Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: TemeculaBeek on May 02, 2013, 11:05:57 pm
-
Well, I have had my hive in my back yard about 2 full months now. Up to this point the bees have been doing their thing while I'm out there digging or hoeing the yard.
This last week I have been assaulted on two different days. Two bees about 5 min apart one day and one bee today. One bee at a time. They go for my hair each time.
I know it's only one bee at a time because each time I have managed to kill her before she could sting me.
I was about 15 feet away from the hive each time. There is a 7 foot high fence between the hive and the yard. I was not doing anything noisy. I wasn't waving my arms around. I was putting potting soil in pots one time. This last time I was just standing in the yard looking around.
I know I'm in AHB country (So. Cal) but I also know these ladies aren't AHB's. During brood inspections they don't run on the frames and only defend about 5 feet from the hive (except on these two days).
I'm thinking I need to start wearing a full hair covering... in white when I'm in the yard.
Any ideas?
I just needed to rant a bit and figured this would be the place to do it.
-
You may be in their flight line. If they come in at a low level and have to rise to go over the fence. When they are leaving the hive and forging in that direction and maybe some low growing blooms nearby, up from the hive/over the fence/ down on your head. oops. :roll: ;) d2
-
Do what you want but I had a colony like that in the back yard. Got stung while I wasn't bothering them. Spent $20 on a new queen. Now I can stand in front of the colonies until I go in them. I can understand the defencive action during inspections.
-
Probably just giving you the usual warning bump, then getting tangled in your hair.
You don't have to be in the flight line, just close enough to make them nervous.
-
You may be in their flight line. If they come in at a low level and have to rise to go over the fence. When they are leaving the hive and forging in that direction and maybe some low growing blooms nearby, up from the hive/over the fence/ down on your head. oops. :roll: ;) d2
It's possible but I doubt I was in their direct flight line. I'm between house and hive each time, so they have to fly over the 7 foot fence then over the 28 foot house. LOL Not much in the yard to pollinate right now either. Just harvested my 200 square feet of wheat (gopher left me about 60 square feet).
-
Do what you want but I had a colony like that in the back yard. Got stung while I wasn't bothering them. Spent $20 on a new queen. Now I can stand in front of the colonies until I go in them. I can understand the defencive action during inspections.
I'd consider that if I had the $20. Been unemployed so long it really sucks!
Probably just giving you the usual warning bump, then getting tangled in your hair.
You don't have to be in the flight line, just close enough to make them nervous.
That's possible too. I'd think fifteen feet from they hive they wouldn't get too nervous. Live and learn I guess.
Still think I'm gonna make myself a white beanie or something similar. And when I get a job I'll try requeening.
-
When was the last time you were in that hive?
Last weekend, I was in one hive that was missing a frame. I pulled out a new undrawn medium frame and tried to install it. It would not go down far enough. I pushed it down and heard some crunching. The bees boiled out and nailed both hands and chased me away from the hive. I had to rubbed my hands in the grass to get rid of the banana odor because every time i tried to reach in the hive, they attacked my hands. I looked at the super and realized it was the only shallow left in my apiary and removed the frame. Later I was cutting the grass in front of the apiary. On the third pass they attacked my head. This is unusual for my bees but it was the same hive that I had crushed a bunch of them under the frame. I let them settle down for a while and started cutting about 50 feet from the hive and they were in my hair again. Every time I tried to cut that field, 3 or 4 would attack. I ended up putting my suit on to finish the job. I have found that my bees treat me like I treat them. If I am gentle, they are gentle, if I am rough, they are rough. It may take 3 weeks for that hive to settle down. The flying bees will have died off by then.
Jim
-
I pushed it down and heard some crunching. The bees boiled out and nailed both hands and chased me away from the hive. I have found that my bees treat me like I treat them. If I am gentle, they are gentle, if I am rough, they are rough. It may take 3 weeks for that hive to settle down. The flying bees will have died off by then.
Jim
LOL, been there done that. My grand daughter payed the price last weekend. :-D Jim did bring up a good point. I always mash a couple I think I hurry to much. They remember for a while, mine only about a day ot two.
-
I don't know if it's the quality of the breeding, or the fact that they've only been in there 3 weeks, but so far my package girls have been very nice to me--I can stand within a few feet of the entrance and not have them bother me in the least. I suppose this may change once they get a little more used to their new home.....
-
When was the last time you were in that hive?
Last weekend, I was in one hive that was missing a frame. I pulled out a new undrawn medium frame and tried to install it. It would not go down far enough. I pushed it down and heard some crunching. The bees boiled out and nailed both hands and chased me away from the hive. I had to rubbed my hands in the grass to get rid of the banana odor because every time i tried to reach in the hive, they attacked my hands. I looked at the super and realized it was the only shallow left in my apiary and removed the frame. Later I was cutting the grass in front of the apiary. On the third pass they attacked my head. This is unusual for my bees but it was the same hive that I had crushed a bunch of them under the frame. I let them settle down for a while and started cutting about 50 feet from the hive and they were in my hair again. Every time I tried to cut that field, 3 or 4 would attack. I ended up putting my suit on to finish the job. I have found that my bees treat me like I treat them. If I am gentle, they are gentle, if I am rough, they are rough. It may take 3 weeks for that hive to settle down. The flying bees will have died off by then.
Jim
I was in the brood on Saturday but was very gentle and didn't roll any of them. Don't think I squished any either. Loved to see that they were festooning in the new frames I put in a while back though.
Crunching frames is one reason I'm using all mediums.
3 weeks! yikes!
I don't know if it's the quality of the breeding, or the fact that they've only been in there 3 weeks, but so far my package girls have been very nice to me--I can stand within a few feet of the entrance and not have them bother me in the least. I suppose this may change once they get a little more used to their new home.....
Yeah, I can still stand about 5 feet away inside the fenced area and they just fly over my head. No problems until I'm in the yard putting soil in pots for seeds. Weird.
-
What is the weather like where you are? Hot? Were you sweaty?
My bees come visiting all the time when I am working in the yard to drink the sweat off my head and arms. Never sting. It might just be that they got caught in your hair and aren't 'attacking' you at all.
-
I know it's only one bee at a time because each time I have managed to kill her before she could sting me.
You could have been killing curious bees.
-
I know it's only one bee at a time because each time I have managed to kill her before she could sting me.
You could have been killing curious bees.
ST, once they're in your hair it's a done deal. Get her out or you're stung. They burrow to the scalp. I keep a close hair cut. :-D
-
Who knows? I have 3 colonies that I work with nothing on,walk up and start working. I have a colony I caught from a swarm in October that is pissy with me , my wife and my dogs. I wear a full veil and gloves with these girls,I am putting up with them as their numbers and honey are booming. Good luck with your bees.
-
Don't know if this is along the lines of what you're experiencing, but if I pull up to a yard and have bees start pinging me right off the bat I know that I've got a queenless hive in the mix. Might be worth a check.
Scott
-
Don't know if this is along the lines of what you're experiencing, but if I pull up to a yard and have bees start pinging me right off the bat I know that I've got a queenless hive in the mix. Might be worth a check.
Scott
That is really nice to know. Thanks Scott.
Jim