I have nasty little stinging buzz monster bees

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I have nasty little stinging buzz monster bees
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goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Tue May 26, 09 9:21 pm Post subject:
Could they bee Italian race? Nice Black British Bees are better behaved. Yes re queen. I recommend Wisborough Green. www.wgbka.org.uk Roger Patterson, if you don't have anyone good near you.for advice. Blimey though, poor old you and Mr B. Well done for keeping your cool.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Tue May 26, 09 9:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys. I will re-queen and allow MrB the pleasure of squashing the nasty existing queen to death. He will like that.

Just got to find the nasty bee-atch first. *gulp* Then wait 6 weeks for her evil progeny to be bred out.

Thx goosey - I will call them in the morning and see if they can help us out. I am no bee ID expert, but I had the feeling that these were British Blacks.

Either way, I want to do my bit for our indigenous bees and want a nice BB. Maisemore do them for �31 delivered. After tonight, that is a BARGAIN!

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 5:50 am Post subject:

Was there brood & eggs in the hive?
There bad temper could be caused by not having a queen.
Or by the queen becoming injured during an inspection.
If they are queenless then they will be short tempered.
Seems strange to me that they where so placid a week ago & now attacking.
Was Mr B attacked more than you or just not so well protected?
(Aftershave, deodorant?)
Sometimes it can just be immenant thunder storms.
To you it might be a balmy sunny afternoon but the bees can sense inpending lightning & thunder & resent having their home opened to the elements.
I don't think you will need to requeen unless your mentor has given you a bad tempered queen (Which I doubt)(or if they are queenless), most temper issues occur when new queens are raised from crosses to bad tempered drones so I suspect that something has happened that you didn't notice or the bees where getting irate but in your enthusiasm you missed the signs & carried on working.
One of my hives is a little moody, as soon as they tell me they have had enough I shut them up & walk away.
Mind in this time with so many bees being rustled having a bad tempered hive isn't a bad thing IMO.
Sorry to hear this & hope it hasn't put either of you off.

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 6:37 am Post subject:
It was a bit thundery over the weekend, down here in the south east. It definately felt 'heavy' on Monday

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 8:47 am Post subject:

Thx for your replies.

Tav - It had been thundery the day before and we were 2 days overdue inspection due to weather which was worrying us as they had been building so many queen cells. I suspect (and have done for a while) that the queen's pheromones are dropping and they are planning to replace her. I'd also like to know her age...

The last few inspections have been increasingly grumpy. They have been really angry since we split them. There is brood of all stages in the hive and eggs were observed.

MrB was the one going thru the frames (his first time - up til now that has been my job as I had the lessons and am therefore the 'expert' between us) We never wear any smelly stuff on bee days. We both have sheriff bee suits and MrB's gloves are the leather gauntlets from Sheriff.

When they turned on us - it was like a switch had been flicked. We had just commented on how calm they were being. Then they all piled out and we thought we were perhaps getting close to the queen. We just quietly put the hive back together and walked away but it was already too late. They wanted us dead.

I've washed our bee suits 'cos they were absolutely covered in stings. I have to admit that if this had been my first experience of opening a hive - I probably wouldn't have continued into keeping bees. However I have them now and I know it can be different so it hasn't put us off.

But MrB and I are planning to have a celebratory squashing ceremony for the nasty so-and-so when we replace her. I am just wondering if there s anyone in my local group who might help us do that 'co it doesn't appear to be a job for a beginner and I don't have a butler cage. Not hopeful on that count as there is not much of that type of support on offer for beginners in this neck of the woods.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:02 am Post subject:
I'm a bit confused here. Is this hive the one from the swarm you found or the second one you made with an artificial swarm?

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:09 am Post subject:
It's the swarm I was given. It was collected from a garden in a nearby village with no idea of its origins.

ksia

Joined: 17 May 2006
Posts: 2320
Location: Mayenne, France

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:23 am Post subject:
Hmmm .... I was looking forward to getting my first hives and bees ....

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:28 am Post subject:

Well, it is recommended by some that you don't get random swarms with no idea of their origins, especially as a newbie.

I knew my bees were gentle before I got them as I had visited them in the local association apiary many times before they were ready to bring home.

This is NOT a normal experience of bee keeping. I know I've not been at it long, but I've only got stung once and that was by a bee that had got blown into my curly hair and got stuck. I have never had a bee, either my own or at the apiary even try to sting me when I've actually been bee wrangling.

ksia

Joined: 17 May 2006
Posts: 2320
Location: Mayenne, France

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:30 am Post subject:
That's reassuring J. Ta.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:36 am Post subject:

I keep a couple of heavy canvas cloths just slightly larger than the top of a box with a bit of 1x1 pinned each end.
Use them to cover the frames not being worked on & if they suddenly get narky it's easy to pull one over the hive without doing damage & retreat, then when you & the bees have calmed down you can go back & either resume or at least put back together.
Nothing worse than being dive bombed by angry bees & trying to reasemble the hive in a hurry I remember such an instant in my earlier days & dropping a frame of bees in my haste making the bees even angrier.
Glad you haven't been put off.
You & Mr B will laugh about it when you harvest your first combs.

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 9:52 am Post subject:

That is a good tip about the canvas Tav.

Two weeks ago, at the teaching apiary, when we were taking turns to go thru frames, someone got stung because he inadvertanty moved his hand quickly over the open hive. A few bees came out at him, following his hand. Then he did it again and they stung him.
I think it's hard sometimes to recognise what we do and control it.

What do you all think about protection? I was surprised to read that stings went through quality gear. I had thought I would just use a hat/veil, but after this, I don't know so much...! I have been fortunate to only have been around benign colonies at my assoc.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 10:23 am Post subject:

I was stung 3 times over the weekend - Not by my own bee's but by my friends - They really weren't happy - I think there were a number of reasons for it

1) Second inspection of the day - Checking for Queen cells - they really didn't like that

2) Not enough smoke - He had problems getting the smoker going

3) They are a little temperamental - They are from a nuc I raised last year - I don't think the queen is a particularly good one - she's not expanded at the rate I would have expected her too - I think we need to re-queen as soon as possible - She was raised in May just before the bad weather really got going from the largest and best queen cell we found but has produced quite temperamental bee's - not overly narky but you can't judge their mood very easily and they turn.

The parent colony was lovely and gentle with a very prolific queen - Although I sadly lost them over the winter due to my own stupidity I think

The bee's I have now I think are carnolian - quite yellow compared to the last lot I had and are also very gentle, prolific and placid - I may pick up some Apidea's and do some queen raising with them

It does upset you though and shake your confidence - I've got to the point where I'm going to have to consider leather gloves because I really can't cope with the way my hands swell every time I get stung on them - they blow up like balloons especially if I'm stung around the thumb area - I'm alright everywhere else its just my hands - the sting on my arm had no effect

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 10:50 am Post subject:

Yes I realise now I have a lot to learn. It's one thing to recognise chalk brood etc etc but the experience that Tav has, in handling them, obviously only comes with time.
I hate trying to do things with leather gloves, but I have a ring I can't get off now, and if I got stung like you on the hand, it would be
very painful I expect. I probably am complacent because I was only stung once years ago, gardening.
I think when I get my own bees I had better get the full outfit.
It is good here, to read what we all have learnt from each other.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Wed May 27, 09 10:51 am Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

Well, it is recommended by some that you don't get random swarms with no idea of their origins, especially as a newbie.

That is what I kept saying but everyone told me to get a swarm. I wanted a nuc but they were in such short supply and no-one would come with me to have a look at them. In the end I gave up on the idea 'cos I didn't have the confidence or experience to assess the stock I was buying and I couldn't afford to spend so much money on smth that could turn out to be awful.

So that led me back to a package or a swarm. I was offered a swarm and took it. I wanted to re-queen straight away but stupidly allowed myself to be put off by the advice [read gasps of shock] from the beekeepers I spoke to.

I should just have gone with my own instincts. None of those ppl were there when it all turned nasty.

I admit to loving bee-keeping and this won't put me off 'cos I know it is rare. I just have to learn on the job as no-one from my interactions in my local club or classes want to help.

I'll just keep on turning to Jurgen Tautz and Ted Hooper methinks.

ETA: and you guys. I have had loads of great advice from here. Thanks everyone.

Also - Has anyone got any ideas on what I could put on MrB's arms to soothe them? They are not too puffy 'cos I gave his some piriton and homeopathy right away, but his arms are still a mess...

Last edited by Mrs Baggins on Wed May 27, 09 11:21 am; edited 1 time in total

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