Today over lunch time, I went to a new beeks yard for an inspection. he has five hives already and no knowledge. He has four hives form one provider and they are full of bees in three mediums. The last hive is from a commercial beek and it was a nuc. He expanded it to a deep and added a medium which was probably not needed. Anyways, I smoked this hive and popped lid. Within seconds I was engulfed in bees. I got stung about 75 times through pollinator coat, gloves, jeans etc. I couldn't believe the ferociousness of hive. I attempted to stay calm, but to no avail. I couldn';t see through my veil it was so covere. Now the friend wasn't touched at all. So I slowly jog through scrub pines to lose bees, no luck. I then go into a thick bush and sway my head back and forth around brush, a little better. I go back to hive to close it up and they arre on me thick again. Back into brush. Back to truck and into truck. Now there are about 500 bees in truck. Eventually we drive away and thousands of bees follow us about 2/3 of mile, but stop after we get over 25mph on farm. I get out of car and begin to kill as many bees as i can w/ gloved hands that ar clinging to me. Still haven't taken off equipment. The bees find me from hive, back into truck. Eventually I eliminate bees by going into a greenhouse and showering w/ hose. Afetwards I see my veil and jacket. I couldn't begin to count the number of stingers in my coat. thousands. After I leave, i call him back and ask him where he got the bees from. A commercial beek who just got back from florida. I know I have limited experience, bUt i have never seen such aggressiveness in my life. I will go back next week and see if i get same reaction. If so, requeening ASAP
Wow. That's pretty insane. I think if I came across a hive that was that aggressive I'd just kill it. Wait until night fall and close the whole thing and let them bake rather that risking trying to ever deal with them again.
Wow I think Florida has AHB I'm sure some of the Florida folks will enlighten me. Why would they be that aggresive especially a Nuc?
AHB why not.
doak
Oh wow, that sounds very frightening...I am wondering if carrying a fire extinguisher , and sraying them would have helped??? geez whiz...crazy
i also suspect they are ahb. they will likely react the same way tomorrow if anyone goes near the hive! requeening takes too long with a hive like that especially if he has any family or neighbors. i would either seal them up tight tonight or give them a soapy bath before further trouble. we have a reponsibilty to be good neighbors and not put anyone at risk.
Oh Seth! This is terrible news! And frightening!
How can it NOT be africanized bees? If he doesn't requeen and we have a winter as mild like this past one they might even overwinter. That would be just awful.
Has the owner been noticing aggression or was this kind of out of the blue?
Hope you are feeling okay.
And btw - thanks for not running like a girl! :)
If at all possible get a couple hundred and put them in a bottle of alcohol and send them off to be tested.
I am sure the Lab's would like to know if the AHB has made it that far north.
doak
Please don't assume that defensive bees are always AHB. Understudy has been catching swarms in south Florida and all of his were tested no long ago and all came back as europeon stock. This nuc could be queenless, under stress from the bigger hives or just be really hungry. I would do as doak suggested and have them tested asap.
seems pretty aggressive. even when i dropped them on the ground i only got stung by the one that went up my pants!
it would be good to know the genetics. you'd hate to destroy a hive that you didn't need to and you'd hate to import AHB into an area that does not have it.
All good thoughts. I dont want to jump to any conclusions. The bees are on normal cell, and they loked normal sized. I will go back monday and inspect. The hive has only been on property one week, but no significant problems. A little hot, but w/in normal parameters. This new beek put the bottom board on himself and expanded to a deep and added a medium w/o any real problem. He also was near hive doing farm work yesterday and no prob. He was about 35 ft or so. I was conscerned about neighbors, but his farm is about 35 acres, he backs up to an uncle w/ another 35 and his neighbor has about 25. He does have trespassers, often called poachers! Huge turkey flock on farm and of course deer. I will re-inspcet and call apiarist for state if hot again to be tested. Already made arrangements if needed.
Check back and think if you had been in contact with anything with an odd smell, perfume, colon etc.
when you do return be as smelling an nil as possible other than some, Yes, "baby powder".
I assume your bee suit is light colored.
If the other person was as close as you say, It had to be some thing about you or them or both.
doak
I usually have some hot hives for 3-4 days after moving them into a new location.
Quote from: doak on June 05, 2008, 08:29:50 PM
Check back and think if you had been in contact with anything with an odd smell, perfume, colon etc.
when you do return be as smelling an nil as possible other than some, Yes, "baby powder".
I assume your bee suit is light colored.
If the other person was as close as you say, It had to be some thing about you or them or both.
doak
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe cologne or washing powder (or liquid) on you they did not like. If the other beek was that close and nothing happened to him then or any of the other times he has worked them.
I spoke with Seth tonight and he told me about his great adventure :shock:
He's in good spirits, though. :-D
This was the fifth hive I inspected in his yard and last. So, I doubt it was clogne or body smell. In fact, they were so mellow, I was going to open veil b/c it was hot ans soupy and i thought it was overkill for a nuc expnded less then a week ago. Thankfully I didn't!
I will kep you all posted w/ updates as this issue progresses.
Quote from: doak on June 05, 2008, 08:29:50 PM
Check back and think if you had been in contact with anything with an odd smell, perfume, colon etc.
Um, yes, they often have an odd smell.
Sorry - I couln't help myself.
Have you washed the jacket lately? There are some detergents that leave a smell / aroma that can really crank them up.
My wife has learned that if my top is washed to use a certain soap. If we are out then make sure to use vinegar in the rinse cycle. My bees all hate when I come out with detergent or any kind of smell other than Ivory soap or scentless and any 'sweet' stuff is forbidden. On anyone else in the family they seem to ignore or one or two might buzz them. :?
I do wash jacket, use arm and hammer, but it hasn't been washed in about three weeks and I was in about 60 hives since washing. I spoke w/ supplier, new queen is in hive so I will wait about two weeks and check again, and supplier will replace if necessary which is nice.
I wash all my clothes in scented detergent and I also use lavender softener sheets. I put lavender body lotion on after showering, and do so before I work the hives, the bees have never seemed to be irritated by this in any way...They DO however seem to react aversely to sweaty body odor...but again,have not been irritated by the lavender scent. The hives sit in the midst of a field of lavender...
Once you were 'marked' by the first dozen stings there was no turning back.
You could have tried to hide in a cloud of smoke, but you would have choked yourself in the process.
Maybe even catch your suit on fire with the sound of your luck - that's not good in front of a newbie!
Next time try dressing in a cow costume, maybe they will not recognize you?
Knowing its disposition, next time use considerably more smoke.