hot hot hot hive

[jaseemtp]

So I was fortunate enough to inherit a hive from from a fellow beekeeper.  She has had them for one year and stated that they just turned to hot to work and would not allow them to use their 2 1/2 acres and also bothering their neighbors.  So I figured I could handle them since I have 5 acres and no neighbors.  Well I took em home under the cover of dark and let them set for 3 days.  Then I went into them and the smoker just seemed to make them more angry.  I pulled a full 10 frame split off them and added a new queen to the split.  Then I decided I would use the rest of the hive to take care of some queen cells I happened to have.  Split em up the rest of the way and BAMMM!  I can not even leave the house with out the little devils coming after me.  My property is rectangular in shape and they are waaaayyy in the back.  It just surprises me that they will come up to the house looking for a fight.  It is about 5-10 bees at most.  How long do y'all think I will have to deal with this?  I do not want to move the hives as I just placed queen cells in last night. feed back is welcome.
Jason

[beryfarmer]

I guess yo would have to wait until the bees die off and are replaced with the queens lineage-- 6 weeks?

[Joe D]

You don't think they are Africanized do you.  There was a colony killed on the Mississippi Gulf coast this spring, I  think it was Waveland or Pass Christian.  maybe the bees you got will settle down.  Good luck




Joe

[jaseemtp]

I am afraid I can not wait for the old grumpy bees to die off.
Joe it is possible as africanized genetics have been found in our area but not much.  the stock came from a local breeder and I have several hives headed up by his queens and they are no where near as grumpy.

[iddee]

It may be a day or two, and it may be awhile. Many times they will settle down when the new queen emerges.

[RHBee]

I didn't see where you pinched the old queen. Is she still in one of the splits?

[jaseemtp]

Yes sir Ray that devil female is in there some where.  She is in a colony that is reduced down to a 10 frame deep box.  I had to stop the search as I could no longer see out of my veil because of the cloud of bees.  I did pull 10 medium frames of bees / brood and 8 deep frames of bees / brood off it.  The previous beekeeper had it set up as a deep-medium-deep rig.  I will try to get back in there and see if I can find her with in the next few days.  The medium and top deep did have swarm cells drawn out so I tore them down and added new cells from a much better hive.  Those are cordovan queens so I will know if they keep them or not.

[RHBee]

If you can get her and introduce a better queen I found that the colony will calm down in short order. I would bet that the ten frame split is the hot spot now. Her pheromones set the tempo.. Good luck.

[Jim134]

If you can get her and introduce a better queen I found that the colony will calm down in short order. I would bet that the ten frame split is the hot spot now. Her pheromones set the tempo.. Good luck.

Hint:
Not only are the pheromones on the Queen but also on her brood and eggs.


                           BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[10framer]

Yes sir Ray that devil female is in there some where.  She is in a colony that is reduced down to a 10 frame deep box.  I had to stop the search as I could no longer see out of my veil because of the cloud of bees.  I did pull 10 medium frames of bees / brood and 8 deep frames of bees / brood off it.  The previous beekeeper had it set up as a deep-medium-deep rig.  I will try to get back in there and see if I can find her with in the next few days.  The medium and top deep did have swarm cells drawn out so I tore them down and added new cells from a much better hive.  Those are cordovan queens so I will know if they keep them or not.

i've kept bees off and on for a long time.  i've only had two hives that acted like what you're describing.  i watched a video of a guy trying to find the queen in a hive like that.  i know a guy that used to be on the border patrol in california and he says that's exactly how the africanized bees behave.  you need to get rid of that queen asap.

[rober]

from what you've described it would be hard to know for certain which hive the queen is in. you could try putting a 10 frame box of frames under the hive you believe the queen is in. put a queen excluder on top of that box. put the box with the bees on top of the excluder & put a fume board on top of that. use whatever bee fume material you have on the fume board. i use bee quick. this should drive enough of the bees into the lower box & make it easier to find the queen. i've done this a couple of times & it did work for me.

[blanc]

I have a hot hive too but best honey producer. If I pinch her now will it hinder honey production? All I know is this one was not hot at first but over the past month it has gotten worst. They don't cover me kinda hot but attacking my legs pretty good when I walk in front the hive and smoke tends to irritate them more than helps. :-x Will gladly pinch the winch if it does not hinder my honey!  :-D
Blanc

[RHBee]

If you can get her and introduce a better queen I found that the colony will calm down in short order. I would bet that the ten frame split is the hot spot now. Her pheromones set the tempo.. Good luck.

Hint:
Not only are the pheromones on the Queen but also on her brood and eggs.


                           BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

Jim are you saying that once the aggressive queen has been done in the same tendencies continue until all of her lineage have perished or just until the new queens pheromones have established themselves?  I have only had dealings with one aggressive colony and once I pinched the queen and introduced a new one they seemed to calm quickly.

[Jim134]

Jim are you saying that once the aggressive queen has been done in the same tendencies continue until all of her lineage have perished or just until the new queens pheromones have established themselves?  I have only had dealings with one aggressive colony and once I pinched the queen and introduced a new one they seemed to calm quickly.

This is up to about 5 days or so.


         
                       BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :) 

[RHBee]

This is up to about 5 days or so.


         
                       BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :) 

Thanks