What did I do wrong?

[beenovice]

I visited my hive today to carry out oxalic treatment and check on food levels. I was expecting the bees to be docile and clustered, but I was completely unprepared for the reaction I got. As soon as I lifted the crown board off I was met by a barrage of bees on the offensive.
Temperature was 6.5 degrees outside. My hive is well insulated.
Inside the hive there were lots of bees all over the hive.
Was this reaction normal or are my bees turning nasty. When I put the mouse guard on in November I got a bad reception too.
Any thoughts?

 

[VEG]

did you smoke them?

 

[REDWOOD]

did you smoke them?

+1

 

[einsteinagogo]

After a small incident with my bees in August I will always have a lit smoker to hand. Just in case its needed.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Smorning]

We just completed an OA safari and one hive was lively to say the least the lady that owned to colony was covered in bees so sometimes they are a bit stroppy the queen needs replacement in the apiary in the new year in my view

 

[Michael Palmer]

You didn't do anything wrong. They were defensive in August and they were defensive in January. Re-queen or put up with it if they are a really good colony otherwise.

 

[richardbees]

+1

+2

 

[Gilberdyke John]

You didn't do anything wrong. They were defensive in August and they were defensive in January. Re-queen or put up with it if they are a really good colony otherwise.

 

[Melbee]

I did OA treatment n checked the fondant yesterday. Same thing happened. Lots of flying bees. Even got stung! Next time I'll take the smoker. Glad I was all suited up though.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I visited my hive today to carry out oxalic treatment and check on food levels. I was expecting the bees to be docile and clustered, but I was completely unprepared for the reaction I got. As soon as I lifted the crown board off I was met by a barrage of bees on the offensive.
Temperature was 6.5 degrees outside. My hive is well insulated.
Inside the hive there were lots of bees all over the hive.
Was this reaction normal or are my bees turning nasty. When I put the mouse guard on in November I got a bad reception too.
Any thoughts?

how well insulated?

 

[Hachi]

You didn't do anything wrong. They were defensive in August and they were defensive in January. Re-queen or put up with it if they are a really good colony otherwise.

Gets my vote

 

[beenovice]

did you smoke them?

No, I didn't smoke them. I didn't think I would need to as I was expecting them to be clustered.
Should I have smoked them?

 

[beenovice]

I have made a shell of 50mm thick kingspan that goes on all four sides and on the roof. In addition to that I have two layers of kingspan on top of the down board. So in total 50 mm on sides and 150mm on roof.

 

[oliver90owner]

You have a PM.

 

[user 6228]

I have made a shell of 50mm thick kingspan that goes on all four sides and on the roof. In addition to that I have two layers of kingspan on top of the down board. So in total 50 mm on sides and 150mm on roof.

Yes the thermal change of taking the top off in cold weather can make them temporarily agressive. I've had this. but then on a warmer day they have been back to being docile. With your level of insulation they are warm enough to fly and defend even on the coldest days. This is a big difference to conventional bee keeping.

jumping straight in to this level of insulation is a big step for a begginer as there almost no mentors who have done this before.

beware of the much lower levels of stores needed
beware the changes in bee numbers compared to a conventional hive.
beware Oxalic acid and other treatments have not been tested on highly insulated colonies. It has been reported that the treatments are more active at higher temperatures this may also mean they damage the bees more.
beware dont take the insulation cover off for more than few minutes as the bee organisation will rely on it. once you have a colony adapted to this level of insulation any reduction in insulation may set them back

note for next year a 150mm on the roof may be too much. 50mm or 100mm is enough but dont change it now.


Well done for taking a leap into the unorthodox beekeeping of tree nest level insulation.

 

[user 6228]

You didn't do anything wrong. They were defensive in August and they were defensive in January. Re-queen or put up with it if they are a really good colony otherwise.

The OP said november not august...

A cold or heavily overcast day in November could prompt the same reaction from a normally very docile heavily insulated colony.

People who had colonies from us with this type of cover were warned about this change in behaviour and the other differences to expect.

 

[pargyle]

Well done for taking a leap into the unorthodox beekeeping of tree nest level insulation.

+1 ... I took the leap to a heavily insulated hive before I knew what Derek was doing so it was a real leap of faith. Super to know that there are others trying this different way ...

 

[VEG]

No, I didn't smoke them. I didn't think I would need to as I was expecting them to be clustered.
Should I have smoked them?

As the weather has not been cold enough for the bees to go into a cluster I would have given them a small puff of smoke. I always have a smoker on the go and a water mist spray.

 

[Hachi]

did mine yesterday and they were smoked. Like Craig ALWAYS have my smoker and sugared water spray with me.

 

[Michael Palmer]

The OP said november not august...

I must have been seeing things again.