Interesting experience today.

[Dallasbeek]

I wear a watch with a stainless steel band EXCEPT when I'm working bees.  They've stung right next to it a couple of times, so I quit wearing it.  The glitter must have attracted attention.

[KeyLargoBees]

From a compost perspective....I have twice spread some "smelly" compost on the flower beds near the hives in the home yard and both times the girls got testy for the rest of the day....I can mow, weed eat, and garden around the hives with no issues but both times I spread the fresh compost they got pissy. Not sure why but I am veiling up from here on out if I work with compost or fertilizer near the hives....stings on the ears and back of the neck are to be avoided if possible LOL.

[Michael Bush]

>...both times the girls got testy for the rest of the day....

Do you eat a lot of bananas?

[KeyLargoBees]

No but this was pretty "gooey" compost. We had so much rain both times that it was more compost slop that what I normally get out of my bin. I was tilling it into the soil to reset the compost tumbler and clean it out. It didn't smell "bad" to me just was very fragrant and I am sure with bees sensitivity to smells/phermones they probably took offense at me placing it within 10 feet of their homes ;-P

The first time it happened I didn't think anything of it but when it happened again it dawned on me why they got grumpy.....so note to self....overly fragrant compost is applied elsewhere in the yard ;-)

[Michael Bush]

I just thought banana peels might be the cause...

[BeeMaster2]

Michael,
Why do you think banana peels would cause a problem?
Years ago Scott Hardwood, in a video, proved that the smell of bananas does not bother bees. He did a removal while eating a banana with no protection. I have since done the same with no problems.
Jim

[Michael Bush]

I'm just looking for why they would get upset at the smell of compost.  I admit the smell of alarm pheromone smells more like artificial banana than banana, but they do have something in common for us to perceive it as anything like banana.  Artificial banana flavor is Isoamyl acetate (aka  IPA aka isopentyl acetate).  This is also the primary ingredient of alarm pheromone.  Isoamyl acetate also occurs in banana oil.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoamyl_acetate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bee_pheromones#Alarm_pheromone

[KeyLargoBees]

Now that's interesting....I believe both batches of compost had grain from batches of Weissbier I brewed...and that explains it. I did a rest while mashing 119 to 122 degrees to facilitate the precursors to Isoamyl Acetate to get teh bannana and clove aroma and flavor that are expected in this style of beer.

http://www.thebeerconnection.net/2012/08/beer-science-isoamyl-acetate.html

So if there was enough residual in the composted grain that may be the solution here and explain the behavior......never would have expected those to remain through the composting process but I guess its possible. 

[Michael Bush]

Well, there you go.  Mystery solved.

[richter1978]

My "compost" consisted of various garden trimmings, weeds, herbs, blackberry stems, old cucumber plants, etc. in a wheelbarrow.  It was definitely sloppy like KLB mentioned.  Could/does anaerobic decomposition create the acetates mentioned earlier?  My compost pile is right behind the hives and hasn't been anaerobic, it's never seemed to bother the bees.