Nasty but vigorous bees

[susbees]

Great long lists of good ideas are just that, lists. The OP is a one hive beginner asking for advice.

Mine would be to get hold of a local experienced beekeeper (through your BKA?) and ask him or her to go through your colony and assess its temperament. Then form a plan to requeen IF they're mean to him or her too.

If they are NOT then it's likely a handling issue...have you done a course or been mentored?

There is nothing more likely to make a beginner give up than hateful bees (on a regular basis). I've got a new mentee for this season really afraid to go through her replacement bees (arrived a year after original evil stingy hive "supplied" by well known "breeder" was removed).

 

[winmag270]

Great long lists of good ideas are just that, lists. The OP is a one hive beginner asking for advice.

to be fair, i believe the OP has some experience of decent bees from his original post....

I looked at two other hives first 5-6 frames of brood 3-4 of food. Eggs seen and bees queuing politely waiting for me to finish and get out of their way.

Then the hive we were given

 

[susbees]

OK winmag, fair call...

 

[winmag270]

OK winmag, fair call...

sorry susbees, that's what happens when your sat at work and bored.....

 

[exmoorbee]

Thankyou every one for you advise. Yes we are first year keepers but we went to the begginer course last year, and an improvers course this autumn. and we have 2 other hives at home (the hive in question is at an out apairy).

To day we bit the bullet and went to see the hive taking some advise from others in this thread.

We moved the hive to the side (about 5 foot, the length of the rails they are on) and put a brood box with foundation on the origional site. within about 10 mins all the fliers were in the new box and the old hive was quiet.

We gave them a new floor (the old one had a lump that had prevented us using a entrance block) we fitted an entrance block and had a quick look through the double brood. 15 frames of brood between the 2 boxes. and the rest full of stores, some fresh.

we put a super on it and took the new box of fliers away and moved the hive back to it old position and watched as the fliers found their way back to the main hive. (this involved tea, cake and sitting in the shade.

super went on with 4 acres of gorse in flower and a field of osr just down the road.

We'll keep an eye on the ofer the next month or so and see if the temper improves with the entrance block. next visit we'll turn them if still bad.

If we requeen I think We'll split the hive and requeen both halfs. but the moving the hive a few feet away certinaly works.

Thankyou again for all your advise, seems to be working.