the bees are holding a grudge

FRAMEshift · June 02, 2011, 09:15:46 AM

Yesterday I started doing splits without smoking the first hive. I did this thinking that smoke might drive the queen off the frames and make her hide in the box, thus being harder to locate and move to the split. Since the bees were not smoked... and I was doing some very disruptive operations in the hive.... the bees became VERY ANGRY with me. Several hundred bees were giving me their complete attention, and not in a friendly way. :-D Given that experience, I smoked the rest of the hives involved in splits.

All afternoon, guard bees from this un-smoked hive would greet me within seconds of my approach to within 50 feet of their hive. I thought they could smell alarm pheromone on me, so I showered thoroughly and changed all my clothes. They still came after me as I approached their hive. This morning, 24 hours after my original criminal trespass, the guards were still on me in seconds. So I'm thinking this is more than pheromone recognition. These bees "remember" that some big thing with two legs messed with them. It's like they did an "orientation" flight on me as an enemy.

Has anyone had a similar experience? How long do bees hold a grudge?

cowboygourmet · June 02, 2011, 09:19:06 AM

Have you tried lightly smoking yourself before you approach?

Hemlock · June 02, 2011, 09:42:42 AM

What was the disposition of this colony before the event? I've seen where bees get stressed and stay that way several days to over a week.

caticind · June 02, 2011, 11:03:15 AM

Did you eventually locate the queen in the unsmoked hive? If so, did she stay or go? If the queen went with the split, then they may continue to be irritable because they now know they're queenless.

That or they have put up tiny WANTED posters. :)

FRAMEshift · June 02, 2011, 11:28:25 AM

Quote from: Hemlock on June 02, 2011, 09:42:42 AM
What was the disposition of this colony before the event? I've seen where bees get stressed and stay that way several days to over a week.

It was a happy hive, growing rapidly. The only thing I had noticed is that it has more of a tendency to beard in the early evening than the other hives.

FRAMEshift · June 02, 2011, 11:29:56 AM

Quote from: caticind on June 02, 2011, 11:03:15 AM
Did you eventually locate the queen in the unsmoked hive? If so, did she stay or go? If the queen went with the split, then they may continue to be irritable because they now know they're queenless.

That or they have put up tiny WANTED posters. :)

I think she did not go because I'm getting a queenless roar from the split. I will let things calm down and check back in a week.

hardwood · June 02, 2011, 11:37:57 AM

If you've changed everything else (clothes, scent etc.) to no avail, you may need to change your face.

I hear Michael Jackson's plastic surgeon is looking for work!

Scott :-D

gardeningfireman · June 02, 2011, 01:25:31 PM

After doing two cutouts and bringing the hives home, the bees remained angry for over a week. They nailed my wife on the neck and face about 30 feet away from the hives!The weather was stormy and crappy every day. One hive swarmed and was then queenless, and the other one lost the queen to the beevac (I think). Queen cells in both last week, hatched in both hives. Yesterday could not find a queen anywhere! I am thinking (hoping) they were out on mating flights. Bees are starting to be more docile.

AllenF · June 02, 2011, 04:28:55 PM

Smoke is every beekeepers friend.

bailey · June 02, 2011, 11:12:02 PM

when i make my girls mad they can hold a grudge ror a few days. they let my wife alone but they remember me as the bad man!

these usually follow me a little too far and become batting practice if they come under the carport. :evil:
bailey