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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: "birdcr AT concentric.net" <birdcr AT concentric.net>
  • Cc: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] What to do with ANGRY bees?
  • Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:12:39 -0400

Randy,

I've had sweet bees and nasty bees so I empathize with you completely. But I don't have much advice to offer except the standard stuff:
  1. inspect in mid-afternoon when possible, rather than early morning or late afternoon, since the older grumpier bees (the foragers) are away from home mid-day
  2. keep your bees in the sun whenever possible --- this makes a big difference
  3. too much smoke can be as bad as no smoke
  4. don't drag out an inspection too long. Some bees just don't have a whole lot of patience.
  5. if an inspection turns bad, call it quits for the day and try it again another day. Once the alarm pheromone is in the air and the bees have your number, I don't know of anything that can be done to make things alright again.
  6. if you've got more than one hive, keep them on separate stands a good distance apart rather than right next to each other. I've done it both ways and my bees are remarkably calmer during inspections when separated.
  7. learn to recognize bee language. They make a different sound when they are beginning to get ticked off, may line up along the top bars and stare at you, and you may see them fanning alarm pheromone. If they tell you that they have had enough of your messing around, it's time to finish up for the day.
I wouldn't condemn a queen based on one bad inspection, but if it repeats and you can rule out environmental/situational causes, then you may have a queen with irritable genes. There are lots of gentle-as-lambs colonies out there so you don't have to suffer with a cranky one.

Randall Austin


On 10/15/2011 11:53 AM, birdcr AT concentric.net wrote:
Folks,

I did most of an inspection today. The bees got angry, got stung 
twice in the neck. They chased me when I left three times. Some 
bees climbed into the smoker as it was going out, found maybe 20 
dead bees in it. I'm sure if any one would have been in the yard 
they would have been chased or stung. After closing up the bees in 
hast I waited 15 mins and went and retrieved my camera, not so 
bad. Then well away from the bee hive a bee wanted to sting me as 
I was taking photos.

Anyway I checked all but 3 frames in the main brood box. Did see 
the blond Italian queen, eggs and larva, looked OK to me. The 
brood box that was full of syrup/honey I did not check, it was 
very heavy. It was sunny, warm and mildly breezy while I was 
inspecting.

I did for the first time see a bee with a mite on its back. Also 
saw about 12 beetles, no beetle larva which made me pretty happy. 
Although 13 frames were not inspected. The upper super had some 
capped honey, a little bit of brood including a hatching bee. 
Pollen stores were not what I'd call amply, but reasonable.

Now to my big question what to do with these angry bees? Could it 
be all the syrup I gave them up until 6 weeks ago is not as good 
as real honey? I gave them about a gallon of syrup weeks ago. Or 
should I just re queen next spring, she has filled 3 boxes with 
angry bees. Any brave volunteers to help with the next 
inspection?

I'll post a blog report on my blog later today.

Cheers,
Randy Emmitt
www.rlephoto.com


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