In the last month I have recovered 3 swarms. All appear to be doing well drawing out comb etc. The issue is whenever anyone gets within 100? feet of the hives a few bees constantly buzz your head and usually end up stinging someone. I have 7 other hive and this did not start until the swarms showed up. Should I requeen the 3 swarm hives. Not really sure which hive it producing these grumpy bees. Advice is welcome.
From what I read and see swarms are usually 2 year old queens or older. Good to requeen swarms. Especially a situation like yours. If you want to experiment with swarm genetics put the queen in a weak nuc.
Even if you don?t requeen, within a month or two the bees will probably requeen for you. If you have good local genetics, I would requeen from your stock. If you have a hive that you want queens from,
just move your queen down to the lower box and put a double screen below a brood box that has eggs and larvae in 10 days you will have queen cells that you can add to these hives after you remove the queen.
Jim Altmiller
I requeen defensive bees. I must be able to approach a hive without bother. I walk my apiary without protection everyday and enjoy watching the bees.
I have observed the more defensive the bees, the more difficult to requeen.