Bees and storms

Rmcpb · December 06, 2014, 10:10:21 PM

Boy, the bees were grouchy today with all the storms around. Mowed near their hives and didn't think too much of it so only shorts and tee-shirt. 19 stings on the left leg and 16 on the right. Seems storms really do upset them a wee bit. They really went for my fuzzy dark blue socks and the actual stings to my legs were accidents. Still they chased my socks all over the back yard till I went in and put some jeans on. Legs are a bit sore at the moment :-\

iddee · December 06, 2014, 10:59:25 PM

The meanest I have ever seen a hive was a sunny day with storm clouds on the horizon and you could smell it in the air.

BeeMaster2 · December 07, 2014, 07:08:13 AM

Back in 2010, I visited an old time beekeeper who had about 70 hives in his front yard. He looked like he had been in the boxing rink for 12 rounds. His face was all swelled up. After talking to him for about an hour, I asked him what had happened. He was cutting his grass around the hives like he had hundreds of times but this time it was starting to rain. They really tore him up. I think it is the pressure change that really irritates them.
Jim

Rmcpb · December 07, 2014, 07:36:59 AM

Don't know if it pressure change or what Jim but they were really peed off today!

Chiefman · December 07, 2014, 10:24:42 PM

Quote from: Rmcpb on December 07, 2014, 07:36:59 AM
Don't know if it pressure change or what Jim but they were really peed off today!

Hmm Quite the opposite for me :? I had to go in just before the storms hit at about 3pm and they were surprisingly gentle with very very little smoke. Not even a ping on the hood 8-)

Culley · December 08, 2014, 11:05:48 PM

I opened the hives too with storms rolling in. They were as gentle as ever. I closed them up when I felt tiny drops of rain, but the bees were still gentle at that stage.

This is contrary to my experience though - which is that storms means getting stung.

BeeMaster2 · December 09, 2014, 12:06:13 PM

I think it has to do with the location, the rain is falling here and going up down there. :-D
Jim

Chiefman · December 10, 2014, 08:29:36 AM

It was raining again here in Sydney the other day, Not too heavy but clearly drops were falling and the bees we still flying out. They must be keen to get that nectar harvested. I think it must be the strain of bees, these were collected as a wild swarm.

Rmcpb · December 10, 2014, 04:47:11 PM

Mine all fly in light rain but they will always let you know when a storm is on the way. For a few minutes before the storm hits its one way traffic into the hive then when the rain starts to reduce out come the first foragers. Amazing creatures really.

blueskieshoney · December 10, 2014, 09:27:02 PM

I have had a couple of nucs blow over in the past week during
storms. In one nuc the bees were lost unfortunately. The other
was ok, just not happy.

jayj200 · December 10, 2014, 11:00:33 PM

blue skies where are you?

blueskieshoney · December 11, 2014, 05:48:49 PM

Griffith NSW Australia.

BeeMaster2 · December 12, 2014, 12:17:07 PM

Quote from: Rmcpb on December 10, 2014, 04:47:11 PM
Mine all fly in light rain but they will always let you know when a storm is on the way. For a few minutes before the storm hits its one way traffic into the hive then when the rain starts to reduce out come the first foragers. Amazing creatures really.

I was walking by my apiary one day and stopped and watched them for a few minutes. After watching them, I said, "it is going to rain". I looked up but did not see any clouds but there are a lot of trees in my yard. I went into my work shop and came back out a few minutes later and it was raining.
They were right.
Jim

max2 · January 18, 2015, 01:21:51 AM

With my bees I find that they start to get a bit upset BEFORE a storm is on the BoM radar.
What they really don't like is the sunny early mornings after heavy rain during the night. I guess all the pollen and nectar is washed out of the trees and there is not much left to eathttp://www.beemaster.com/forum/Smileys/beemaster/sad.png

Wombat2 · January 18, 2015, 09:41:36 PM

Just been in my #1 hive with a storm brewing - they all appeared to be home as I've never seen it so full but they were very docile - only flared up once when I dropped a half lifted frame and they told me to take it easy but settled down quickly. Lifted 12 frames. I'm using 9 frame supers and average 3 and a bit Kg per frame - was only getting 2.5 kg with 10 frames so 9 frames certainly are more efficient.