I’ve recently moved a colony of bees from inner Bristol to a hill in the wilds of N Somerset. New queen last June, Buckfast, reputable supplier. The colony has previously been very quiet but they have now become quite aggressive - coming up to meet you as you approach across the field! They are with (but not close to) two other well behaved hives. Could the move have caused temporary aggression? They are queenright and taking in stores.
Newly aggressive bees
- Thread starter Jadan
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How were they when you looked in?
Antipodes
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Bees that have just been moved are generally shocking.
enrico
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Good theft deterrent!
hemo
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Are you sure the Q is still the same one ?
Still a bit aggressive, no sign of calming down after a week
Yes, pretty sure
enrico
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Now is the time to deal with them before they get too large. Dispatch the queen and combine with one of the quieter hives. Too early for bought queen's.
Popparand
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I had the same problem last year. One hive ferociously aggressive on first inspection. I covered them up quickly and eventually they all went back inside. A month later, after much anxious soul searching I opened them up again and they were as good as gold and stayed that way. So no extinction or queen replacement. Just the way of bees are sometimes.
Finman
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It is aggressive. When I move my bees to distant pastures, they do not mind about moving.
You must change the queen. You may buy an imported queen, and later change it to local houligan.
You must change the queen. You may buy an imported queen, and later change it to local houligan.
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It happens, Give them time, wait for a new generation of bees to orientate to the new location before making hasty decisions.
hemo
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No need to change to a local hooligan, the bees will do it for you even with the intro of a good natured Q.
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I agree with Finman: open up ten minutes after unloading and they ignore me.
I'm sure Eric is joking, but never fall for the perceived security benefit; you'll only spread defensive genes and won't enjoy your beekeeping.
This is the way to deal with it.
The bees have gone from 'very quiet' to 'quite agressive' after the move. WHY? What is it about the new site that is riling them?
enrico
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I was joking and we will never know why but it happens! Of course if it s a one off then it may be due to a reason just before you arrived!
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Location could be the source of the change - no longer on a cosy ley line, now next to an electricity sub-station - but pretty sure is not conclusive evidence (I guess Jadan would agree) that supersedure did not take place at some point before or after the move.
Possible that during the move the queen was damaged or killed, and that the emergency replacement mated with rough locals.
Only way we'd know is if she'd had been marked or clipped.
Jadan?
No, not marked or clipped I’m afraid. Something I’m going on o have to improve on. However the time of year and lack of drones (around here anyway) would suggest that she was not replaced since, or for sometime before, the move. I’m reasonably sure that I still have the original queen.
It’s also worth mentioning that the hive is in a very rural location well away from sub stations and power lines. No people either.
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Swap for North London?
Antipodes
Queen Bee
Opening the entrance or top of strong hives of mine after moving generally results in unhappy bees boiling out of the hive...one of the exceptions being if they are bees of well bred queens where the breeder breeds for calmness. Behaviour can also depend on the time of year, generally related to how much forage is available. Two weeks after moving I'd be reasonably confident that they would be back to normal.
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