most gentle bee breed?

Bittersweet · February 06, 2015, 06:22:52 PM

How does one find out what kind of honey bee they have? I have had bees in my area for as long as I have been here and they are so sweet tempered. I have a hive that has moved in to the space between the walls behind the water heater and the underside of the bathtub in a mobile home used for storage. I can walk right up to the entrance of the water heater closet and poke around inside and they completely ignore me. I can't see the hive but it's right there.

Maggiesdad · February 06, 2015, 07:15:41 PM

You will need to ask them for their papers to know for sure.
If they are forthcoming with the proof of heritage, then go ahead and serve notice on them that they will need to move into your hive (with a modest amount of honey taken for rent), or you will have them evicted. Since they provided you with the heritage papers, they most likely will be more than willing to move into your hive.

Maggiesdad · February 06, 2015, 07:18:16 PM

I'm just pulling your leg... I'm here learning, myself!

rookie2531 · February 15, 2015, 07:58:50 AM

Quote from: Bittersweet on February 06, 2015, 06:22:52 PM
How does one find out what kind of honey bee they have? I have had bees in my area for as long as I have been here and they are so sweet tempered. I have a hive that has moved in to the space between the walls behind the water heater and the underside of the bathtub in a mobile home used for storage. I can walk right up to the entrance of the water heater closet and poke around inside and they completely ignore me. I can't see the hive but it's right there.

I would get them out, you know why we put mouse guards on our entrances right?

CapnChkn · February 16, 2015, 02:51:02 AM

QuoteI would get them out, you know why we put mouse guards on our entrances right?

Seconded. Leaving bees in your walls is just asking for trouble.

Colobee · February 27, 2015, 11:50:16 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on January 29, 2015, 09:13:38 AM
I've seen mean Buckfast bees and viscous Buckfast bees.

I can only speak from experience with Buckfast , as that's all I've ever run. I've had as few as two and as many as ~75. Almost every year there has been an exceptionally hot hive, and almost every year there has been an incredibly gentle one (or two or three). Most are just "average" and by that I mean normally defensive of an intrusion into the hive.

I do believe I'm seeing a general trend towards aggressiveness. Last year 3 of my 7 were flat unpleasant to be around. One in particular would aggressively run folks off for days after working them, and "defend" the area 100' from the hive. 3 hives were "normal" and one was as gentle as can be ( I could open it up with no smoke or protective gear).

Again - just me, and my experience with one "strain".

biggraham610 · February 28, 2015, 12:17:19 AM

Quote from: Colobee on February 27, 2015, 11:50:16 PM
Quote from: Michael Bush on January 29, 2015, 09:13:38 AM
I've seen mean Buckfast bees and viscous Buckfast bees.

I can only speak from experience with Buckfast , as that's all I've ever run. I've had as few as two and as many as ~75. Almost every year there has been an exceptionally hot hive, and almost every year there has been an incredibly gentle one (or two or three). Most are just "average" and by that I mean normally defensive of an intrusion into the hive.

I do believe I'm seeing a general trend towards aggressiveness. Last year 3 of my 7 were flat unpleasant to be around. One in particular would aggressively run folks off for days after working them, and "defend" the area 100' from the hive. 3 hives were "normal" and one was as gentle as can be ( I could open it up with no smoke or protective gear).

Again - just me, and my experience with one "strain".

Are the bonuses of running Buckfasts worth the headache of running hot hives? I just ask out of ignorance. I know they are supposed to winter well and are good surplus providers. Just wondering why you have never tried anything different? G

Colobee · February 28, 2015, 12:43:18 AM

I believe so. They winter very well, gather very good crops, queens typically last 3 years and produce abundant brood, and their daughters tend to produce every bit as well. Not much propolis and relatively little swarming (with common sense preventative measures). MO queens have a very high rate of acceptance and are rarely (almost never) superceded. I split the hottest hive & re-queened it last year. This year I hope/plan to introduce daughters from the gentlest hive to (at least) the other two.

I seriously considered trying some ( supposedly very gentle) Carni's last year, but it turned out it wasn't meant to be.

I mean absolutely no offense to Michael - I really like his book and find that almost all of my methods agree with what he presents. "Vicious" is a very accurate description of one of my Buckfast hives last year!

biggraham610 · February 28, 2015, 12:01:45 PM

Thanks Colbee. I wanted to try one for the description you offered. But after the multiple reports time after time of the Texas BF's getting insanely mean, and worse in future generations, I was kinda glad my hive balled the one I had ordered. Maybe one day I will find a Ferguson Queen and give it a try. Not economically feasible to order one. Until then, I guess mine will be the open mated VSH daughters Im running now. Good Luck. Have a great spring. G

Colobee · February 28, 2015, 12:53:34 PM

If all goes as planned, I may have a few extra Fergi's this summer

biggraham610 · March 01, 2015, 12:47:52 PM

Quote from: Colobee on February 28, 2015, 12:53:34 PM
If all goes as planned, I may have a few extra Fergi's this summer

If you are doing a bulk order, please keep me in mind. Thanks. G

Colobee · March 01, 2015, 01:50:07 PM

G, sent you a PM.

nella · March 01, 2015, 02:50:08 PM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 20, 2015, 01:13:45 PM
I had one hive that, every week, one bee would meet me about 10' from the hive and nail me rigth between my eye brows, week after week.
Do not know why.
Jim

Just like the Lennon Sisters sang on the Larwence Welk show, "sisters will be sisters".

BeeMaster2 · March 02, 2015, 01:36:42 PM

Quote from: nella on March 01, 2015, 02:50:08 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 20, 2015, 01:13:45 PM
I had one hive that, every week, one bee would meet me about 10' from the hive and nail me rigth between my eye brows, week after week.
Do not know why.
Jim

Just like the Lennon Sisters sang on the Larwence Welk show, "sisters will be sisters".

😀

Richard M · March 04, 2015, 01:15:40 AM

...............

Michael Bush · March 04, 2015, 08:40:32 AM

>I had one hive that, every week, one bee would meet me about 10' from the hive and nail me rigth between my eye brows, week after week. Do not know why.

They draw straws on who has to sting you next...

BeeMaster2 · March 07, 2015, 06:56:29 AM

ScituateMA · March 13, 2015, 02:26:04 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on January 29, 2015, 09:13:38 AM
>that was not the question
>was what is the gentelst breed

Sometimes the correct answer to a question is showing that it's the wrong question... there isn't really an answer to that question. My point is I can't predict their gentleness by their breed. I've seen mean Italian bees and nice Italian bees. I've seen mean Buckfast bees and viscous Buckfast bees. I've seen nice Cordovans and mean Cordovans. I've seen nice Carniolans and mean Carniolans. I've seen mean AMM and nice AMM. I've seen nice Russians and mean Russians... I admit, I don't think I ever saw mean Caucasians, but I haven't had many Caucasians...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesraces.htm

I have seen Caucasian bees and mean Caucasian bees )

capt44 · March 16, 2015, 10:58:35 PM

I say the Italian Bees are the gentlest bees especially for new beekeepers

Diogenes · March 16, 2015, 11:10:46 PM

I haven't found my Russian strains any more difficult to work with.

My Russian bees do have this disconcerting habit of lining-up in the gaps between the frames.

So when you look down you see rows of heads between the frames looking back at you. Keep things smooth and steady they'll move out of the way. Still, it was a bit unsettling the first time I saw that. Very watchful, not aggressive.

My crankiest ladies are from a lovely bee tree swarm. Not hot, yet I have more of them flying-up to head-butt my hands than other hives. Keeps me on my toes. So long as it's individual bees doing the fly-ups and not a mass effort......