Timid bees ?

[Little John]

I have two hives of Carnie-cross mutts, one of which is docile to the point of being timid.

I recently opened both hives (no smoke, no spray) to check on fondant etc., and one hive promptly sent a good two hundred bees into the air. They were obviously miffed at being disturbed, but made no attempt to sting or even bump me - I would describe that as being assertive behaviour, which I have absolutely no problem with.

But the other hive did nothing - not a single bee took to the air - the girls just hung onto their combs and looked upwards at me. It was almost as if they were scared. And this has become their regular behaviour. (Mind you if some organism ten thousand times my size took the roof off my house and peered down at me, I'd be well scared.)

Now docile may be a good quality in bees, but timid ? I'm a tad worried if they'll survive if visited by Italian robbers ...

Has anyone else had experience of this kind of thing ?

LJ

 

[VEG]

Hope you had your suit on, as they could just as easily decided to sting you

 

[beeno]

Hi Little John,
Yes, in the middle of the summer. I put it down to starvation. Could also be queenless as some get very lethargic instead of aggressive. They could also be sick, but hope it is none of the above. Not speaking of my own hives.

 

[Dishmop]

perhaps the chair and the whip had them worried..

 

[Luminos]

I Want Those Bees

 

[Dishmop]

I Want Those Bees

50p each

 

[Little John]

Hope you had your suit on, as they could just as easily decided to sting you

No suit, no veil, no gloves. No need. When I put my hand in either of the Carnie hives, the girls just walk up my fingers out of curiosity.

In contrast, I have to dress up like a bl##dy spaceman to inspect my Italian crosses - they're really mean bees. I'm planning to re-Queen those colonies from the Carniolans - but can't decide which of the Carnie colonies to use. That's really why I've posted - to try and get some feel for just how docile is healthy, from a self-survival point-of-view.

LJ

 

[itma]

If this is *new* behaviour, I'd investigate.
Like Beeno, I'd suspect that the 'timid' colony might not be in peak condition.

 

[Little John]

I put it down to starvation. Could also be queenless as some get very lethargic instead of aggressive. They could also be sick, but hope it is none of the above.

Thanks - I'll need to check. There's fondant & sugar in place and they don't appear sick - but queenless - yes, that's a possibility. Hadn't thought of that.

LJ

 

[VEG]

I wouldn't go near any bees unless suited up, it only takes the one time.

 

[peteinwilts]

I bought some of my stock from a beekeepingforum member based in cornwall.

He only wore a veil, but I was amazed to see bees sat back on his arm pulling his arm hairs out.... they were grooming him.

When last looked, the bees and their generations were also silly-tame. However, I have been stung enough times by some of the less friendly bees not to go in without a suit. I have also known good hives in the past to 'turn' for various reasons (ant attacks being particularly common the year before last!)

probably co-incidentally (or possibly not!), the silly tame bees have medium to high varroa counts when treating, whilst the grumpy bees have a lot less to the point of some having no varroa drop at all.
Also, the grumpy ones are far more productive in inclement weather (the two reasons are why they are tollerated!)

 

[sandysman]

I wouldn't go near any bees unless suited up, it only takes the one time.

They are not pets and it does only take one time for them to turn. A dozen or so stings and you could be in real trouble my friend. Don't risk it.

A

 

[beeno]

I bought some of my stock from a beekeepingforum member based in cornwall.

He only wore a veil, but I was amazed to see bees sat back on his arm pulling his arm hairs out.... they were grooming him.

When last looked, the bees and their generations were also silly-tame. However, I have been stung enough times by some of the less friendly bees not to go in without a suit. I have also known good hives in the past to 'turn' for various reasons (ant attacks being particularly common the year before last!)

probably co-incidentally (or possibly not!), the silly tame bees have medium to high varroa counts when treating, whilst the grumpy bees have a lot less to the point of some having no varroa drop at all.
Also, the grumpy ones are far more productive in inclement weather (the two reasons are why they are tollerated!)

Hi peteinwilts,
Very interesting indeed.

 

[madasafish]

My bees just sit and look or ignore. Local BBKA visitors came , saw and were highly complimentary about behaviour. Still wear a top and veil tho...

varroa? Minimal last year - but the weather etc...

 

[Little John]

I think there's a bit of side-drift going on here. When I first posted and wrote: "I recently opened both hives (no smoke, no spray) to check on fondant etc." I wasn't describing an intentional act of bravado, machismo or reckless behaviour, I was merely describing a situation in which nothing had been put into the hive beforehand which might account for the uber-docile behaviour, that's all.

I'm a tad surprised that this seems to have been focused upon (rather than my concerns about colony survivability) and to read alarmist comments such as:

I wouldn't go near any bees unless suited up, it only takes the one time.

A dozen or so stings and you could be in real trouble my friend.

What are you talking about ? If you can't tolerate a few stings, then should you really be beekeeping ?

Since their arrival last autumn, my Italian hives have become mean and spiteful: they will sting without warning or provocation anyone approaching within 30 feet of their hives. That's totally unacceptable and they are due to be re-queened asap. But during the months they've been here I've received dozens of stings from them - just from walking around the garden - until I figured out what the safe distance should be. Stings are bloody annoying, and they can itch like hell, but I hope the day never comes when I worry about whether I get stung or not.

LJ

 

[VEG]

Then you have never had a hive go mental on you for no reason. I wish you well not harm, but I still prefer not to give them the chance to sting me.

 

[BeeJayBee]

If you can't tolerate a few stings, then should you really be beekeeping ?

Don't you think that's a bit harsh?

Have you read this thread? http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=21905

 

[Swarm]

What you thought you could tolerate may one day hospitalise you, it seems a bit of a lottery.
But the thread went a bit off topic ....
Regarding their behaviour LJ, I wouldn't worry, wait until Spring inspections to evaluate. Not much you can do until it's warmer.

 

[whoosling]

I wouldn't go near any bees unless suited up, it only takes the one time.

 

[DarynWebb]

Only takes a clap of thunder to set them off while your finishing an inspection, it's happened to a friend of mine.