Suddenly stroppy

[Jonnyl]

Good morning all. I collected and installed my first nuc 3 1/2 weeks ago. Since then they've been docile and a pleasure to inspect. However on going in this morning they had changed. A still, sunny morning but what a difference. Before i had the crown board off several were dunting the mask which hasnt happened before so early into an inspection. I got one frame out and they were still buzzing around but a few more seemed to be angry and the pitch of the buzzing noticeably changed. I closed up and retreated to seek your counsel. Are they just having a bad morning? Cheers for any advice.

 

[Millet]

In my neck of the woods we are forecast thunderstorms today and Friday so i expect similar behavior when inspect mine on Saturday.. your bees may well be picking up on a thunderstorm in your area which does make them a tad more aggressive.

 

[Jonnyl]

Yes Millet, i've read that and saw that it was forecast which is why i went for this morning to head it off. I hope that's the reason as that sound was quite disconcerting. I've been around the association apiary every week since March and handled them and I've not come across that before. Was a shade scary so i beat a hasty retreat. I'll wait till Sunday and try again. Thanks.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

although being new to this myself (2 years) ive noticed some days a colony can be restless etc and best left to another day...despite being docile most of time....thunderstorms, flow, robbing, queen issues....can be lots of short lived reasons

 

[Millet]

To be honest those bees do not sound overly mental.. if you got a little fright from that experience do your best to source and keep a nice gentle strain.
I have had angry bees in the past and even on a good day they would try to kill me so you can imagine what it was like inspecting them with a thunderstorm on the horizon.... hands and veil covered in them was not uncommon needless to say i do not have that strain anymore.

 

[enrico]

You did the best thing, as a beginner just quietly close them up and come back another day. Anything could have set them off, another insect, a bird, the weather, robbing, no expecting you, too early and not flying properly, no forage, bored, having a bad hair day, run out of booze. Try again on a fresher day. Think why you are going in, do the minimum to achieve that goal and close up.
Good luck
E

 

[bingevader]

You did the most sensible thing and this is great advice from Enrico:

Think why you are going in, do the minimum to achieve that goal and close up.

I don't think it applies just to beginners either!

 

[beeno]

Mine are on guard as they are constantly being bothered by European hornets, but are less aggressive at the minute. However, as I have gone over to nitrile gloves I do tend to smoke them more which may have made a difference.

 

[Curly green fingers]

:

You did the most sensible thing and this is great advice from Enrico:

I don't think it applies just to beginners either!

I use a spray bottle of water if the flying bee's get to much also a hive cloth comes in handy for covering over frames . Good luck on your next inspection I hope there a bit more sociable towards you .

 

[Gilberdyke John]

although being new to this myself (2 years) ive noticed some days a colony can be restless etc and best left to another day...despite being docile most of time....thunderstorms, flow, robbing, queen issues....can be lots of short lived reasons

"Some days it is better to get off your horse and go shopping" - Rheinhard Klimpe, dressage rider.

 

[mike99]

In my neck of the woods we are forecast thunderstorms today and Friday so i expect similar behavior when inspect mine on Saturday.. your bees may well be picking up on a thunderstorm in your area which does make them a tad more aggressive.

Not a good day for inspections in the North East. Already there are claps of Thunder outside.

 

[Millet]

Not a good day for inspections in the North East. Already there are claps of Thunder outside.

It shook the house 10 minutes ago and all the ornaments in the window where swaying... it was more like an earth quake ...i definitely would not be opening up today.

 

[mike99]

I was on the beach with the dog and it sounded like a Sonic Boom but there wasn't a plane around.
raining now but I have sat with a cup of tea first thing in the morning watching the girls go in and out with lots of Pollen. Bright orange/yellow and white.
They also seem to groom each other. is that so the foragers can go out again?

 

[Bakerbee]

Rub it in youve got rain its still crisp dry and hort down here..

 

[mike99]

Rub it in youve got rain its still crisp dry and hort down here..

It didn't last for long though. I think there is more due though.
A lunchtime walk on the beach with the dogs was very hot.

 

[Popparand]

To be honest those bees do not sound overly mental.. if you got a little fright from that experience do your best to source and keep a nice gentle strain.
I have had angry bees in the past and even on a good day they would try to kill me so you can imagine what it was like inspecting them with a thunderstorm on the horizon.... hands and veil covered in them was not uncommon needless to say i do not have that strain anymore.

Yep. I have a very active hive and normally end up in a cloud of bees. Very few on veil or hands, just buzzing around. One or two normally follow me and hang around for five minutes or so, which is a bit of a pain in this heat.

I have always assumed they are just curious as they dont seem aggressive. Or maybe they are just scheming a line of attack?

 

[Millet]

Yep. I have a very active hive and normally end up in a cloud of bees. Very few on veil or hands, just buzzing around. One or two normally follow me and hang around for five minutes or so, which is a bit of a pain in this heat.

I have always assumed they are just curious as they dont seem aggressive. Or maybe they are just scheming a line of attack?

AS a rule my veil never comes down until any followers have departed..

 

[Jonnyl]

Well. Out again just now, a little later in the day, and ince again as soon as the crown board was off they went mental. Not many bees surrounding me but 4 stings straight away and more if i hadnt closed up PDQ. Im worried they've turned rogue. My first ever bee stings, not too painful though as they were all on my hands. Swelling up nicely but no bad reaction.

 

[Millet]

Well. Out again just now, a little later in the day, and ince again as soon as the crown board was off they went mental. Not many bees surrounding me but 4 stings straight away and more if i hadnt closed up PDQ. Im worried they've turned rogue. My first ever bee stings, not too painful though as they were all on my hands. Swelling up nicely but no bad reaction.

This thundery weather is bad for inspecting.. be patient and wait till it passes.

 

[Beefriendly]

]

• A couple of points, again it's a thundery day.
• Nuc's in general start off as gentle lambs but as they enlarge their more boisterous nature tends to show through, not true in all cases.
• What type of gloves are your wearing? I ask because if they are of leather disposition and you haven't removed any previous stings the remaining pheromones can be the cause of a colony going mental.
• Who sold you the nuc and what was their description of them?
• How are you removing the crownboard? Gently i'e prizing it slowly off so as to not cause sudden jerks or movements? If a boisterous colony I try to lift a corner and give a bit of smoke and more smoke as I gently prize it away.