Yesterday I got into one of my hives and I could tell fairly early on that they weren't too happy to see me. I was fully suited up, except without gloves, and I used lots of smoke. By the time I had all 4 boxes broken down they were coming at me left and right, stinging me like crazy on my legs, but not my hands (I spray them with Bee Quick) and not through my jacket/veil.
I was tempted to walk away, but I had to put the hive back together. Couldn't just leave the boxes all strung out there, could I? So I just took what they gave me until I had everything back together. Probably ended up with about 40 stings in all.
We had had a thunderstorm the night before and thought that might be why they were pissy. And they had virtually no stores.
What do you do if you get in the middle of an inspection and the girls get in an uproar and you are taking fire? Never had this happen to me before in 10 years as a keep.
QuoteAnd they had virtually no stores.
might be the reason..
sometimes i just walk away. if you are suited up and they can't get you, you can keep working, but once they start stinging, they are going to keep at it. sometimes i can smoke myself and it helps mask the fact that they have already gotten me.
4 deeps??
QuoteWe had had a thunderstorm the night before and thought that might be why they were pissy. And they had virtually no stores
I wouldn't think the rain the night before would do it but with NO STORES would be on my mind.
I would have walked away (no stores = no robbing possibilities) I would have let things calm
put on 2 pairs of pants, went back out put them back together.
I need to ask?> In your location
NO Stores does this mean they are not going to make it through the
winter,Is there time to feed,do you have another flow coming?
4 boxes, all mediums, one was mostly undrawn foundation.
Don't know why they didn't put up stores. They swarmed just before the flow but the queen was a laying machine. I have stores from my other hives I can switch over and I will feed so not worried about them making it through the winter. I just set out some syrup this evening. Doubt if we will get a fall flow. Things are pretty much burnt to a crisp around here.
I guess since they didn't have much in the way of stores (maybe a frame or two, very little capped) I didn't need to worry so much about robbing. Could have just left them there to calm down, but was afraid they'd just still be pissy when I came back so just decided to work through it, then take some Benadryl and sleep it off.
I kept trying to smoke myself but didn't seem to help. I knew once I had taken a couple of stings to my hips and thighs the scent was "in the air."
And yeah, next time will wear two pair of pants!
Ouch 40 stings! I would have dropped, rolled, and run.
I have a hive that has become temperamental in stormy weather. I took about 5 strings to the hands just getting the first frame out and they were coming at my veil like missiles. That quickly brought my inspection to an end. Threw the top cover back on and called it done. Glad I always smoke and always wear a veil. You just never know what a creature with that brain the size of a grain of rice is going to do.
As for the lack of stores, any chance the other hives have been robbing it? Robbers can clear out a hive of honey in an amazing short period of time (hours!). No ripped up wax cappings? I know you've had brutal heat out there; that would be enough to make me cranky.
I would have run not walked away but you deserve a gold star for sure for your efforts! :-D
You say they had a solid frame of honey left so it seems they weren't starving. If that is all they have in four boxes I would be concerned about them making it through winter. They need more stores before going in.
Pressure changes due to weather IMO are the biggest reason bees change their temperament. With that said, a hive that is requeening itself could be down right pissy! Could be some aggressive genetics at play as well, time will tell that tale. I'd give them three more inspections over a three week period to show their true colors before contemplating requeening.
Lastly, I would suggest NOT spraying your hands with beequick before working your bees. It is used to run bees out of supers so you know right there they do not like the stuff. That right there could be your problem. I know, you've used it before with no problem but still I stand by what I say and would never recommend anyone doing it.
...JP
JP,
I think I remember you suggesting to me before not to use the Bee Quick on my hands. (Not a very good advice taker, am I :evil:) My thinking was it was the odor/fumes of the Bee Quick (and Bee Go, which I would never put on me or my clothing!!!!!too nasty smelling) that makes the bees run out of the super, or keep away from my gloveless hands.
Yes, I have sprayed Bee Quick on my hands for a number of inspections and could work 3 hives without a sting. So I don't think it was the Bee Quick that agitated them this time. And they didn't hit my hands until near the very end of the ordeal--3 stings on my right hand and one on left after they were already in a go-get-her frenzy.
Is your recommendation not to use Bee Quick because you think it agitates the girls? or it harms the skin? I guess I never really understood what your reasoning was. But then you know a whole lot more than me so I will give working them gloveless without the Bee Quick a try (actually I think I may have done it a time or two). I know smoking your hands a lot helps some, too.
Completely the opposite of using bee quick, I will often rub some lemongrass on my hands and suit. Seems to calm them.
Alfred
I was smart enough (read as stupid) to go into a hive that was requeening itself after what looked like a few queen misfires (something happened and there where dead larva in queen cells). The girls would have none of me until after her flights and the hive was queen right again. The workers then could care less if I inspected or not. Note: the weather was not adverse during this process. -Mike
Linda, there are a few reasons I wouldn't use it on my hands. One I've seen bees react to the stuff hundreds of times and it agitates/stresses them. I know you have had some success with it but I just can't get past what I've witnessed. Other thing is it is an eye irritant. If for some reason you wipe your eye the burn/irritation is not something you want to deal with especially out in the bee yard.
Smoking your hands helps, covering them with honey sometimes helps but bees hell bent on stinging seem to have their way with your hands when they insist.
...JP
JP-- your point about getting the stuff in my eyes is a good one. Never thought of that. Humm.
And I can see how it would be more of an agitant that need be introduced when I am standing there putting my hands in their domicle.
Guess you have convinced me. :cheer:
Me... I would have walked away, put on more protection, including gloves and gone back to finish up. Ain't no way this homeboy gonna stand around for 40 plus stings... geesh!!! Normally I'm not using gloves or a smoker unless the girls tell me it would be a good idea... I do always wear the veil... not gonna take a chance with my eyes!
I walk away until they calm down. Kind of like when my kids used to have tantrums :D
Idaxon.....my hat is off to you! You must be a real glutton for punishment to tolerate all of that in one day!
So to you I give 3 AT-A-GIRLS and and a pat on the back....OCH, hope I didn't hit a bee sting. :cheer:
Try baby powder on the hands. I know some folks that swear by wintergreen alchol on hands. I guess it evaporates and leaves a masking scent.
I had an experience like that. The bees would challenge me whenever they saw me for weeks after and from all over. I sometimes would be 75 feet away from the hive. I finally moved them out into the trees where they don't see anybody unless they're cutting the hay, or I go out to watch them.
You might want to put your veil on early when you get close to the hives. At least until you are satisfied with their demeanor.
Just a followup.
I got back in my pissy hive yesterday 8 days after they stung me up one side and down the other, and I am happy to report not one sting--at least not one I felt. I had a second layer of jeans on. It wasn't the calmest they have ever been but they certainly didn't attack from the first crack of the cover like last week.
I think the girls' testiness last week was do, at least in part, to the fact that they were low on stores so I did some open feeding for my 3 hives the past 2 days and that may have helped. The girls went through 15 lbs. of sugar the first day. Put out 8 more lbs in syrup and it was gone in about 2 hrs yesterday morning.
And JP you will be proud to know I didn't use anything on my hands but smoke. :-D I only got stung once on the hand when I bent down to put an entrance reducer on my biggest hive.
I somehow convinced Kathyp's husband to go gloveless at Bud3s and he got quite the swollen hand! :-P :-D
...JP
>What do you do if you get in the middle of an inspection and the girls get in an uproar and you are taking fire? Never had this happen to me before in 10 years as a keep.
Try to close up as quickly as you can. If you can't, then walk away for a little while and let them calm down some.
ldaxon you ever think about getting a trail camera for watching your hives. very handy to see if there's been a sunk, coon, or bear roaming around your hives. they can get your hive up in a uproar from protecting there home all night. that way you can check the cam and see if they been defending there home all night. yes weather dose have an issue on the bees but not as much as animals messing with them all night. carry a sheet with you when you go to inspect your hive that way if you have any robbing going on or you get pounded by the bees again you can just throw the sheet on them. that will come them down better then just leaving them open.
kbee,
Yes, even though I am "in town" I know I have raccoons and possums in my yard with some regularity, at least I did until I found a more "animal proof" container for my birdseed. Occasionally I smell skunk in the neighborhood. One of those could have set the girls off.
And on my last inspection I started carrying a thin, small blanket to be able to cover boxes as I take them off. I think that does make a bit of a difference. Less bees in the air and the boxes that are off the hive seem to be a bit calmer--maybe they like things a bit darker under the covers!
i know when i seen a coon or even a weasel that i caught on the cam i know what i'm going to expect when i go in the hives. sometime when i see that theres been pest in my apiary i don't even go in the hive unless necessary. some times the simple-less things makes the task so much easier. enjoy the things that u love make it seem like it not work. all i can say is live and learn. its an art, that takes lots of practice. happy beekeeping :bee: