What can I do with nasty but prolific hives?

[For want of a better word]

Problem with some "old timers", like yourself, is you simply rehash misinformation ad nauseum.

Which bit of TOSH did you not understand?

Me thinks the Snow farie, Sweet little ice princess may have another contender for most degrees in everyting!

I have a lot to learn... even BA did not produce his perfect bee... but almost!

Yeghes da

 

[Beagle23]

Which bit of TOSH did you not understand?

Me thinks the Snow farie, Sweet little ice princess may have another contender for most degrees in everyting!

I have a lot to learn... even BA did not produce his perfect bee... but almost!

Yeghes da

Does re-queening solve every form of aggression?

 

[B+.]

Does re-queening solve every form of aggression?

Not on this forum

 

[MartinL]

I have one hive who are distinctly grumpier than the others. . . . A bit too interested and a bit of following but not too 'stingy'.

. . . . I don't want nasty bees -

Any thoughts?

So would all of us call these girls aggressive??

I know my hive on the allotment can be (and usually are) very aggressive. but that's their character they helps with the strawberries, Rasberries Currants etc

I leave them all the honey they produce & they, (in turn) keep the thieving brats off the soft fruit.

All in all a regular fair-trade deal.

On the other hand, the placid colonies on the cricket field have to be cosseted & defended from the wasps before Whitsun! As long as the wasps don't get it there's plenty of honey for all but it might be better if they didn't have a EU style open door policy with the jaspers?

Does re-queening solve every form of aggression?

As long as you wait for the aggressive ones to die out, Yes!

 

[REDWOOD]

Requeening an aggressive hive is not an easy task, some will refuse a new queen, eggs and queen cells

 

[Beefriendly]

Not on this forum

LOL......Nice one B+

 

[For want of a better word]

Does re-queening solve every form of aggression?

To quote B=...
Not on this forum




Methinks the moderators will be working overtime tonight and tomorrow night with the FULL MOON... a BIG and BLUE one lighting up the grey skies over the North East!!!

Nos da

 

[drex]

Requeening an aggressive hive is not an easy task, some will refuse a new queen, eggs and queen cells

And do their best to sting you to death. In my early days, when I knew no different I had two ( related ) colonies from hell. Finding the queen In The national hive was not fun. I wore three layers all with long sleeves and leather gauntlets and still took loads of hits. She was squished as soon as I saw her, but the replacement, introduced in a cage was accepted without ado. The second colony was in a Warre hive, which had minimal inspections, so comb was fixed to side walls etc. They ended up getting petrol! The only time I have resorted to its use.

 

[coffindodger]

And do their best to sting you to death. In my early days, when I knew no different I had two ( related ) colonies from hell. Finding the queen In The national hive was not fun. I wore three layers all with long sleeves and leather gauntlets and still took loads of hits. She was squished as soon as I saw her, but the replacement, introduced in a cage was accepted without ado.

As with OP the queen was jet black and so beautiful, but her offspring were simply dangerous ; I too got used to double veils and hats and overalls and double gloves - and not being able to see for a swollen face. Requeening with a cage worked wonders. Well worth the efforts. Good luck

 

[Popparand]

Fuel and bee management

PeterBeeMan the Polish guy I bought my nucleus from (3rd generation beekeeper) recommended torn up egg boxes and dried rotten wood or bark. Both produce a soft cool smoke which seems to keep them calm. He also strongly recommended talking to the girls each time you go visit. Maybe that's why they are so nice. The dog and SWMBO both think I'm bonkers but they don't understand Polish, only Roumanian (the dog, that is).

 

[Poly Hive]

Rotten wood is not difficult to find. Dry rotten wood is, so harvest the wet stuff and let it dry somewhere warm. Not difficult really to do.

I have a willow stump in the garden so rotten the bark literally blew off one night and we are pretty sheltered here so very rotten.

I will be taking it out later this year to make a gateway so a lifetimes supply for me and the Association.

PH

 

[Newbeeneil]

Yes touchwood or dry rotten wood is best found after a storm.... lots of bits of oak branches lying in roads etc. often crumbled up by passing traffic.
I normally take a carrier bag out on my morning walk after a blow and bring it back to dry in the greenhouse.
It's easy to light and never seems to go out..... nice cool smoke too.
Best smoker fuel I have ever used.

 

[Heather]

And maybe try a cover cloth instead of smoke.. I use smoke if/when bees unreasonable, but often 2 cloths sufficient to keep their heads down. Just keep extending one cloth as you reduce the other as you work across the frames.

 

[Gwr]

And maybe try a cover cloth instead of smoke.. I use smoke if/when bees unreasonable, but often 2 cloths sufficient to keep their heads down. Just keep extending one cloth as you reduce the other as you work across the frames.

Like Heather, I also use a Old purpose made beehive cover cloth with a metal frame letter box opening, depending what I’m doing and how the bees are behaving and it makes a world of difference when a hive is being a pain.

Where I am there are so many things against us when we come to do inspections like poor weather conditions, dearth’s and so on that even bees that are nice most of the time and could be handled in shorts and no vail will be a nasty the next time.

 

[russ_01]

I had a nasty hive last season and the experience was so awful that I almost gave up, some times i ended up with 7 stings per hive visit. I also don't react well to a sting never mind 7. I spoke to the beekeeper who I got the bees from & he posted me a new queen free of charge, this was back end of the season (Aug). Only time will tell if it has been successful or not. The beekeeper thinks it was down to environment as they were located in a poor area for forage, basically they were "hangry". Over the autumn last year I relocated them to a farm out in the countryside, hopefully both factors have resolved the problem.

I'd suggest re-queen first, don't put up with a cranky bunch as the hobby is suppose to be enjoyable.

 

[For want of a better word]

I'd suggest re-queen first, don't put up with a cranky bunch as the hobby is suppose to be enjoyable.

Requeen with something without the Carniolian gene... or it will happen again!
OR keep pure Carnolian ( If there is such a thing.. somewhat doubt that with the latest DNA results!)



Yeghes da

 

[Poly Hive]

7 stings per hive per visit is not an angry hive.

Some perspective please.

Whilst I understand you may think that is a lot believe me and I am not exaggerating when I say several hundred stings is an angry hive.

If 7 is not acceptable to you then possibly a re think on beekeeping is required.

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

basically they were "hangry".

This time of year that is often the reason,if you check what stores they have left they can sometimes be defensive.
Wait and see if the mood changes when they can get out and forage.

 

[Anduril]

7 stings per hive per visit is not an angry hive.

Some perspective please.

Whilst I understand you may think that is a lot believe me and I am not exaggerating when I say several hundred stings is an angry hive.

If 7 is not acceptable to you then possibly a re think on beekeeping is required.

PH

when you take your suit off and count the stings and they are into the hundreds, then that is an angry hive. They may cover you head to toe in bees, not a pleasant experience, your veil, covered in bees that you can barely see out. The most I have been stung where the stings got through and penetrated the skin was thirty stings and hundreds of stings on the suit from one hive. Then hundreds of bees follow you back to the car. I resort to using strong smelling tobacco to deal with them later on, to mask the alarm pheromone.

 

[Poly Hive]

Aye well you got off lightly there.

Back in the day when I used the kidskin gloves I can remember setting down the hive tool and the only part of the glove unstung was where the hive tool had been resting. Hands were a tad tender for days but I was under serious time pressure as I was working offshore and so I had 13 days to do a months work and that in turn meant working hives in unsuitable weather.

PH