Nasty bees

[TOBY-3652]

Hi everyone. I aquired my bees late last year out of a old wbc hive that i had to smash up to get the bees out. Anyway as u can imagine they wernt pleased. Everytime i inspected the hive last year they were on attack and some even followed me home. When they started coming out this year they didnt seem agressive at all. Today lots of bees out and 3 stings in glove and buzzing round face. Going to requeen, but when??????? Any advice please

 

[taff..]

what were you doing with them? were you pulling frames out? was it warm enough to be doing whatever you were doing?

 

[Rosti]

Mmmm what were you doing Mid March to provoke them?

So a re-queen, with a purchased fertilised queen parting with hard earned green stuff?. Wait until after swarm season. Not before mid July in my view, protect your investment, make sure there is no/very limited chance of her swarming.

If you have hives waiting for new colonies that you are getting this year (as your profile suggests) why not
a) Squish the queen and donate some eggs and let them rear a replacement
b) see if you get any queen cells from one of the new lot and if a good temperament nuc up and then combine with this troublesome lot. Cheaper and some advantage from any swarm control if you have to do it.

Meanwhile, just on the off chance. have you washed your suit and (even if leather) gloves since last season? Pheromones could be hanging around from last year still and may have caused the reaction you got. Non-bio detergent and a few soda crystals.

 

[drstitson]

"have you washed your suit and (even if leather) gloves since last season?"

exactly what i was going to suggest - bees placid when met out and about but unhappy when inspecting suggests pheromone laden suit.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Watch out for cosmetics too - aftershave, deodorant etc. I once inspected my bees just after having a bath and the bees were distincly unimpressed with my brand of bubble bath - they went crazy.

 

[TOBY-3652]

I did give them syrup yesterday and took roof off today to see how much had gone didnt do anything else and i havent yet. Not even peeked

 

[TOBY-3652]

I must add i am getting 2 nucs in 3 or 4 weeks so can do what rosti suggested. Also suite was washed last week could also be the gloves they are leather and they only stung my gloves

 

[richardbees]

Venom from old stings last year could still be adhering to your gloves (it dries to a powder)
so I'd suggest you use supermarket heavy duty rubber gloves. Rosti makes sense.....but I don't think it's a good idea to start your first full beekeeping year being harassed and generating even more bad natured bees any longer than until you can buy a new queen and re-queen.

 

[Vergilius]

My young HM, after taking over from my previous calm HM, was extremely aggressive last summer; do reckon that winter may have knocked it out of her? Or is that not very common?


Ben P

 

[richardbees]

Ben, no - it's a trait that stays with her offspring so they'll probably be the same again this year.
I've had it three times and it totally takes away all the enjoyment of keeping bees so if they are aggressive re-queen as soon as you can.
Once I couldn't get within 10 yards, even out of sight of the entrance, before getting a 'follower' buzzing around my head!
richard

 

[Hivemaker.]

Could be good training for when some one imports Africanised bees.