Unusual Aggression

[Spikedog]

Whilst walking in the vicinity of Hives about 150 meters away we are being pinged by bees. This morning up at the house one has been aggressively (high tone) trying to sting my noggin and over the past days have noted them at the dogs [who stay clear of hives] as well as ourselves. Two (of three) hives are still out busily foraging between the heavy downpours. We plan to change all three queens (buy in) next spring. Used to be quiet bees but over the season have begun (one in particular) to get quite defensive but never at distance. Does anyone have any ideas to what might be causing this degree of defensiveness? Perhaps the continuing ‘warm’ autumn or do we need to be thinking of something within the hive(s). P

 

[oliver90owner]

Something within the hive is most likely your problem.

I was harassed by one single bee at a range of 20m from one hive last week and have since been working within a couple metres of another without any attention from them whatsoever.

They may have superceded and got local genes crossed wth their original.

RAB

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

150m is a huge definition of "vicinity". A problem like that would shut down my beekeeping since it would cover several dozen homes. So Good Luck.

Just a thought for others more experienced to slam but having seen some robbing at my hive, might that be part of the problem? I understand it is meant to contribute to defensiveness, which makes sense.

 

[enrico]

They are not being defensive at 150m.... What I would suggest is that you are walking through a major flight path to a good nectar flow. They are hitting you on their outward flight and THEN getting defensive. I have had this problem once when builders were stripping off my flat roof, they were in between my hives and field beans. They gave up and left my roof half done! When they start to ping you turn in the opposite direction of the hive and see what crop there is.....ivy probably
E

 

[sipa]

Are they hungry or short of stores, that is sure to make them defensive.

 

[Spikedog]

Many thanks for the input and the pm … RAB you are very likely on the right track as a mid-summer combination did produce some more irritable wee ladies at manipulation (gloves resembling forest tree stumps post agent orange)and some following.
TTLTB – We are rural - VERY rural. Enrico on your advice checked and while there is ivy in all directions (hedgerows, trees etc) - yep a bit of a flyover has developed and yes taking in pollen by the bucket load, even as I write. Well as usual two of three colonies are. Stores appear to be fine (SIPA) but on advice of association we are to top-up feeders [subject of next post] while weather is warm. As stated we intend to replace all queens in spring (more likely summer) with Black bee strain. This may provide for a more settled crew for these hobbyists. P

 

[Stiffy]

They are not being defensive at 150m.... What I would suggest is that you are walking through a major flight path to a good nectar flow. They are hitting you on their outward flight and THEN getting defensive. I have had this problem once when builders were stripping off my flat roof, they were in between my hives and field beans. They gave up and left my roof half done! When they start to ping you turn in the opposite direction of the hive and see what crop there is.....ivy probably
E

Mine are very busy at present between showers working ivy and 'ping' if I stand in flight lines. If they were showing real aggressive behaviour you would get more than a ping!
S