees at training apiaries. I'm not saying show them monsters and scare them away, but some idea of what bees can be, particularly for anyone considering bees at home.

 

[mjt68]

I think this post should be a sticky for all those that say they want to keep bees in their garden!

+1

 

[coffindodger]

I am in my 3rd year of beekeeping and I have just experienced a hive turning aggressive, glad I recently moved them to an out apiary. They were 100s trying to sting me, covering my veil and I had not opened them yet. Had to go in the car with the bee suit on, they would follow me on 100 of meters. Yesterday decided to sort the matter, found the queen, she met her fate... United them, problem sorted. I would not even imagine them still being in my garden...

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Similar problem at home la couple of years ago. Aggressive to extreme. I persevered which gave me lots of stings (OK my choice), but worse neighbours and people on track 100 metres away were stung. Persevering was wrong, anti-social and could have caused someone a serious injury. I should have requeened immediately.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Similar problem at home la couple of years ago. Aggressive to extreme. I persevered which gave me lots of stings (OK my choice), but worse neighbours and people on track 100 metres away were stung. Persevering was wrong, anti-social and could have caused someone a serious injury. I should have requeened immediately.

I have just ordered a queen on overnight delivery. I am leaning towards f2 agression simply given this hive was fine, it had probably swarmed and has a virgin with traits that are making them nasty.

My quest for a location change continues but is obviously trickier.




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[beebopper]

+1

Most gardens are simply too small for comfort. Yes it’s nice to watch them all the time but .........

 

[Hachi]

I think this post should be a sticky for all those that say they want to keep bees in their garden!

Sorry Enrico have to disagree. The garden/location issue is a separate question entirely. It just amplifies the problem for the beek not having been exposed to this phenomena. I have successfully kept up to 11 hives in my back garden and will again if I need to. Invariably, location has nothing whatsoever to do with it.

This is about a normally docile hive(s) that "turn" nasty, defensive and/or aggressive and what to do about them when they unexpectedly "turn".

 

[Curly green fingers]

PH - Its one of those things I am not prepared for but will add to the never ending roster as a need given the situation. Thus, I need to find an alternative site which where I am probably involves a friendly beek who can have them until the re queening can calm them.

Good luck johhny with your predicament i hope it gets sorted out one way or tuther .

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Good luck johhny with your predicament i hope it gets sorted out one way or tuther .

Thanks for the good wishes CGF.....Failure is not an option: My neighbourhood did not sign up to 200 acid charged barb speared micro kamikaze pilots patrolling the area.

 

[enrico]

Sorry Enrico have to disagree. The garden/location issue is a separate question entirely. It just amplifies the problem for the beek not having been exposed to this phenomena. I have successfully kept up to 11 hives in my back garden and will again if I need to. Invariably, location has nothing whatsoever to do with it.

This is about a normally docile hive(s) that "turn" nasty, defensive and/or aggressive and what to do about them when they unexpectedly "turn".

I understand that fully, all my bees have always been in my 'garden' but then it is very very large and always has been. I may have been over simplistic about beginners wanting to keep bees in their garden. Maybe I should have said.... Small back yard.... We have all seen the queries on here. It is maneagable until you can't manage it. I was just suggesting that it is good to be cautious of future problems.
E

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

I understand that fully, all my bees have always been in my 'garden' but then it is very very large and always has been. I may have been over simplistic about beginners wanting to keep bees in their garden. Maybe I should have said.... Small back yard.... We have all seen the queries on here. It is maneagable until you can't manage it. I was just suggesting that it is good to be cautious of future problems.
E

You guys are both really helpful posters and have helped me in my 4 years with all manner of things. Particularly you Erica and we don't get the chance to thank you completely. I would figure there could be 10-20 auto-didactics (ie sans mentor) who rely on your expertise. Of course the very nature of this "sport" is its twists and turns and multi solutions to every problem.

To the back garden beek, this 'nasty colony' problem surely is the most difficult, most stressful and has most on the line because it intersects the bees comfort (its not sustainable having them angry for their own existence sake) with that of our fellow neighbours and the community. (Matthew 22 does not say "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But thy bees can sting," unfortunately.)

None of the online resources for something ideally headed like "angry bees, how they become angry and how to ensure they never do and decisive actions to take if they are" are anywhere in existence or, if advice attempts to discuss the problem in simple-speak, they are quite inadequate. As always many, many opinions become options and presumably the wrong options become more opinions (just with most aspects of the hobby). With all other of these aspects you have either time or you can deal with consequences that might end in at worst bee destruction...But never human harm. The suburban bee keeper must act quickly because his or her entire hobby is at dire risk given that the patience of his nearby community wears thin quickly with nasty buggers flying about causing harassment, pain or at worst a hospital journey.

To counter all of this, as I am finding out, preparing for the rapid moving of a large hive to a location you have not planned for with equipment you don't have, using un-arranged logistical skills for the transport of livestock, was not even expected in the small print of the bee keeping contract. Of course as one develops the knowledge, one becomes more and more aware and can manage the risks and this is why I was particularly heartened by Hachi's post. If I, and say, Cherry 1111, the OP of the other post in play on this subject, can have a combined 9 years without any problem whatsoever in a garden apiary then why can we not learn how to curtail these problems, handle them swiftly and continue in safety? It would be useful if learning could be applied to some kind of "Cushman like resource" or 'sticky' to this topic so wannabe bee-keepers can have a plan of action with which they can "smash the glass" at the appropriate time, or of course, better still, have conducted everything smoothly and proactively so remedial efforts are not required.

Back to the specific remedies (the get-on-with-it ones), it probably boils down to wait and see, re-queen or move, or some combination of these. But that's the apiary action. I've been to see neighbours, set up a bee watch scheme, I'm updating them daily, so communication is playing a part. But there is the stress. (I am trying to think of a hobby where you are putting your community at risk like this, never knowing when that risk is at its peak, causing them stress, anxiety and potential harm. Summer firework displays? Back yard clay pigeon shooting? All too noisy and sensational in outcome...You'd never get away with it in the first place. This hobby is completely unique [at the time of posting!] when you think about if from that perspective.)

I've promised myself when I am through this highly unpleasant experience I will try and conflate mine with other experiences and write something down for the newbie in a way he or she can become aware of these risks but delivered in such a way so as not to dissuade them from such a brilliant and worthwhile past time.

 

[mintmoth]

Has anyone else noticed their bees becoming meeters, greeters, and followers when the OSR is in full bloom? Mine did that to me a couple of days ago, and checking back, they did the same last year when the OSR was out and the weather very warm. Then after a week or two they became better behaved again.