Weather related Angry Bees?

[dlawr42103]

Yesterday was a beautifully hot sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky. So I took advantage of the good weather to do all my inspections, 9 hives, as I am away all weekend.

The first hive, usually a very calm colony, were exceptionally pissy & angry! Very aggressive and I got a number of stings. All looked ok inside the hive.

The same for 5 of the other hives.

Towards the end understand I must have smelt very threatening after being stung quite a bit.. clothes all gone for washing now...

The previous night there had been a thunder storm... then the day of the inspection the weather was perfect... and last night (the day after the inspections) there were thunderstorms again.

Is it likely the bees bad mood was weather related, even though the day of the inspection the weather was perfect?

Unfortunately my weather gauge was not working so couldn't tell whether or not there was a pressure change at the time... can this effect their behaviour?

 

[madasafish]

Bees hate thunderstorms. The electric charges involved build up hours before the actual storm.. hence bees being grumpy.

 

[Dishmop]

Mine havent been too friendly lately.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i expect the nectar flow has stopped in your area, that makes them grumpy

 

[itma]

Also the wasps are out.
If they are around your hive (and probably better before they are) you should fit the entrance reducer - and if the hive is under particular attack, reduce it further with some sponge stuffed into the hole, potentially right down to a single beespace for a small, weak or nuc hive.
Being robbed by wasps doesn't make the bees happy and relaxed …

 

[enrico]

From now on tempers start getting frayed. Be gentle, use a little smoke, let them know you are coming. They begin to get defensive as they have to protect their stores they have worked so hard to get to get them through winter. Also there are loads of bees and as the nectar flow tails off they are bored. From now on we are robbing their stores and treating with foul smelling stuff. Best left alone unless you have a real reason for going in there! It is easy to think that you need to cry on inspecting but provided you are ready for any eventuality you can ease up a little....having said that I am getting some late swarms!
Good luck
E

 

[Swarm]

If any want to leave now all I can say is bon voyage.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

If any want to leave now all I can say is bon voyage.

Mine are making lost of drones, so mating should not be an issue so I tend to agree.

 

[Nige.Coll]

wasps are making mine angry and maybe the blackberry stopping.
sod their stores thinking about renting a leaf blower for 2 days.
10 mins i had to wait for them to stop following me today not normal.

 

[itma]

Mine are making lost of drones, so mating should not be an issue so I tend to agree.

I believe Swarm was referring to Enrico's comment about brood inspection being less necessary - but risking late swarms.
And that Swarm's point was that he would be well rid of bees with a genetic predisposition to swarm when they should be bringing in the summer flows.

Rather than leaving any such 'swarmed' stocks to requeen themselves, its more worthwhile now to unite them with a 'good' colony and thereby maximise your foraging power, rather than seeking to promote the "swarmy" genetics.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I believe Swarm was referring to Enrico's comment about brood inspection being less necessary - but risking late swarms.
And that Swarm's point was that he would be well rid of bees with a genetic predisposition to swarm when they should be bringing in the summer flows.

Rather than leaving any such 'swarmed' stocks to requeen themselves, its more worthwhile now to unite them with a 'good' colony and thereby maximise your foraging power, rather than seeking to promote the "swarmy" genetics.

I am in a major dearth, with robbing problems to match and a swarm would be fewer mouths to feed, but I take the point.

 

[Swarm]

The point was that I could do very little about it. No more space at the apiary really, but limited resources anyway with most spare deeps out as supers, out of foundation again and other hives needing extra boxes as well.