What to do now

[jenkinsbrynmair]

i’ve got a pretty good sense of smell and have never encountered this smell, even with a previous colony which was always on attack mode.

just pick up a bee and stuff it up your nose, you'll get a good sniff as you're standing there waiting for your eyes to stop watering

 

[Newbeeneil]

Trust me.... when you smell it start running! It is the most sickly smell that you can imagine and it fills the air. It sets off all the other hives and the air fills with angry bees. Try knocking a hive over, that usually works

I think of it as a sort of sweet banana type of smell

 

[Ian123]

..slight pause and deathly quiet, then watch as the world seems to speed up in front of you. RUN, (faster than 25 mph).

There’s no need to run that fast…….
Just faster than the bloke behind you!

 

[Mabee]

....or simply pick up a box of bees, don't pay attention to the fact that the one below it has restuck itself and watch in wonder as that lower box crashes to the ground in slow motion.....slight pause and deathly quiet, then watch as the world seems to speed up in front of you. RUN, (faster than 25 mph).

I usually do this at least once early in the season just as a subconscious reminder to myself not to ever do that again!
Still not noticed that smell though!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Still not noticed that smell though!

Maybe it’s you
When our huge old Mahonia is in bloom and right now the Wisteria, the scent fills the garden. On a still day it’s almost overpowering. My husband can’t smell it at all!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When our huge old Mahonia is in bloom and right now the Wisteria, the scent fills the garden. On a still day it’s almost overpowering.

The balcony Wistera started flowering for the first time today - the one in the back garden (over the old toilet and pigsty) is still a few days away - that one covers the whole two buildings, next door's and has now climbed twenty odd feet up the oak tree

 

[Mabee]

Maybe it’s you
When our huge old Mahonia is in bloom and right now the Wisteria, the scent fills the garden. On a still day it’s almost overpowering. My husband can’t smell it at all!

That’s the thing, I have a really good sense of smell. Maybe my brain just blocks this one for some reason. Anyway, I can usually tell in other ways if a colony is getting angry so I suppose it’s no big deal!