Would you tolerate naughty bees?

[Swarm]

I am gentle as possible. No banging or shadows etc As little smoke as I can get away with.

Maybe not enough? See what happens if you smoke them more to keep them down or a water spray?

 

[Briarfield]

I have a horrible colony. It is a good sized swarm collected about 3 weeks ago. They rise up and cover my suit and veil. The queen is laying well.

I can't find the queen, as I want to cull her and merge them into another colony to get a bigger colony for the heather

I had them close to the other another colony and thought that if I moved the nasty ones 30m away the flying bees would go to the other colony and I would be able to find her.

She was still illusive so I decided to put them through a QE. I was wearing a full suit, kid gloves and gauntlets. I have a dozen stings and the gloves and gauntlets must have a hundred or more. Not found her.

What do I do next?

 

[JohnyP]

I often have bees rushing at my hands as I go to pick up frames from above. Quite alarming and not very nice.

I try to combat this by
1. going through the majority of the frame lugs and loosening them with the hive tool.

2. bringing my hand up the sides of the BB from below and sneak over the edges of the frames from the sides. This way they don't see my hands coming and do not fly up at me.

Is a handy technique to develop at this time of year with mildly tetchy bees.

 

[seaknight]

Hi,

My second colony is a very different experience to my first which I assume have been cross bred with Neil from the Young Ones. Peace man....

These new bees, are very quick to spring from the sides of the hive when taking frames out and especially putting them back on. They cover my hands and get everywhere I want to put my hands or hive tool.

They don't sting a lot but a a flippin menace. I've tried different gloves, fresh clothing and white nitriles to brighten the profile.

I am gentle as possible. No banging or shadows etc As little smoke as I can get away with.

However, this new queen has almost laid out a commercial give from 5 frames very quickly.

So, put up with the menace as they aren't actually scary and stinging yet? Or change sooner than later.

I conscious that I am on an allotment so my tolerance for naughty bees is not very high.

Thoughts?










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My second colony were similar, very aggressive - it's apparently due to the genetics of the first cross of a colony with local bees, since I bought my 5 frame nucleus 2 years ago from Lledrod near Aberystwyth.
Hive 2 swarmed in May this year whilst I was away at medical school, they are now a lot calmer with the new queen, although still a bit jumpy, they roar when I open the hive (as the crown board is propolised and the seal is broken) and get angry/sting when I remove honey from their super!
It reminds me of the Golden Syrup tin "Out of the strong came forth sweetness", they produce more honey than the other 4 colonies, although it wasn't at all pleasant getting pasted with stings, even on my ankles, last year!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a horrible colony. It is a good sized swarm collected about 3 weeks ago. They rise up and cover my suit and veil. The queen is laying well.

I can't find the queen, as I want to cull her and merge them into another colony to get a bigger colony for the heather

I had them close to the other another colony and thought that if I moved the nasty ones 30m away the flying bees would go to the other colony and I would be able to find her.

She was still illusive so I decided to put them through a QE. I was wearing a full suit, kid gloves and gauntlets. I have a dozen stings and the gloves and gauntlets must have a hundred or more. Not found her.

What do I do next?

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36329&highlight=queen+finding

 

[Briarfield]

Thank you. I did try the pairing idea too, but didn't want to write too long a story.

Going back mid week. I think it might be the multiple boxes and fanning idea! Tedious if it's as hot as today.