I bought a complete hive from a beek about a month ago and have been working them once a week. Everything has been going smoothly except yesterday when I went to check to check the hive the bees were extremely aggressive even though I used plenty of smoke. We had a large hailstorm the day before. Is that the reason for the aggressiveness? I had been in the bee yard all day because I had brought two new swarms in and none of my other hives were aggressive at all. Im just wondering what was going on.
>... even though I used plenty of smoke.
Too much smoke is less effective than just a little smoke... in fact too much and too hot can actually set them off...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beessmoke.htm
I meant that used adequate smoke and not to much the smoke was also cool enough for the bees.
I've noticed my bees, like Mike said, respond better to little/no smoke. They're nicer (not that they're aggressive) but if I use the smoke too often, they get rowdy. I only use it when I'm going in to the hive.. and to move a bunch at once.
Rawlingst98, I looked at your earlier posts and see that you're close to Sweetwater, Texas, but you need to go into your profile and put that location there, since a lot of answers to your questions depend on location.
You just might be going into the hive too often. When you disturb the bees, it takes them a day to put things back together the way they like it. I know some experienced beekeepers enter the hive every week, but others think that's too often. Some open the hive twice a year. That may be a little too hands-off. Let's see what some others say.
I go in 2-4 weeks, but only for a reason. If I don't have a reason, I don't go in! And I try to make sure its warm!
After they get going one shouldn't have to go inside very often. Some people put several honey supers on at once so they don;t have to go back often. This is good for those who have an out yard that is some distance. you can do this if your yard is close by. After you get to know how outside activity relates to what is going on inside there is no need to go in except to lift the top to check on forward progress. My put. d2
Mine respond best to a little smoke. No smoke, not so much. Too much, not so much. Just lighting the smoker helps a lot.
Mine respond best to a little smoke. No smoke, not so much. Too much, not so much. Just lighting the smoker helps a lot.
agreed, well said.
When I watch vids and I see the keep puffing the smoke into the hive like a wound up steam engine I always cringe....
As far as inspection schedule;
Once a week is not too much.. In fact it is perfect.. Wait two weeks?? your bees will be gone before you get back.. it only takes nine days for them to cap a swarm cell.. at that point you lose half your bees if your inspecting every two weeks.
Having said that... I am not talking about opening the hive and pulling/ looking at every frame in the hive. Simply tipping the boxes up, looking for started swarm cells, seeing how many bees are in the frames, how much capped brood etc.. is sufficient..