Sting count already exceeded last years total

[Wingy]

This week my double brood + 3 supers in the garden had 3 charged Q cells so took the opportunity to AS. Old Q on single brood all foundation + supers on original site. Moved double brood to one side, destroyed Q cells and strapped it up ready to move to my out apiary to use as my starter colony for Q rearing.
Morning after sealed up the entrance and got the Mrs to help me carry it to the rear of the pickup, floor, double Langstroth brood, crown board & roof, there was some weight in it.
At the apiary now on my own, got the wheelbarrow and lifted the hive, at chest height it seemed comfortable so decided to carry it about 20 yards.
Nearly there got stung on my arm, on my face, again, chest, face again. I placed the hive on its stand and realised the brood boxes had twisted slightly & bees were piling out. I twisted the boxes shut before running being chased by a cloud of bees. Jumped in the pickup, killed 5-6 that got in with me. I then put my bee jacket on, T shirt was not a good idea, while sorting the hive, removing straps & opening entrance I got stung again on the neck. 2 bloody bees in my suit, must have been on my T shirt when I put my jacket on.
Took about 10 stings in total but lucky they were all young bees and I hardly reacted

 

[Bee Boys]

Last year ( my first year of beekeeping) I did not get stung even though I have a stb bee suit that has got 5 or more holes in its vail. I think it is because I have got a very good queen, which produces a lot of brood, honey, and calm bees.
Sorry to hear of your geting stung.

 

[Bee Boys]

It may be worth re queening your old colony.

 

[madasafish]

10 stings will help build up your immune system.

 

[Etton]

If using your brood box as a starter colony then why do you destroy the 3 queen cells, why not use one to re-queen the colony, otherwise do you let them raise more QC’s from existing eggs/larvae? And do you leave any brood with the existing queen on original site with just foragers?

 

[Wingy]

It may be worth re queening your old colony.

The original Q is a lovely 2019 F1 Buckfast, built up very well, piling the honey in and lovely calm bees in the garden, usual inspection done in T shirt + head veil with no issues..
On this occasion the part I moved was Q- had been transported a couple of miles and bumped about a bit it was also early and only about 8 degrees C.
About an hour later all was well & back to normal

 

[Wingy]

If using your brood box as a starter colony then why do you destroy the 3 queen cells, why not use one to re-queen the colony, otherwise do you let them raise more QC’s from existing eggs/larvae? And do you leave any brood with the existing queen on original site with just foragers?

The original Q is left with all the flying bees, on new foundation in the original location that way they think they have swarmed which is what they were planning to do by developing swarm cells, artificial swarm.
I destroyed all Q cells in the double brood that I moved because I don’t want them to make their own Q, I will give them a few days then destroy any further Q cells to leave them hopelessly Q-. This will be my cell builder colony.
I then have a breeder Q in another colony and will be using the Nicot system, the cell cups will then be placed into the cell builder colony & hopefully will produce a number of Q’s that I want to make up a couple of nucs & re Q a couple of colonies.

 

[oliver90owner]

It may be worth re queening your old colony.

It was no fault of the bees or the queen! This was a simple beekeeper error and I doubt Wingy will repeat the mistake again.

 

[pargyle]

It was no fault of the bees or the queen! This was a simple beekeeper error and I doubt Wingy will repeat the mistake again.

Yeh ...we've all been there at least once !! I certainly have .. "I was just going to.." even with the most docile bees can sometimes end in disaster. They make beesuits bee proof for a reason !

 

[Jafer2]

Haha harsh but I'm sure you have learnt your lesson . My daughter 4 got stung 2 times in space of a week. New queen is nasty so removed her but she was large and lovely yellow abdomen. When I was doing that only got jeans, hoodie, head veil and gloves but they somehow managed to get in so got stung once at the back of my head and one on the lips. Took my hoodie off and got stung on my arm. It's day 2 with queen in cage so hoping the accept her as they chase anyone in garden.

 

[beeno]

Hubby got his first sting of the season. Got the sting out, applied anti-histamine, ice pack. Told him to stick with it for a while. Good as new. Was nowhere near the hives. They just love him. Those secreting hair folicles.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Interested in your hair follicles comment - are bees attracted to hair? My wife's hair seems to attract lots of buzzy things (as she calls them). Her hair (greying) tends to shine silver in bright sunlight.

 

[oliver90owner]

Interested in your hair follicles comment - are bees attracted to hair? My wife's hair seems to attract lots of buzzy things (as she calls them). Her hair (greying) tends to shine silver in bright sunlight.

Likely flower-scented hair spray?