Hi from New to forum beekeeper Perth Western Australia

[rue]

Hi All
I am a bee keeper living in the Perth Hills in Western Aus.  I have one hive that I purchased 2nd hand about 18 months ago.  It is an 8 frame Langstroth currently with 2 supers and of course a brood box.  I have limped a long in fits and starts with my bee keeping experience.  Touch wood I have had no disease or weak hive issues.  My current drama is that my bees have become very aggressive in recent months -since requeening themselves in March.  I have a new queen and nuc being given to me by someone who grew her himself for experience but doesn't have room or time to keep the hive.  I was hoping to expand to 2 hives, for insurance if problems in one and because we have a good jarrah flow predicted, but Im considering introducing the new queen to my current hive and disposing of my current one.  I havent linked into my local bee keeping group because of time and distance to travel to meetings so have been isolated with most of my bee keeping journey and all the dramas and joys it can bring.  I have joined here because I have been struggling with the aggressive bees and my other half unhappy about them questioning that I get rid (for days after going into hive they will attack and sting him and the chickens while walking around garden and shed).  So you might hear me SOSing about this on the forum : )  The forum has a wealth of info. Thanks!  : )

[jayj200]

pinch the queen they will make a new one

[rue]

thank you.  Maybe I will.  Im fed up of her grumpyness!  A big step for an overly compassionate wanna be organic lady but I might just do that!!

[Michael Bush]

Drop the old queen in a jar of alcohol and keep it for swarm lure... queens are too valuable to just kill them...

[Eric Bosworth]

Welcome!

[Kathyp]

welcome.  some of the best times I have had traveling, I had in Perth!  ;-) 

If you pinch the queen and allow them to requeen, keep an eye on them that she gets home ok.  Sometimes they don't make it back from mating flights because they get eaten by birds or something. there's tons of info on here about.

pinching her during a good flow is a good idea.  they have plenty of resources to feed a new queen well, and they can store more because they won't be feeding lots of brood for a few weeks.  it can be a win-win for you and them.  a well mated new queen will easily make up the laying.  just make sure she has room and they have not stuffed the hive with honey  :-D

[GSF]

Welcome, may I suggest updating your profile to add your location? A couple of reasons, a lot of beekeeping questions can be location specific, and, there's also several folks on here from the land down under who may be passing through your neck of the woods one day.

[rue]

Thanks all.  All your replies have been food for thought. Just a quick update.  The guy who is giving me a queen is coming tomorrow to check out my hive.  He thinks I might not actually have a queen.  That is the bee's might be grumpy because they are queenless.  I havent  seen her for a while and I usually go by seeing brood laid.  I know now that I should sight her.  The brood I have seen has not been as prolific as it should have been.  Also when I did a split (that failed) a few weeks back there were no eggs in the frame I put in 3 days prior.  I thought that maybe they had taken too long cleaning it up or something.  Sooo I might have laying worker(s).  Let you know how I get on.  Really pleased he's coming to advise me.

[jayj200]

good luck and welcome

[GSF]

Good Luck & keep us posted.