How long will a hive stay "angry"?

[duryeafarms]

You definitely don't work my bees bare handed (especially if you have large local reaction to stings like I do) and it's not uncommon for them to not get riled up about half way through an inspection, with the smoker is pointed at me . That said I don't believe they are AHB, but it's quite possible there are "influences". I had a swarm this spring and her suitors could have been from grouchy stock. Recently I did the most invasive procedure on the hive ever. I removed a couple of combs and cut off part of another in my TBH to make room for a feeder jar and check some drone cells for varoa. Naturally, they were upset about that and their reaction didn't surprise me. When I went to refill the feeder a few days later they got upset immediately. Probably as mad as I'd ever seen them and I attributed it to my previous operation.  Four days later, I'm on my deck about 25 feet from the hive watering plants and a bee comes out and starts bullying me, I retreated to the house. This had never happened before. Yesterday I'm out on the deck grilling and the same thing happened at dusk. Now I'm getting worried.  Is it unusual for them to stay angry this long? It is late in the season and it was very dry here during the summer (hence the feeding) so I know that contributes to it. If I need to requeen, is it too late in the year to do that?

[DavidD]

I'm no pro but I have read it can be as much as 10 days

[mikecva]

Around here my girls get pi$$y when they are kicking the drones out (which they are doing now). I have about 4 more days of this before I will go and refill their in-hive feeder.  -Mike
 

[rookie2531]

When you fed them, were you suited up? You said when you were on your deck cooking, they bullied you,  mine for a few days would not leave me and the family alone, buzzing all around us, landing on us, it did drive my wife inside, but if they don't sting then I'm not sure if its investigating you or warning. Seems when they don't want me around, they fly side to side, right in front of me while getting closer a little at a time, but the side to side motion is very fast and direct.

[BeeMaster2]

Drury,
If you only have a bee or 2 acting aggressive, you probably killed their buddy while in the hive. Gloves make it very hard to not kill bees while in the hive. It may take up to 3 weeks to stop. They associate the danger to you and are still reacting. I usually kill individual aggressive bees like that to protect my grand daughters. Removing those bees may eliminate the problem.
I used to have one hive that would have 1 bee that would do that once a week even though I had not been in that hive in a long time. I always removed the aggressor. When that hive swarmed, they were very aggressive and tore me up when I bucket bumped them and placed them in a nuc. I never put the top on and just let them leave. The remaining hive never had the same problem.
Jim

[jayj200]

why did you let the probable AHB's go shouldn't we as good citizens destroy the aggressive traits.

would the not be ethical behavior