Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Aggressive bees  (Read 3236 times)

Offline gdog

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 130
Aggressive bees
« on: August 24, 2013, 10:53:09 pm »
I pulled some frames of honey yesterday cleared the bees off them placed them about 50 feet from the hives come back to get them and they are covered with more bees. As I am trying to clear them off the frames I am being attacked by the bees. I thought bees were not aggressive away from the hives. I haven't had this happen before. Is it because they are just in robbing mode or getting ready for winter? Got a few stings out of it but they don't bother me anymore like mosquitoes bites.

Offline millipede

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 106
  • Gender: Male
    • Bayou Bees
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2013, 11:02:37 pm »
When I pull honey like that I have a styrafoam cooler made to fit my frames that has a lid. I brush off the bees and stick it in there. I have had the bees I knocked off follow me too many times.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2013, 11:11:47 pm »
What did you use to remove them. My bet is you used a brush. If the bees are rolled by the brush or injured in any way they get very upset and sometimes stay that way for the next 3 weeks. I used one removing honey my first year. That is how I learned the above. I haven't used one since. I use bee quick or bee done, the ones that smell like almond extract. And then to remove any stragglers, I shake them off. Whit this method I don' t usually even use a vail. I would not try that using a brush.
I put the bee quick on an upside down lid and keep the supers covered with just small holes on the corners to let the bees out. Works real well.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline gdog

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 130
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2013, 11:15:30 pm »
I like the cooler idea. I have bee quick. I can't stand the smell reminds me of rotten milk.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2013, 11:27:02 pm »
I like the cooler idea. I have bee quick. I can't stand the smell reminds me of rotten milk.
When I first bought it, I left it in my truck because I like the smell of almond oil.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Wolfer

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 187
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2013, 09:29:44 am »
I use another hive body with a towel thrown over it.
I used to brush them off with a turkey feather but like you say I couldn't hardly get the frames in the box without bees back on it.

Now I shake off the majority. Then holding the frame with one hand I slap the back of my hand pretty hard a few times. Sometimes this gets them all, sometimes I flick a couple off. For whatever reason they don't follow me too bad.
It's pretty common to not have a single bee under the towel when I'm done.

Offline Joe D

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2246
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2013, 11:10:22 am »
I go out to the yard with dollie and a couple of pieces of plywood. Put one one dollie and the other on the super I am putting the frames into.  It keeps the bees off while covered.  They aren't as bad in the spring and the fall.  You can put the frames 50 yards away and left open the bees will be there. Good luck




Joe

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2013, 11:09:19 pm »
I use another hive body with a towel thrown over it.
I used to brush them off with a turkey feather but like you say I couldn't hardly get the frames in the box without bees back on it.

Now I shake off the majority. Then holding the frame with one hand I slap the back of my hand pretty hard a few times. Sometimes this gets them all, sometimes I flick a couple off. For whatever reason they don't follow me too bad.
It's pretty common to not have a single bee under the towel when I'm done.
I do this in combination with the bee quick. It gets the stragglers off.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2013, 11:11:58 am »
Looks like you're in a dearth.  You have to put the frames where bees cannot get to them.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline alfred

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 420
  • Gender: Male
    • Alfred's Massage
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2013, 01:32:42 pm »
I have started using a cheap electric leaf blower to brush/blow them off of frames, works well.  I have some bus tubs that I got from Sams club that seem to be made for holding medium frames. After I clear the girls off of a frame I put the frame in the tub and cover with a towel. Once the tub is full I move it away and start with a new tub. Tub holds 10 frames perfectly! Nice thing about the tubs is that if any of the comb breaks or leaks then the dripping honey is caught.

Alfred

Offline Santa Caras

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 100
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2013, 05:30:44 pm »
Fuuny story on Agressive bees. I was jawin with the guy that i have bought some nucs from. He tells me that he sold 10 nucs to some guy back in march. A few months afterwards the guys calls up and wants to know if these are Africanized bees because ALL 10 hives were really agressive! He says "No. these are Itilians and should be really gentle but I'll give you 10 new queens and you can requeen and that should solve the problem." Time marches on...a while back he calls again. Says these bees are just plain MEAN!  So he gets to asking him questions on what he's doing and he asks, "How much smoke are you blowing in the hives?"  This guy responds "Smoke? Your supposed to use smoke?"  LOL.....and theres your sign!!!!

Offline capt44

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 740
  • Gender: Male
  • If it don't work I'll always think it should have
    • RV BEES
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2013, 06:40:45 pm »
I went into a hive the other day to get a frame of eggs for a trap out I have going.
I was going to be quick about it so didn't use any smoke.
The first frame didn't have any eggs sooooo I replaced it and got another frame.
Those gals come unglued and had me covered from the waist down.
I put the empty frame in and replaced the super and inner cover and top.
I took that frame of eggs that still had some bees on it to my van.
When I got to the van I got a bee brush to brush the bees off my legs and such for they were stinging me thru my bib overalls.
The brush made them madder'n a wet banty hen on a rainy Sunday.
I put every thing in the van, frame of eggs in a nuc box and headed down the highway with all my gear still on.
I had to stop by the bank to deposit a check on the way and got out with the veil and stuff still on.
The Police pulled up want'n to know what I was doing.
I said trying to get some relief, I got into a mean hive of bees.
I showed them all the stingers in my pants legs then they said is that bees flying out of your van?
I said why sure they're confused right now though.
They said be careful and left quick.
I got stung around 100 times thru my pants legs.
Next day I went back to the same hive and they were calm as can be.
Guess I just worked them at a bad time.
Gals in the bank ask if I was alright, I said NO, if I was alright I wouldn't be mess'n with bees.
They look'd at me and laughed.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline Brian D. Bray

  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Galactic Bee
  • ********
  • Posts: 7369
  • Gender: Male
  • I really look like this, just ask Cindi.
    • http://spaces.msn.com/thecoonsden
Re: Aggressive bees
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2013, 12:52:03 am »
The way to handle aggressive bees is with smoke, smoke, and more smoke.
When the number of guard bees on top of the frames builds up the aggression builds up, keeping the guard bees smoked down between the frames goes a long way toward having a gentle hive. 

Bee smokers need to be another inch in diameter and 12 inches deep.  They will stay lit better and will hold more fuel for those times when you need more smoke.  South of the Border they use smokers twice the size of ours on Africanized bees.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

 

anything