Mean bees - run out of Dodge

[BeeLady]

Went to my first of two hives today to kill the queen so I could requeen tomorrow.  Second hive, what I thought was my "nice" hive has brood above the queen excluder.  I'd put the queen excluder on three weeks ago after moving my marked queen to the bottom deep (I only run one deep in Texas).

So, I was surprised to see the middle super full of brood and full of queen cells.  I didn't get much further than that as I was really attacked by lots of bees.  I had two supers open and hundreds of bees starting hitting my veil etc.  My gloves have about 100 stingers in them (I only got one actual sting on my belly).

I decided to put on my full bee overalls and my inspector's jacket over that, get my smoker fired up again and go at it to kill see if I'm running two queens or don't have a queen in the deep, in which case I would put the queen excluder above the super with brood and run a shallow and a deep.  If I have two queens this hive is strong enough for a split.

Anyway as I approached the hives the bees came after me.  It is sunny today but a bit breezy.  I checked and saw that I'd left nothing open.  Question is, when do you say enough for today or just tough it out and get the job done with lots of protection?

[Understudy]

Grab a smoker and go.

But be careful.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[livetrappingbymatt]

you may want someone too watch you,from a safe closed truck in case of an emergency?
they sound like bad bees!
bob

[BeeLady]

Thanks for the replies - I went back out because I had one super on the ground even though it was covered and didn't want to leave it that way.  Went ahead and put a queen excluder on top of the super with brood - so if i'm lucky I'll have that queen isolated with an excluder on top of and below that one super.  Then I can find her and replace her or whatever.  Also went ahead and added an additional super with no comb, only foundation - give 'em something to work on.  Also set up my swarm trap cause this hive seems about to go.  Don't know if I'll have time to get another queen to try and make a split before they do.  (Probably need two new queens to replace the hot mama and one for a split.)

Anyway, with enough layers guess they can't get me.  I hope they calm down by tomorrow as I want to put the new queen in the other hive.

[Understudy]

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

This will also work when dealing with a hot hive.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[AndersMNelson]

How did you know where to put the queen excluder?

[Understudy]

How did you know where to put the queen excluder?

If you are going to use an excluder place it above the brood box and below the honey super. The idea is to prevent the queen from laying in the honey super.

Some people love excluders, some people don't.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[BeeLady]

Normally I put the excluder as Brendhan suggests.  But I want to isolate this mean queen so I took a stab at putting one above and one below the super where I believe she is laying.  I'm ordering a new queen and want to be able to isolate her so I can find her.  I'm afraid this hive might be Africanized.  Its the meanest one I've ever seen.  I think its bees from this hive that have been running me out of my garden.

So, the queen may not be there but its worth a try.  Just seemed like the right thing to do given the circumstances.

[AndersMNelson]

Gotcha.  I'm guessing the queens have to be a significant distance apart to lay without interfering with each other?

[Scadsobees]

If you need immediate relief from the nasty things, divide them. 2 or 3 little hives won't be as hot as one big one.  I had a hive maybe 1/4 that hot and divided them and requeened, with 5 kids (2 little ones) I don't tolerate any meanness.

Keep in mind that you might have a queen that can slip through the excluder.

Rick

[Cindi]

BeeLady.  That gave me the willies reading your post.  I really hope that things work out well for you.  Get rid of that old, nasty girl that is making this such a horrible environment to work in eh?

I had a "hot" hive I guess.  It was a swarm that I had captured.  It had a horrible auroa about it, you could feel this when the hive was opened.  I didn't like this feeling, the other colonies were so sweet and never minded me one little bit.

I magnify your hive by probably 10 when I compare, so I really feel for ya, good luck.  Michael's site that Brendhan linked you to about the hot hive was really a good one to read and study.  Good luck again.  Have a great day, no matter what you have to do.  Cindi

[BeeLady]

Thanks - I missed the article from Michael - glad you pointed it out.  Sounds like my new plan.  Hope I did get lucky and isolated the (1?) queen in that super.  will keep you posted.

[Cindi]

BeeLady.  I cannot stress how important and informative the site of our Michael Bush is.  To all you that read this post, listen, read, Michael has imparted a wealth of information to us all.  Best of the night, the day, and the wonderful season ahead.  All good luck, good health. Cindi

[BeeLady]

I have Michael Bush's site on my favorites and study his articles.  I am very grateful that he shares his experience as he does.

About my hot hive.  Tomorrow it should be sunny and calm.  I might take another run at it and see what's what.  It may have been too windy the other day and that got them going.  Also, ran across the tip about using a blow torch to keep my smoker lit so that should help too.

I put the new queen in the hive next to the hot one today (in the clouds and drizzle no less) and the hot hive gave me no trouble today.  Of course the hive I was re-queening didn't appreciate it and I used no smoke as somewhere along the line I was told not to use smoke when I put in the new queen.  Anyway got it done and hope she takes.

I guess its experiences like these that will eventually make me a real beekeeper!