Head butt reason

[patook]

The other day I walked outside to my car and was greeted by one of my girls headbutting me. She was not interested in my children or my wife, just me. I had to go back into the house for something and she was still waiting for me when I got back.  This was 200ft from the hive.

My question is; What was she trying to do?

I figure it is one of these:

1) She just wanted to warn me off and not sting me.

2) She was trying to sting me and just couldn't find a good spot, or perhaps she didn't know which end she was supposed to use.

3) She recognized me as her "sugar daddy" and was greeting me.

4) She was trying to ball me but couldn't get any of her sisters interested.

Seriously though, if I gave her time, was she trying to sting me?

[sc-bee]

>1) She just wanted to warn me off and not sting me.

 ;)

[Bee Happy]

I gotta wonder if some of them just fly into you because you weren't there a few minutes ago.

[Cheryl]

3.) She definitely recognized you.

My bees will confront me in the front yard, especially if the hive is downwind and they catch my scent. If the wind is blowing the other way, sometimes I'll be confronted by a returning forager or two.

My mum can walk around the entire yard without being confronted because she isn't the one who opens their hive to mess with them. Me, though, if I wait a week or two, the bees will forget about me (or my confronters will have been replaced), and I can walk about freely -- until I open the hive again.

[Michael Bush]

>1) She just wanted to warn me off and not sting me.

Yes.

>2) She was trying to sting me and just couldn't find a good spot, or perhaps she didn't know which end she was supposed to use.

No.

>3) She recognized me as her "sugar daddy" and was greeting me.

She recognized you as a large mammal...

>4) She was trying to ball me but couldn't get any of her sisters interested.

No.

>Seriously though, if I gave her time, was she trying to sting me?

No.  But that's the next step.  Headbutting is your first warning.  Hair pulling is another defensive technique short of stinging.

[Natalie]

Whats up with the ones that headbutt and sting you as they go by, like a light" sting?
Does anyone even know what I am talking about? :-D
It sounds strange the way I describe it but I have had bees fly by fast and they kind of sting and keep going or they head butt you but sting and then bounce off.
I was walking out to the chicken coop the other day and had to pass the hives.
I did work the hives either the day before or two days before, anyway I was just walking by and one charged over and got me the side of my forehead but didn't linger.
Its like when they headbutt you hard but they also lightly sting before they bounce off and don't leave their stinger.
I got a very slight swelling but not the usual reaction.

[luvin honey]

Hair pulling is another defensive technique short of stinging.

Are you serious? Wow? How do they do that? I'm thinking you're joking, but I've not read an MB joke yet online.  :lol:

[Cheryl]

Hair pulling is another defensive technique short of stinging.

Are you serious? Wow? How do they do that?

Too cool! Come to think of it, I've had a bee pull my hair - or I think I have..... I just thought the bee was tangled up, buzzing and trying to sting (maybe she was).

Hair pulling. Go figure!

[Irwin]

Hair pulling is another defensive technique short of stinging.

Are you serious? Wow? How do they do that?

Too cool! Come to think of it, I've had a bee pull my hair - or I think I have..... I just thought the bee was tangled up, buzzing and trying to sting (maybe she was).

Hair pulling. Go figure!

It's a girl thing  :-D :-P :lau:

[Natalie]

Irwin! :-D
No, Michael is not kidding, I have read that before but forgot about it.
I really hate when they go for the hair, it is so hard to get them out and then they get really ticked off. Try finding the stingers by yourself :(
I have had them buzz the top of my head and get the hair, I just thought they flew low as a warning and the hair got pulled by accident, but it definitely felt like they were pulling strands of hair.

[Cheryl]

It's a girl thing  :-D :-P :lau:

MEEEEAAOWRRRRRRRR -- Fttttttttt!! -- Fttttttt!!!! :lau:

[Michael Bush]

>Are you serious?

Yes.

>How do they do that?

They grab you hair.  But then they often get tangled in it.  On other bees they just pull it out (hence dark shiny robber bees)

>I'm thinking you're joking, but I've not read an MB joke yet online

I'd probably be obvious if it was a joke or do a wink ;)

[tlynn]

In my experience if a bee is going to sting a distance from the hive she will fly right to you, land, and sting in milliseconds.  Wham-o!  Happened on my nose a couple months ago.  Head butters never seem to sting and they definitely do discern me from my wife.  Usually happens after I work the bees and I get them too stirred up and we both go out in the yard later.  One may run me back into the house while she's sitting out there laughing at me :-).   

[luvin honey]

Well, the hair-pulling thing explains how I got one completely tangled in my hair! My dad, too :)

I've also noticed that the head butters never sting me. They seem to be saying, "Hello? You are really annoying us. Just wanted to pass that on in case you wanted to move along already!" and then just keep repeating themselves until I back off.

The stingers just land and dig it in.  :'(